Gardens & Investment Property: Whose responsibility is it anyway??
Many a tenant and landlord relationship has become fraught with tension over the issue of gardening maintenance. Particularly when a property has once been a landlord’s treasured principal place of residence, with roses and lawns carefully tended.
Gardens can be a real asset to an investment property, attracting tenants with a green thumb and a love for the outdoors. But what happens when there’s a disagreement over garden maintenance?
Generally, a tenant is responsible for garden basics which include edging and mowing lawns, weeding and watering. In short, unless otherwise specified, a tenant is responsible for ensuring that their leased property’s garden is returned in the same way it was delivered.
A landlord is usually responsible for providing watering equipment, cleaning gutters and tree lopping.
Gardening responsibilities can become further complicated by drought seasons, water restrictions and differences of opinion over the state of the garden itself.
If a disagreement arises of the maintenance of your investment property’s garden, rely on your property manager to negotiate a happy and fair outcome on your behalf.
If you have any questions, or need clarification on any of the above, please contact Anna Marten, our Head of Property Management, on 9651 1666 or anna@guardianrealty.com.au.
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