House Sharing - Garden

ray giraffe

I am sharing a house, and about 2 weeks after I moved in the landlord asked me to mow the lawn, which I did. Since then I have done it twice more.

The landlord now expects me to mow the lawn indefinitely, even though nothing was mentioned of this job when I moved in.

Is it his responsibility to do it?

baaaa

Not if you're pulling your weight with the rest of the work obviously.

ray giraffe

baaaa wrote: »

Not if you're pulling your weight with the rest of the work obviously.

I don't live with the landlord, so I don't think I owe him any work tbh.

markpb

ray giraffe wrote: »

Is it his responsibility to do it?

I thought someone posted a link here to recent legislation stating that it is the landlords responsibility to look after the outside of the property including any landscaping. I can't find it now though.

baaaa

If you're just one of the random tenants in the gaff then you shouldn't have to do it.
I would try make a deal with the landlord personally,get a few quid out of him/her.

BettePorter

whilst it may me the landlords responsibility on paper, why would you and whoever you live with not just do it anyway ? you're not digging trenches ! the garden is there for your benefit and surely it's not that inconvienient for either or any of you to run round with the flymo once in a while ? personallly i'd rather do that than have th landlord calling once a week having a nose about . does the landlord come round to hoover or wash your kitchen floors ?

mikemac

Tell your landlord to get stuffed or at least knock rent money off if they want their lawn cut

From 1 December 2009, the requirement to maintain the house in a proper state of structural repair is spelt out in more detail. The new Regulations require landlords to maintain the house in a sound state, inside and out. The Regulations specify that roofs, roofing tiles, slates, windows, floors, ceilings, walls, stairs, doors, skirting boards, fascias, tiles on any floor, ceiling and wall, gutters, down pipes, fittings, furnishings, gardens and common areas must be maintained in good condition and repair. They must not be defective due to dampness or otherwise.

If you do want to cut the lawn then get them to buy the lawnmower and petrol

ray giraffe

feelingstressed wrote: »

Tell your landlord to get stuffed or at least knock rent money off if they want their lawn cut

If you do want to cut the lawn then get them to buy the lawnmower and petrol

They have provided an electric lawnmower. I was thinking of offering to do it for 20 or 30 euro a month.

I'm a bit afraid of getting on wrong side of landlord. I have this feeling (rightly or wrongly) that landlords should not be vexed else they might start shaving the deposit when I come to move out.

mikemac

So the tenants are going to end up paying the electricity to get the lawn cut?
In that case ye may as well do it, as you said try and get rent money off

baaaa

ray giraffe wrote: »

They have provided an electric lawnmower. I was thinking of offering to do it for 20 or 30 euro a month.

I'm a bit afraid of getting on wrong side of landlord. I have this feeling (rightly or wrongly) that landlords should not be vexed else they might start shaving the deposit when I come to move out.

Nah he'll be more worried about the hassle of finding a new tenant I'd say.
Anyway,if he tries that on you you would be morally obliged to damage his house.

BettePorter

ray giraffe wrote: »

They have provided an electric lawnmower. I was thinking of offering to do it for 20 or 30 euro a month.

I'm a bit afraid of getting on wrong side of landlord. I have this feeling (rightly or wrongly) that landlords should not be vexed else they might start shaving the deposit when I come to move out.

i just don't get this mentality at all with people ! does everyone have to be paid for everything or instead let the place fall down around them. surely among one of you in the house you can manage to get off your arse and cut the grass ..... he provide you with a lawnmower.....as i'm sure he did a washing machine......are you going to charge him when you use that ? cutting the grass is for your benefit....not his, you are the one who has to look at it every day.......are you saying if he refuses, you'll not cut it and let it grow to hay, but at least you'll have a self satisfied feeling as you walk through it that you stood your ground !..........are you all really that lazy and petty . jesus, sometimes i despair at people and how self serving they can be ! i bet you ring him when the light bulbs blow too do you ?

baaaa

Don't listen to that nonsense about doing it for free,you are in a business relationship only with the landlord and he's currently getting you to do his work for free.
When pricing this job remember that it's only a few months during the summer that the grass actually needs to be cut so you'll only have a small window to make any money.

BettePorter

'Doing it for free'??????? he LIVES in the house for god sake ! i'd hate to be living with you miserable sods who get a calculator out everytime you have to do something that crosses the line of what you consider paid for by your rent. its in the op and fellow housmates interest to cut the grass, not the landlords, regardless of what it says in the terms of the lease. i'm sure there are things done in the house and to the landlords property that wouldn't always be on the lease either.

if i were a landlord and had gone to the trouble of supplying a lawnmower under the assumption that among the couple of fellas in the house one of them could once in a while get off there ass for twenty mins and run the flymo over the garden, and then the op came and said he wanted paying, i would first of all say no, then i would make a point of cutting it myself and make a mental note to be as pedantic as he is being re the upkeep of the house ! there has to be a bit of give and take, and the op hasn't mentioned that the landlord has been a bollix so far has he ? just cut the grass for god sake and stop being a lazy miserable sod.

Kimia

Bette are you a landlord? You are actually getting abusive over this - does it really matter to you that much? :rolleyes:

OP, the landlord is responsible for the maintenance of the outside of the house. It's not your responsibility. Does it say anything about gardens in your lease? It does in mine.

ps what the hell is a 'flymo'?

mikemac

A flymo is an electric lawnmower, useful only for small gardens, not for heavy duty stuff.

baaaa

BettePorter wrote: »

if i were a landlord and had gone to the trouble of supplying a lawnmower under the assumption that among the couple of fellas in the house one of them could once in a while get off there ass for twenty mins and run the flymo over the garden

Why not go to the trouble of supplying money also?Work under the assumption that people generally don't work for free.

BettePorter

Kimia wrote: »

Bette are you a landlord? You are actually getting abusive over this - does it really matter to you that much? :rolleyes:

OP, the landlord is responsible for the maintenance of the outside of the house. It's not your responsibility. Does it say anything about gardens in your lease? It does in mine.

ps what the hell is a 'flymo'?

no i'm most def not a landlord.......but i've had my fair share of landlords over the years, both good and bad but in all cases there was give and take. where exactly was abusive ? no it doesn't matter to me that much, i'm just amazed to think that the general consensus is ' do nothing that you can't scab a few quid back on '!!! cutting the grass in your back or front garden is not 'work' for god sake ! i nearly thought i had meandered into the ' stingiest thing you've seen stingy people do' thread in After Hours !!

Victor

baaaa wrote: »

Anyway,if he tries that on you you would be morally obliged to damage his house.

Advocating criminal damage is not acceptable.