Garden Maintenance

[AndrewS]

Am I being too optimistic in expecting the tenant to maintain the garden beds of my unit. They are only small with few plants?

The Residential Tenancy Agreement which they signed contains the following clause:
31. "The TENANT agrees to fully and regularly maintain and water the garden area, including the trees and shrubs, to mow the lawn and to remove all garden rubbish from the property."

The PM wasn't too fussed at the stae of the garden bed.

If the garden is in a similar state when they leave, am I entitled to deduct some money from the bond to restore the garden to its expected condition?

Regards


AndrewS

 

[MarkB]

Andrew

Your PM sounds like a slacker.

In my book, yes, you are entitled to deduct some money from the bond in the event the garden has been blatently neglected.

Certainly in the places I have rented with gardens, we have always been expected to water, mow, etc.

Perhaps your PM should write your tenant a letter?

MB

 

[Cosmo]

Hi AndrewS

Been caught with this exact scenario before. Tenants usually will mow a lawn but never maintain a garden. Your PM is slack.

Before the next tenants show up get a gardener to tidy it up, take some photos and get the new tenants to sign them (via your PM). When they are about to vacate ask them to tidy up the garden to the standard as in the photos. If that fails employ the gardener once again to return the garden to neat condition and pull the expense out of their bond.

 

[AndrewS]

Thanks for the advice.

I have just changed PM's. This new one is a little too comfortable with mediocraty than I like. When I challenged her, she made a comment that we would have difficulty witholding money from the current tenants bond due to the fact that photo's of garden are not dated.

Perhaps a Statutory Declaration stating when the photo's were taken would help with the paperwork regarding condition of the property.

I will take your advice regarding the next tenant.


We shall see how it all unfolds


AndrewS

 

[Puppeteer]

Well, I'd be asking my PM why the photo's weren't dated, and if he/she didn't take the photo's then I'd be asking why the initial property condition report didn't take into account the original condition of the garden.

This is the exact stuff that you pay property managers for, so that you don't have to go through the hassle yourself of dealing with tenants, bond, repairs, collecting money etc.

 

[manny]

Folks,

I must say that gardening is a bit of a catch 22... with water restrictions (Stage 2 in Melb) no lawns are to be watered & garden beds can only be watered during specified times... so I personally think that if u take a tenant to the tribunal re: dead plants or dead lawn, it would be hard to win... UNLESS you have some automated watering systems (sprinklers) to water garden beds during the specified times (as I cannot see tenants getting up at 5am to water garden beds) or if you pick on them enough they may ask you to install one...

Other way they can water is using a bucket, but if they pull their back muscles early in the morning lifting a bucket full of water, would you be willing to risk public liability (OH&S)??

PS: I must say that your PM does sound slack, sounds like my PM

Cheers,

MannyB.

 

[Jas]

We're going to stage 3 restricitons in ACT.

I only put in natvie gardens. diought tolerante, dones't need much watering (rain'll do it).

Jas

 

[manny]

Jas,

I'm the same, I only go for natives nowdays (actually for the last couple of years)... they are quite hardy & drought tolerant... a bit of mulche does help them maintain moisture through the warmer months...

Cheers,

MannyB.

 

[AndrewS]

My biggest point of annoyance was with the tenants not pulling out weeds. Its obviouslym uch easier pulling them out when they are small, but much harder when they are established better than the plants.

I am understanding and accept the limits due to water restrictions, but I would have preferred my PM to be on the ball and care that the tenants at least pull out weeds.

I know its a little thing, but why bother having such a clause in the lease agreement if the tenants aren't obliged to meet it?


Regards


AndrewS

 

[tssk]

As a tenant myself I would be worried about the conflict between water restrictions and garden maintenance.

Luckily I live in a unit



Remember, at the moment watering should be done either at dawn or dusk. Watering in the heat of the day will just result in most of the water being lost to evaporation.

 

[AndrewS]

I agree with your concern.

As stated previously however, it doesnt expend any water to pull out weeds.

Probably garden beds are overated.


AndrewS

 

[tssk]

Originally posted by AndrewS
I agree with your concern.

As stated previously however, it doesnt expend any water to pull out weeds.

Probably garden beds are overated.


AndrewS

I was going to add something about how maybe the landlord should be responsible for the garden blah balh blah but then I remembered.

As a kid I lived in a department of housing house. There was no need for us to maintain the garden but maintain it we did, spending hot days on the weekends and on school holidays pulling up weeds.

My final opinion after some consideration? If the tenant wants the benefit of a garden then they should put the effort in. Otherwise rent a unit.

Of course, if watering gardens by any means becomes banned I might think differently. But I doubt it will come to that in Sydney.

 

[Gladstone]

Get a quote from a gardening contractor eg Jim's Mowing or similar for a years worth of maintenance.

Divide that figure by 52 and add to the weekly rent.

eg Quote=$520 for year
Current rent $200

New rent becomes 200+520/52=$210
Makes everybody happy.

 

[Jas]

Originally posted by AndrewS
I agree with your concern.

As stated previously however, it doesnt expend any water to pull out weeds.

Probably garden beds are overated.


AndrewS

I throw down weed matting and mulch. Anything to help 'em.

I got my hands on some free mulch a few months back. turned out the reason it was free was that it was full of seeds. That didn't make me happy...

jas

 

[geoffw]

There's heaps and heaps of wood mulch around Canberra at the moment. Some of it has been lying there for 3-4 months, since they cut down half burnt trees and took away the usable bits. I'm sure they'd be happy for you to take some away!

Some affected houses had wood mulch which did burn, so it may not be the best idea near bushland.

 

[manny]

In terms of weeds I normally do what Jas has done & that is put weed mat in garden beds BUT also leave them a bottle of zero (weed killer) to use if they see any weeds appear (if the IP has garden beds)...

In one IP I charge them an extra $10 pw on top of rent for gardening (it was a mutual agreement as tenant had no time & no lawn mower), so what I do is just mow the lawns myself every 4 weeks & if I see any weeds just simply spray them (don't even bother pulling them out)... so by the next visit, the weeds would be dead & you wouldn't even know they were there... The extra $520pa is handy, plus get free exercise, get to inspect IP every 4 weeks & get to claim the mileage, mower fuel/oils, etc. from the ATO...

Cheers,

MannyB.

 

[AndrewS]

Thanks everyone for all your replies. I bought my unit new and it had a bsaic garden. Not very flash, with no weed matting. Hence, weeds are having a lovely competition with the plants. Weeds 1 - Plants 0.

I think I will have to just accept the outcome when the tenants leave, and fix the garden beds myself (with weed matting), and also implement some of the strategies that you have all encouraged me with.

Thanks again folks!!


AndrewS