# DirecTV dish install on a rental home



## kmfdm515 (Feb 12, 2009)

Hello,

I'm a current DirecTV customer, and I'm getting ready to rent a home. I noticed that the contract specifies that I may not install a Satellite dish, amongst other things.

I found that the FCC OTARD rules prohibits a Landlord from preventing a Satellite installation on a rental home since there is no common area like there would be in an apartment or condo. A few quick questions:

1) This should overrule any Local Law or HOA rule, correct?
2) I assume the HOA may dictate placement, etc. but not prevent installation altogether?
3) If so, why is Landlord permission often requested for dish installation?
4) If I install without permission, that FCC law would prevent them from terminating the rental contract, correct?

I hope that is not too many questions! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks...


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

While you can have a dish installed, the landlord has the right to not let you drill any holes, or "damage" the property in any manor.
I moved into an apartment not long ago, and needed to work out a way to route my cables without making any changes to the property.

When I move out, I can return the property to the same condition as when I moved in.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

You absolutely DO need to coordinate with the landlord (and HOA if applicable). Technically, you should have written permission from the landlord (same applies to apartments).

So it is correct to say they can't prevent you from having a dish, but they certainly can place a lot of specific restrictions on it. Don't just do it, you could be liable for damages, and be evicted.


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## kmfdm515 (Feb 12, 2009)

Appreciate the answers, thanks.



carl6 said:


> You absolutely DO need to coordinate with the landlord (and HOA if applicable). Technically, you should have written permission from the landlord (same applies to apartments).
> 
> So it is correct to say they can't prevent you from having a dish, but they certainly can place a lot of specific restrictions on it. Don't just do it, you could be liable for damages, and be evicted.


That makes sense. I imagined they would have limitations on placement, etc.

As long as they can't flat out say 'No', that's good enough for me.


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## Barmat (Aug 27, 2006)

Try a bucket full of cement and a poll to mount the dish. buy/request some flat cable you should be good to go.


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## kmfdm515 (Feb 12, 2009)

Ideally I didn't want it separated from the house.

The house right next door has it mounted to the garage roof, so there shouldn't be any HOA issue. If the Landlord really refuses any holes in the roof, etc...is there a way to mount without drilling?


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## Barmat (Aug 27, 2006)

Chimney strap.


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## n3vino (Oct 2, 2011)

The HOA can't keep you from putting up a dish anywhere in your yard or house in order to get clear line of site. But the owner can deny you permission to install it on or drill holes in his house. You might not have any other choice except to put it on a tripod. Hopefuly the home is already cable ready. Most newer homes are.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

There are a variety of non-penetrating mounts, such as tripods, pole mounts, bucket of cement, etc. To get coax inside you can look at flat coax that goes under a door or window, or consider a thin strip of wood with holes drilled in it for the coax which is placed at the bottom of a window, then put some locking strips in so the window can't be opened beyond that.


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## radioguy (Jun 8, 2012)

One of the things I noticed while looking for a new place in the city here, is that landlords here are now charging insane "satellite dish deposits" to skirt the law. One of the places i looked at required renters insurance (somewhat normal around here) AND a $2,000 deposit!!!

I promptly (and politely) told him where to stuff his rental application. :nono:


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

radioguy said:


> One of the things I noticed while looking for a new place in the city here, is that landlords here are now charging insane "satellite dish deposits" to skirt the law. One of the places i looked at required renters insurance (somewhat normal around here) AND a $2,000 deposit!!!
> 
> I promptly (and politely) told him where to stuff his rental application. :nono:


As far as I know this is against the OTARD rules as well.


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## studechip (Apr 16, 2012)

radioguy said:


> One of the things I noticed while looking for a new place in the city here, is that landlords here are now charging insane "satellite dish deposits" to skirt the law. One of the places i looked at required renters insurance (somewhat normal around here) AND a $2,000 deposit!!!
> 
> I promptly (and politely) told him where to stuff his rental application. :nono:





Beerstalker said:


> As far as I know this is against the OTARD rules as well.


It is. You can't impose overly restrictive reasons.


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## studechip (Apr 16, 2012)

n3vino said:


> *The HOA can't keep you from putting up a dish anywhere in your yard or house in order to get clear line of site.* But the owner can deny you permission to install it on or drill holes in his house. You might not have any other choice except to put it on a tripod. Hopefuly the home is already cable ready. Most newer homes are.


That's not entirely true. They can restrict where you can install the dish. They can tell you it can only go in the back yard if you have LOS there.


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## n3vino (Oct 2, 2011)

studechip said:


> That's not entirely true. They can restrict where you can install the dish. They can tell you it can only go in the back yard if you have LOS there.


Yes, I agree with you. I guess I wasn't clear enough on that. But if the owner won't allow a dish, and the OP can't get line of site on a tripod or a pole, from the back or the side of the house, I would think he is up the creek. Same as appartment complexes. I've seen dishes on tripods from balconies facing the southern sky, but those that don't have LOS, are out of luck. And as another poster pointed out, I don't think the installers will install a dish, on the house, without consent from the owner.


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## PK6301 (May 16, 2012)

Somewhere in another thread I read here there is a site that will give you line of site. Just type in the address and it will give you line of site for your home..But for the life of me I do not know where I read it on this board..
Maybe someone else Knows where this is..

http://www.Dishpointer.com

I did some research try this website..it will give you a general idea where the dish will be located so you can see if there are any line of site issues.


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## studechip (Apr 16, 2012)

PK6301 said:


> Somewhere in another thread I read here there is a site that will give you line of site. Just type in the address and it will give you line of site for your home..But for the life of me I do not know where I read it on this board..
> Maybe someone else Knows where this is..
> 
> http://www.Dishpointer.com
> ...


That's the website many of us use. There is also a smartphone app associated with it that shows almost exactly where the satellites are by pointing your phone as if it was the dish. It's really handy for tight los installations.


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## mnassour (Apr 23, 2002)

n3vino said:


> I don't think the installers will install a dish, on the house, without consent from the owner.


Oh yea, they will, at least here in Austin.

I've now had it done THREE TIMES to me on various properties. Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem with it, but need a veto over the method of installation. Once, an idiot did a roof install that leaked from day one and cost me some serious cash.


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## tomski35 (Sep 7, 2007)

n3vino said:


> And as another poster pointed out, I don't think the installers will install a dish, on the house, without consent from the owner.


How does DTV know whether you own or are renting? I don't think they asked me that question when I had the dish installed.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

tomski35 said:


> How does DTV know whether you own or are renting? I don't think they asked me that question when I had the dish installed.


they ask now, it is also in the documentation


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