Garden my responsibility or landlord's

makeorbrake

generalmental wrote: »

There has been no confrontation at all, everything has been amicable and polite.

See a couple of posts before that. Someone suggesting to go running to the PRTB - that's not the way (at least, not straight off the bat -and certainly not if you claim to have a good relationship with the landlord - because you certainly won't after that!). Don't get me wrong - use the PRTB when its actually necessary - but many here look for an angle to beat the LL up with - even if the actual primary issue or cause of complaint may not be so reasonable on the part of the tenant.

generalmental wrote:

Thanks for that link makeorbreak but what do i want with a broken hoover?

Ok, my bad on that not being a fully functioning hoover. I did a quick google to find something suitable and to demonstrate that this doesn't have to be an affordability issue. As it stands, you can buy a perfectly find hoover - new and out of the box for small money. If you can't stretch to that, then you can pick something up off donedeal or adverts.ie . I do NOT think its reasonable to INSIST on the landlord providing a hoover. He is under NO such obligation!

generalmental wrote:

I will be long gone before he gets my deposit

You mean you intend to use your last months rent as deposit? That's NOT the way to go! It's simply not right. I know it's commonly practised by tenants. However, if you are satisfied that you have left the place in good order, you will get your deposit back - either directly from him OR if he is dishonest about it, then you get it via the PRTB. Using the last month(s) rent in lieu of the deposit is leading to many landlords upping the deposit. You can be sure that this will become common practice as landlords have to find a way to protect themselves in this regard.

pwurple

generalmental wrote: »

Who said i cant manage money, I dont make enough. Plus there is a lawnmower here all i am asking for is it to be fixed so i can manage the garden thats all.

1) phone the landlord
2) tell him you are getting the landmower repaired (have the estimated price available) and will be needing reimbursement.
3) have the receipts made out with the correct address of the property so the landlord can claim them back against his tax
4)post receipts to landlord, keeping copy for yourself

Expect refund. If it isn't forthcoming, call him again about it.
You NEED to have the agreement about the price up front, and you NEED the receipt done right. Once those are there, it's follow up.

Your boiler service should be the same. I assume you told him about it, and the price. Send him the receipt and ASK for the money. Don't just expect it to be offered. Ask for it.

I tell my tenants this is the way to handle maintenance. Call me and make sure I'm ok with whatever they are doing, and the price, in advance. As soon as they send me the receipt, i send them the money for it.

pointelle

If you friendly with a neighbour, even if you're not, get them to phone him and complain about the state of the garden, a lovely lady next to me in a similar situation made the landlord indeed shamed him into keeping the garden.with a two year old it would actually be dangerous for you to do it, besides are you covered on the insurance if a gardening accident occurs? just put it in terms like that and they'll fall over themselves to do it. Good luck

riclad

FOR some one with kids ,its should be discussed before you move in an sign a lease.
Who maintains the garden.
is the mower working etc.
Sell the mower or bring it with you when you are leaving.
Probably people just are happy to find a nice house to rent ,
and think about the garden after they move in.
ITS possible landlord is busy working,making little profit,
eg rent is less than the mortgage.
A few hours work would get rid of weeds and nettles .
unless the garden is very large.

lavinia hathaway

Aug 30, 2013 ... A further set of regulations, the Housing (Standards for Rented ... gardens and common areas must be maintained in good condition and repair.
www.citizensinformation.ie/.../housing/renting...home/repairs_maintenance_ and_minimum_physical_standards.html


Hi OP, it seems from this that your landlord is responsible for the garden and the general rule of thumb is that if tenants maintain it then a lawnmower is usually supplied. Maybe suggest nicely that you have no issue doing the garden but you need an operational mower, whether repaired or replaced.
Good luck and hope you get sorted.

Andy From Sligo

just to throw in another way of looking at things - ok you have your landlord say you have to maintain the grass so if your lucky and helpful the landlord supplies you with the lawnmower and gets the lawnmower serviced once a year ready for the cutting season, (my LL hasnt though) but i think its only fair and proper if it states the LL wants you to look after HIS grass at HIS house but on top of that what do the LL think of how the lawnmower runs - if its petrol lawnmower then who is expected to buy petrol to cut the grass? - last time i checked you cannot cut grass with a petrol lawnmower running on fresh air, you have to put petrol in it! - who pays for the petrol to fill the lawnmower each season. The landlord wants you to keep his lawn cut and expects it to be tidy and well maintained before you move out ....

then the landlord should not only supply the petrol lawnmower they should also supply the petrol to run it and if needs be and depending who well they want you to maintain the grass, also pay for moss cleaner and weedkiller for said grass that has to be 'maintained' as in your contract! - same goes if the LL supplies you with a electric lawnmower, my one uses 1300watts of electrical power - you need electric to operate it who is expected to pay towards the electricity bill in the summer growing months if the LL wants his grass cut and properly maintained. Maybe if the LL's are not prepared to go full hog and pay their way then maybe they should think again of renting property out in the first place if they have these 'conditions' in the tenancy agreement and maybe look at things from the tennants point of view rather than rent out their house and wait for the money to roll in but not help out the tennents in any way with maintaining their house or gardens?

- sure you could be pedantic and say well the landlord could supply a push along mower that does not require petrol or electricity to run it but I bet even some LL's would even regret having to supply a push along lawnmower - no in my eyes if the tennant has been told by the landlord to keep the grass cut and well maintained then that landlord at least SHOULD be made to supply fully working tools to get the job done at the very very least

... at the most the LL should be saying I really want that garden kept nice, so seeing as its not YOUR house and that your only renting it then I will pay for a gardener to keep MY garden in tip top shape ... or maybe give you an option as a tennant 'would you like me to get a gardener in or will you be wanting to do your own maintenance on the garden?' - and then say "I am easy either way, but if you do decide to do it yourself it must be done properly and to a high standard and I am not liable for any insurance claims say if you fall down a ditch and break your leg or run over your foot or cable with the lawnmower or if you injure yourself, if you are going to maintain it yourself"

hey listen the way I look at it is that the minimum a LL should provide you with is the Lawnmower if he wants you to cut the grass ... and a fully working one! - and a place outside to store it (ie shed etc) - you would look absolutely strange at him if he told you "I dont want any dirty dishes and washing up hanging around the house" .... but im not gonna supply a kitchen sink... you will have to buy your own kitchen sink!!' the house doesnt come with a kitchen sink! - how many people would take the house or even enter into renting a house without a kitchen sink then? - if you had a super wonderful landlord he could even offer to supply a years supply of the washing up liquid as well lol

Now if only i could stump up to guts to ask my Landlady to supply a fully maintained petrol lawnmower and a place to keep it outside where i can access it, and if possible the petrol to put into it id be laughing as the other day I got a copy of the agreement that says I must keep grass cut and weed the bedding plants bed. - sure I bought a 1300w electrical lawnmower cheap the other year but the amount of grass we have with this rented house is too big for our little electric lawnmower and the cable gets in the way - however, i dont see her forthcoming with the offer of using her petrol lawnmower which i am pretty sure is in a metal shed in the garden that is padlocked up and we do not have access to - its so sad mowing the grass past the shed with our little electric lawnmower knowing that it that shed we are pretty sure its a petrol one and not only that to rub salt into the wounds I think it is self propelled petrol lawnmower too!

ted1

Tbh I stopped reading your long post when you shouted his law hand his garden. When a tenant rents a property it becomes Their house and Their home. The landlord can't even enter without 24hour notice.

Think of a garden as a carpet and it needs a run over regularly

I don't service my lawn mower every year. It works grand.

It's as simple as this if you are it willing to look after a garden then dint rent a place with one

Andy From Sligo

ted1 wrote: »

Tbh I stopped reading your long post when you shouted his law hand his garden. When a tenant rents a property it becomes Their house and Their home.....

yeah soz about the caps and shouting - no, if it becomes Their house and Their home then they would be able to do anything they want to it, and that would include not cutting the grass if they dont feel like doing it or havent got the time to do it - but they cant because its not their house they dont own i, the landlord owns it so normally when the LL lays out 'conditions' you normally have to abide by it. very well if they tell you that you have to maintain the lawn and keep it cut - show us the lawnmower your gonna provide plus other gardening tools and plus lawnfeed etc...

pwurple

I'd love to see your lawn Andy.... Must be like a golf course.

I think it's really very sad that people consider a garden to be some sort of chore instead of a ridiculously good bonus. When I rented a place with a garden I was delighted. I had veg growing in a patch out the back, there was even some lovely rhubarb from a previous tenant, and a small plum tree. A patch of grass that the flymo looked after, and a clothesline... Handy to not have to use a tumble dryer. The front had some fantastic smelling roses, a small tree and some bluebells under it. It was a real joy to rent someplace with a garden. It saved us on food bills, electricity bills and provided entertainment and a place for our child to play for free.

Some people would gripe at absolutly everything they are given, talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth. If a free car was part of the rental, no doubt the whinging and moaning about not having car wax and petrol included would start.

riclad

So you rented a house with a large garden, maybe overgrown, many people would be very happy to have acess to a large garden. It's like checking does the heating work, does the boiler work. Who is responsible for cutting the grass? Do i have a working lawnmower?

These are the things that need to be checked before you sign a lease on a house.

You were probably happy to find a nice house in a nice area, so you didn't think, who is gonna work on the garden, cut the grass.

ABajaninCork

pwurple wrote: »

I'd love to see your lawn Andy.... Must be like a golf course.

I think it's really very sad that people consider a garden to be some sort of chore instead of a ridiculously good bonus. When I rented a place with a garden I was delighted. I had veg growing in a patch out the back, there was even some lovely rhubarb from a previous tenant, and a small plum tree. A patch of grass that the flymo looked after, and a clothesline... Handy to not have to use a tumble dryer. The front had some fantastic smelling roses, a small tree and some bluebells under it. It was a real joy to rent someplace with a garden. It saved us on food bills, electricity bills and provided entertainment and a place for our child to play for free.

Some people would gripe at absolutly everything they are given, talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth. If a free car was part of the rental, no doubt the whinging and moaning about not having car wax and petrol included would start.

I know!! We have a nice garden with lawn that my husband cuts. No flowers in the ground, but I've several pots planted with roses, hydrangea, lilac and a couple of herb pots to make
it look nice. We've also some furniture I brought over with me. You're paying enough in rent. Might as well live in SOME comfort!!

Andy From Sligo

pwurple wrote: »

I'd love to see your lawn Andy.... Must be like a golf course.

I think it's really very sad that people consider a garden to be some sort of chore instead of a ridiculously good bonus. When I rented a place with a garden I was delighted. I had veg growing in a patch out the back, there was even some lovely rhubarb from a previous tenant, and a small plum tree. A patch of grass that the flymo looked after, and a clothesline... Handy to not have to use a tumble dryer. The front had some fantastic smelling roses, a small tree and some bluebells under it. It was a real joy to rent someplace with a garden. It saved us on food bills, electricity bills and provided entertainment and a place for our child to play for free.

Some people would gripe at absolutly everything they are given, talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth. If a free car was part of the rental, no doubt the whinging and moaning about not having car wax and petrol included would start.

its a fecking pain mowing large lawns theres nothing 'nice' about it, sure it looks nice, neat and tidy after its mowed but is the results worth all that effort? - i dont think so. You sweat if you cut it in the sun, so you decide to cut it in the evening and get attacked by midges! - a little handkerchief size lawn would do me , something cut with a electric lawnmower in 10 minutes max and that includes getting the mower out, plugging it in and putting it away, but oh no my other half and the kids wanted to live in this house and i was outnumbered my wife was sold because the back yard had a greenhouse! - if it was up to me id concrete/gravel the whole lot and be done with it lol!

Now this car your talking about? - will it come with driver as well as free petrol ? ;-)

davo10

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

its a fecking pain mowing large lawns theres nothing 'nice' about it, sure it looks nice, neat and tidy after its mowed but is the results worth all that effort? - i dont think so. You sweat if you cut it in the sun, so you decide to cut it in the evening and get attacked by midges! - a little handkerchief size lawn would do me , something cut with a electric lawnmower in 10 minutes max and that includes getting the mower out, plugging it in and putting it away, but oh no my other half and the kids wanted to live in this house and i was outnumbered my wife was sold because the back yard had a greenhouse! - if it was up to me id concrete/gravel the whole lot and be done with it lol!

Now this car your talking about? - will it come with driver as well as free petrol ? ;-)

That maybe, but kids just love playing in gardens. Makes it all worth while.

anncoates

He's your landlord not your parent.

makeorbrake

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

its a fecking pain mowing large lawns theres nothing 'nice' about it, sure it looks nice, neat and tidy after its mowed but is the results worth all that effort? - i dont think so. You sweat if you cut it in the sun, so you decide to cut it in the evening and get attacked by midges! - a little handkerchief size lawn would do me , something cut with a electric lawnmower in 10 minutes max and that includes getting the mower out, plugging it in and putting it away, but oh no my other half and the kids wanted to live in this house and i was outnumbered my wife was sold because the back yard had a greenhouse! - if it was up to me id concrete/gravel the whole lot and be done with it lol!

Now this car your talking about? - will it come with driver as well as free petrol ? ;-)

Then rent an apartment.

If you were to use the same rationale, then you wouldn't bother hovering a gaff or washing the floors. It's hardly something someone 'likes' doing - but it's necessary. The same with a garden and a lawn. Grass needs cutting. Otherwise, rent a place without it.

Big Cheese

Landlords unless otherwise stated

pwurple

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

its a fecking pain mowing large lawns theres nothing 'nice' about it, sure it looks nice, neat and tidy after its mowed but is the results worth all that effort? - i dont think so. You sweat if you cut it in the sun, so you decide to cut it in the evening and get attacked by midges! - a little handkerchief size lawn would do me , something cut with a electric lawnmower in 10 minutes max and that includes getting the mower out, plugging it in and putting it away, but oh no my other half and the kids wanted to live in this house and i was outnumbered my wife was sold because the back yard had a greenhouse!

Thinly veiled "I rent a massive house with a huge garden"....
:eek:

Talk about First World Problems... My garden is tooo big, I get too much exercise maintaining it. Aka -> this bentley is tooo shiny, it hurts my eyes.

Sorry, I do actually sympathise. I am not the biggest fan of lawn, it is high maintenance, needs attention every two weeks. I've pulled most of my own up and put down trees, plants and veg.

Andy From Sligo

keeping in with same kind of thing - our landlady passed us a list of requirements - the cheeky so and so has put 'flower beds to be maintained and weeded reguarly' - the cheeky bloody so and so, when we moved into the gaff the flower beds were full of weeds and grass!!! - she wants free f*kin gardening thats what she wants!!

The_Morrigan

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

keeping in with same kind of thing - our landlady passed us a list of requirements - the cheeky so and so has put 'flower beds to be maintained and weeded reguarly' - the cheeky bloody so and so, when we moved into the gaff the flower beds were full of weeds and grass!!! - she wants free f*kin gardening thats what she wants!!

This could be a reaction to the previous tenants not adhering to the 'please maintain the garden' clause in the lease. It's not an extraordinary request to ask tenants to keep the house and gardens in proper nick.

Andy From Sligo

The_Morrigan wrote: »

This could be a reaction to the previous tenants not adhering to the 'please maintain the garden' clause in the lease. It's not an extraordinary request to ask tenants to keep the house and gardens in proper nick.

you actually could have a point there, think she said the previous owners didnt do the gardening - so we have to pay the price for that... nice!

The_Morrigan

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

you actually could have a point there, think she said the previous owners didnt do the gardening - so we have to pay the price for that... nice!

Eh no, you're paying the price to rent the home & garden. The landlady has standards that she expects to be met in order for the property to be maintained to a level that would not devalue it or any surrounding properties.

There is nothing worse in an estate/neighbourhood to have one or two houses that are a wreck.

If you don't want to maintain the property, then don't rent one that requires high maintenance.

Andy From Sligo

The_Morrigan wrote: »

...... If you don't want to maintain the property, then don't rent one that requires high maintenance.

like you can pick and choose that easily when your renting! ....

you sure your not my landlord - whenever we want to do something she says 'you see the place before you took it on, you knew what you was letting yourself in for' - like a couple of viewings before moving in and you know the place inside out - no, you only get to know what a pain keeping a large garden is when you actually have moved in after a while of being there and mowing the lawn and weeding the flowerbeds and keeping on top of the weeds on the gravel

The_Morrigan

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

like you can pick and choose that easily when your renting! ....

you sure your not my landlord - whenever we want to do something she says 'you see the place before you took it on, you knew what you was letting yourself in for' - like a couple of viewings before moving in and you know the place inside out - no, you only get to know what a pain keeping a large garden is when you actually have moved in after a while of being there and mowing the lawn and weeding the flowerbeds and keeping on top of the weeds on the gravel

Your landlord is correct -you did see the place before you took it on. I don't know why you're complaining; what did you think would happen the large garden? There is no magic fix for it and if the terms of your lease state you have to maintain it then that is what you agreed to when you took on the house.

And, no I'm not your landlord.

Andy From Sligo

The_Morrigan wrote: »

Your landlord is correct -you did see the place before you took it on. I don't know why you're complaining; what did you think would happen the large garden? There is no magic fix for it and if the terms of your lease state you have to maintain it then that is what you agreed to when you took on the house.

And, no I'm not your landlord.

roll on winter then lol :-)

pwurple

Andy, this sounds like your first garden. You wanted a garden for your family, but at the same time don't want a garden because grass grows.

I don't know what anyone can say to you to make it better.

Gandhi

It is not just about looks either. The high weeds of a poorly maintained garden can be a haven for vermin.

evolving_doors

Gandhi wrote: »

It is not just about looks either. The high weeds of a poorly maintained garden can be a haven for vermin.

thats true for sure, the OP should really cut it back then... one day of hacking,one day of digging ...best exercise the op will ever get.

or wait till march and plant potatos the whole garden, theyll loosen up the soil and feed the family and neighbours.

Ive heard of folk in the uk offering their wild gardens to other people to clean and plant food in... fair trade imo.

dixiefly

Archaeoliz wrote: »

I've got the impression all along that they seem to think we're loaded. We may be moving for work but that costs alot of money. Mostly paid for my other half's company but still it's going to be tight for a while.

How did that work out? Did the landlord insist on getting his gardener to do the lawn with you paying?

Sounds very excessive to me.

dixiefly

The_Morrigan wrote: »

This could be a reaction to the previous tenants not adhering to the 'please maintain the garden' clause in the lease. It's not an extraordinary request to ask tenants to keep the house and gardens in proper nick.

Yes but she should at least get it to the condition that she wants Andy to maintain it to. If she didn't keep a check on previous tenants it's not Andy's fault.

In our place the landlord comes over to deal with the garden himself problem is he only calls an odd time so it gets very overgrown at times.