A Landlords' Guide to Garden Harmony
Gardens can significantly boost a rental property's appeal, attracting high-quality tenants eager for outdoor space.
Yet, this advantage can sometimes become contentious, with garden upkeep leading to disputes, often at a tenancy's end.
Many landlord and tenant disagreements arise from garden maintenance, underlining the need for clear strategies.
We're sharing these five ideas to weed out problems before they grow to become bigger issues.
Simplify Gardening Tasks: Choose plants that require minimal care, sidestepping potential issues with overgrowth. Even though tenants typically handle basic gardening, opting for less demanding plants like shrubs over rapid growers ensures everyone's life remains straightforward.
Start as You Want Things to Continue: Presenting a well-maintained garden sets expectations immediately. A clean, weeded, and mowed garden and clear gutters showcase the standard tenants should maintain.
Clarify Responsibilities: Make sure the tenancy agreement outlines who's responsible for what. Generally, tenants should maintain the garden's condition throughout their stay, tackling tasks like waste removal and watering. Landlords usually take care of structural elements, including fences and pathways.
Document Garden Condition: Record the garden's state when tenants move in, providing a reference point for future discussions. This check-in report helps prevent misunderstandings about garden maintenance responsibilities.
Regular Inspections Are Key: Incorporate the garden into routine property checks. Early identification of issues, such as excessive weeds or accumulated debris, allows for a swift resolution and keeps everyone updated.
Understanding these garden maintenance principles can really help grow a positive landlord-tenant relationship and keep disputes to a minimum.
Contact us today with any rental-related needs or questions you may have.
Thanks for reading,
Abigail & the team at Grey & Co