Working Blinds Can Still Be Unsafe: Check Window Cords Before Your First Rental’s Next Move-In

Look at every window covering supplied with the rental, including those in living areas and other rooms outside the bedrooms. Note dangling pull cords, continuous-loop operating cords, and any accessible inner cords running through the blind. A wand used to tilt the slats does not, by itself, show that the whole covering is cordless.

Use a safe, accessible viewing position and the product’s instructions. Do not pull inner cords out to experiment with a loop, climb on furniture, or improvise a repair. If you cannot identify the design or safely inspect it, record the uncertainty and ask the manufacturer or a qualified installer for help.

Keep this check about the property’s equipment. Apply the same upkeep routine across your rentals rather than relying on assumptions about who will live there or whether a child might visit.

In its cordless-window-covering safety release, CPSC warns that tying cords high or using so-called safety cleats does not make accessible cords safe. Strangulation can be silent, so adult supervision is not a substitute for removing the cord hazard.

CPSC’s safety center offers risk-reduction steps when cordless replacement is not possible. These include moving cribs, beds, furniture, and toys away from windows and cords; shortening dangling pull cords; properly installing and adjusting cord stops; and anchoring continuous-loop cords with appropriate fasteners. The agency explicitly says these steps reduce the hazard but do not eliminate it.

Do not turn that list into a do-it-yourself alteration plan. Follow the exact manufacturer’s instructions and CPSC guidance, and get qualified help when the correct hardware or procedure is unclear. CPSC also notes that retrofit kits do not address the dangling pull-cord hazard on many common blinds. A kit, tied cord, or tidy appearance is not proof that the danger is gone.

Use a vacant turnover as an opportunity to replace corded coverings with cordless products before the next resident moves in. For an occupied home, arrange prompt follow-up through the applicable notice and access process; do not leave a reported hazard waiting for a future turnover.

When ordering, look for a product explicitly described as cordless, as CPSC recommends. Confirm how the exact model is operated and installed, rather than relying on a listing photo. Choose a design suited to the window and usable by the resident, and have a qualified installer handle work you cannot safely complete. Follow the manufacturer’s mounting instructions and retain them.

Older coverings deserve particular attention. CPSC says most blinds sold before November 2000 have inner cords that can be pulled into a hazardous loop, and it advises immediate replacement of those types. If the age or design is unknown, ask for identification rather than guessing from how new the finish looks.

A short window-by-window record helps prevent the same uncertainty at the next turnover. Record the location, product identification if available, accessible cords observed, and the action needed. After replacement, save the model information, instructions, installation date, and installer’s details. Keep unresolved items open until the work is confirmed.

Give residents the relevant product instructions and a simple way to report a loose covering, damaged hardware, or an accessible cord. A maintenance note should describe what was checked and done; avoid a broad “childproof” or “all safe” label.

This is a focused equipment-safety routine, not a summary of every product standard or landlord duty. Check requirements for the property’s location and get qualified advice when obligations are unclear. The practical step is straightforward: check for cord hazards separately from whether the blind works, and prioritize cordless replacement over an improvised workaround.