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Tenant or Landlord? Who is responsible for garden maintenance?

A study by the Tenancy Deposit Service has found that garden maintenance remains one of the most common reasons behind deposit disputes. 

Over 2,000 property agents and landlords responded to the garden maintenance poll, revealing that almost 75 per cent believe that garden upkeep is the tenant’s responsibility, while 13 per cent believed it was a mutual obligation.

However, despite the high number of respondents believing the garden is solely their tenant’s responsibility - and four out of five confirming they include this detail within their tenancy agreement - just 46 per cent offer garden maintenance guidance to their tenant. 

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The TDS says this could be creating a gap in the communication between each party and may correlate to garden disputes later down the line.

Of those surveyed, 39 per cent of agents and landlords experienced damage to their rental property garden, with just three per cent only encountering one standalone issue. 

The majority had multiple garden complaints at the end of tenancy.

The causes for damage varied, but the most common issues were:

- Three-quarters of garden damage was due to allowing weeds to grow;

- Damage to fencing was responsible for 41 per cent of complaints;

- Overgrown lawns affected 68 per cent of the respondents; and

- 65 per cent found that their tenant did not trim back trees or bushes. 

 

While most landlords confirmed they check all outside areas before a new tenancy check-in, 20 per cent do not look at every outside space during mid-tenancy property inspections. 

In total, 27 per cent of agents and landlords who responded to the poll raised a deposit deduction claim for garden damage. The TDS says the poll highlights how important it is for both tenants and property professionals to be aware of who is responsible for garden upkeep.

In partnership with the National Residential Landlords Association, TDS has created a garden maintenance guide for landlords, to help explain who is responsible for garden maintenance, how to deal with common garden complaints and how to avoid a deposit dispute.

Want to comment on this story? If so...if any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on any basis, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.

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    Up to the tenant if they want to, if they don't I go round with a sprayer full of round up

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    It should be clearly stated in the tenancy agreement who is responsible for gardens, usually the occupier.

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    In HMOs the landlord is responsible although occasionally tenants shoose to do it.
    In self contained properties the tenant is usually responsible. The results will depend largely on what they were presented with in the first place.

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    Well I believe when it’s a licensed HMO on one Tenancy Agreement the Tenants are responsible, likewise for Council tax. I never wanted HMO’s its something that’s forced in on me creating sub-standard accommodation like the bedsits of the’60’s.

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    I agree with Michael.

    Glasgow City Council insist on an HMO licence when more than two unrelated adults share a property but it does allow landlords to pass responsibility for gardens to the joint tenants

     
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    Well we keep being told that tenants want to be treated more like owner/occupiers........... well i cut my own grass !! They want to pick and choose what they are responsible for !!!

  • Suzy OShea

    I have HMOs and though the tenants can be good and show an interest in gardening, this rarely is the case. So, just as I have the house cleaned twice a week, I also have the gardens maintained. I charge accordingly and no one complains about the higher rent for the services.

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