making candles in an apartment - ?

[wood_elf]

Hi everyone,

I am about to start making candles and I live in an apartment (renting). Does anyone here that makes candles live in an apartment?

I was wondering if you had to inform your insurance company that you were doing so, and if you did were you allowed to?

Here is why I am worried. I know that this probably won't be for quite a while (you do not have to lecture me well intentioned person, as I have read about a million threads outlining this, lol) but I intended to someday sell my candles online if I really enjoy making them and I start producing some really nice ones.

To do this I would need product liability insurance, which means I would need to be an official business. Then I read my lease agreement and it states that if I want to run any kind of business or trade in my apartment, I would have to get the landlord to sign an agreement.

Then I realized I would then have to inform my insurance company that I insure the apartment through, and they could say "no way jack" and even possibly refuse to provide insurance for me anymore (as I've read here on the boards)!

This broke my heart because I was really set on doing this. Then I wondered if I am even allowed to just make candles for fun here.

Thought I'd ask, anyone else in a similar situation?

Also I was wondering if insurance companies are really strict about soap making too, or is it just candles?

Thanks kindly and much love,

wood_elf

[momtohaley2004]

It really depends upon your lease and upon your insurance company. I don't have an apartment now, but when I did, they were fairly laid back with us as long as we just let them know (we had a cat and never paid a pet deposit as long as the cat didn't destroy the apt). I don't see why they would really have an issue if people are not coming directly to your apartment. In fact, if all you do is ship them then unless your apartment complex is extremely strict on this sorta thing, i don't think they would even care. As for your insurance, I skipped my homeowner's policy and found and outside policy because I was afraid to inform my homeowner's (who also carried me on renter's ins) that I was making candles. I heard they could drop me so I just went with an outside company and got my liability insurance that way. Saved time and trouble. As for your soap making........not sure on that. I know that with candles, due to the increased risk of fire from making them, that is why many insurance companies are reluctacnt to issue a policy or to renew your policy. Sorry I couldn't help more but maybe someone else here can.

[wood_elf]

Hi motohaley, thanks for your reply. I think you're right that the best bet would be to just get insurance somewhere else for the candle stuff. I guess I should just stay positive and not worry about things too much Who knows what will happen

[Vicky_CO]

You guys do know if any thing happens like a fire in your home and you are making candles to sell it will void your home owners insurance. Your business insurance will not cover your personal property.

[Stella1952]

You guys do know if any thing happens like a fire in your home and you are making candles to sell it will void your home owners insurance.

Wouldn't that be true only if the candlemaking activity was what caused the fire? Then, wouldn't your business insurance cover the losses?

If the fire was from some other origin, your business insurance would be needed to pay for the candlemaking business losses because personal property insurance doesn't cover much, if any, in the way of business-related stuff... (I learned that one from experience... my homeowner's insurance only covered $1500 of my business losses...).

Would that also be true if you are working a computer-related business out of your home and your computer caught on fire and burned your home down?

[momtohaley2004]

my business insurance has a clause in it for personal property damage. Suppose it all depends on who your carrier is.

[TxSioux]

It will vary from State to State & Company to Company, but in most cases, it doesn't matter that the source of fire had nothing to do w/ candles. If you were doing anything against your policy, the policy becomes void & you have zero coverage. It's far better to find out what your provider will allow & switch companies if there's a problem. Generally, the problem isn't so much w/ candles, it's operating a home based company. If you make candles for hobby, probably no issue, but if you sell a product made in your home ... better to be safe than sorry, especially after the fact!

Susan.

[wood_elf]

Thanks for all your replies.

Does anyone here actually live in an apartment and run a candle business out of it?

[justrightcandles]

I started my business when i lived in an apartment but my landlord told me i had to stop, can not burn candles in an apartment. But that is how i got into the whole wickless thing. Now that we moved into our own condo i can make wicked candles but i like the wickless there is no one around here that make them so they are unique.

i am insured thru IBN. The insurance carrier is the colony group and the broker is stratus insurance services group. http://www.indiebeauty.com/channel-ibnyou/insurance.asp

but on vicki's note. i have not told my home owner insurance about my business, i keep saying i am going to read the policy word for word but have not gotten to it yet....

1. So i would first go to your landlord and see if you are even allowed to have candles in your apartment

2. then see if you can have a business.

3. Get a registered as a business so you have a tax id and you can buy wholesale.

4. At that point some people have said to get insurance but i waited until i was ready to sell. up to you.

good luck, HTH.

Amanda

[macaroni&cheese]

I have just moved my candle stuff out of my apartment, today as a matter of fact, and I tell you as a matter of fact, I had started out rather subversive, I guess. I told no one, and was going full steam, ever growing until the whole thing overtook my entire palatial 1-bedroom estate;). Then my hot water heater went out, and the landlord was in my apartment fixing it before I knew what had happened. He was very gracious about it, and a few month later even offered me my own additional apartment to pour in. That didn't happen, as I have seen my biz grow beyond 800 square feet in just a few short months.

I tell you, it's all up to your conscience. To be quite honest, I am glad my landlord found out. I didn't feel all sneaky anymore after that, and the landlord's wife began buying candles from me after that to keep in her salon. I seriously doubt it work out this well for a whole lotta people, but there is an opportunity for bribery. Maybe make a few, and offer them to your landlord, and tell him/her your vision. You now have a visual aid, as it were. Insurance? forget it. You had better keep it safe, bud. I got the biggest A-B-C extinguisher I could find, just to keep it on hand, and babysat the hot wax at all times. Try to keep the combustibles away from the kitchen, and do your work in there, as it is more suited for this kind of stuff. Stove top melting? Forget it. get a presto pot and make a melter, or order one off eBay. Get a plastic putty knife, and scrape spilled materials immediately, keep some kind of spot remover for dye spots.

I seriously doubt I was any help at all, but I thought I would tell you for what it's worth. Rent a house with a small garage. It's your best bet. You don't need to tell anybody until you start making 3 cases or so. by then you will know whether or not you want to do this full time, anyway.

[cndlmkr84]

I totally agree with the above. If you're just starting out, no need to say anything until you have figured it is something you absolutely want to do. I had contacted my city to see the requirements for a business license with insurance in mind. I was told that my city didn't allow businesses to be ran out of their homes but if I was only making the candles for shows, friends, or family...or anything along those terms that I didn't need a license. I don't know if that helps, but I wouldn't rush into telling the world until you're positive it's something you want to do. Honestly, insurance is probably the last thing on my mind. My landlord knows I make candles and has never said anything about it. Personal preference I guess.

[YooperCandles]

We were having some work done on our house so we stayed with my mom in her apartment for a short time and I had orders to complete before the work was done so I brought the minimimum I needed with me to my moms. That was a BIG mistake. Her neighbor knocked on the door every day freaking out about the "stench" that was going into the hallways. She got the landlord involved and he told me to stop because he was sick of her calling him. (He then bought some of the candles...lol). If you have crabby or elderly neighbors I would make sure they are okay with it so they dont go screaming to the landlord.

HTH ~ Pam

[Country Crafter]

The above was my thought too. We now pour in a 1400 sq ft shop and have exhaust fans, the whole neighbourhood knows when we pour, lol. But yrs. ago when we were in the house pouring the smell was definately present both inside and outside, (doors and windows open in the spring and summer). I can't imagine what it would like in an apartment building, not everyone enjoys the smell of hot wax and fragrances.

Wendy

[Burnt Mill]

I have a business license and I pour candles in my 1 bedroom apartment.

there is a part in my lease I think(been 5-6 years since I signed it) about not running a business in your apartment but I always figured it was more towards bring people in for business purposes. I never have people come over. But I know that insurance companies would freak over the fire hazard part I just don't tell them I do it.

I am very good and hiding all my candle making stuff when they are going to be coming into the apartment to fix things and such. I figured it was easier to do that then risk them telling me to move out.

they do know that I run a internet snake breeding business(they saw it on a yellow pages type site when they were searching for something in our area). Some how they didn't come across my candle site. The landlord has seen my soaps(can't miss the huge curring rack) and I even gave her one to try(no lable on it so she couldn't see my site)and she didn't say anything about not doing it. She also thinks the soaps are why my place always smells so good.

I guess proceed with caution and maybe have a backup plan in case they aren't friendly towards candles.

[CareBear]

But I know that insurance companies would freak over the fire hazard part I just don't tell them I do it.

Um. I expect that YOUR insurance will be totally void should anything ever happen, and that the other tenants' and the owner's insurance companies will sue you for damages if there is a problem.

[love_the_light]

You guys do know if any thing happens like a fire in your home and you are making candles to sell it will void your home owners insurance. Your business insurance will not cover your personal property.

So I just want to make sure I get this right. If I am making candles as a hobby only I DON'T have to inform my homeowner's insurance company? Just reading through trying to get an idea about all this insurance stuff. I really don't see how making candles is more of a fire hazard than burning them, and everyone burns candles in their home!

[Gdawg]

each lanlord is different I suppose, Like I am a lanlord and I personally wouldn't care, I moved away for 6 mos and rented a place instead of buying cause I wasnt sure how long I wanted to be there and I was not allowed to "sell or do hobbies that generated income" Did I still make canldes Yup cause I would have went nuts if I couldnt make and test them.

I still have a few rental units and as long as they were up front and asked I dont see an issue, like the ablove person said burning candles is just as dangerous and people who dont make candles buy them and burn them in the rental homes

[Burnt Mill]

I have a separate policy for my candles and soap

I probably didn't explain myself too good before

that is what I get for trying to reply really fast while at work

[dcroome2005]

I've lived in this apartment for 2 years and ran my business out of it and made my candles in my kitchen. Of course, I just bought a house so no more of that. I had no problems. I just let me leasing office know what I was doing and there was no problems. I am sure each apartment complex/ state/ city has different rules.

[justrightcandles]

I finally checked with my insurance and they said no that it does not void my condo insurance the fact that I run a candles business from my home. Thank God! So check with your guys insurance company to make sure. I kept putting this off becuase i was afraid of the answer. But i will sleep much better now.

[CareBear]

GOOD for you and that's GREAT news!