Tenants Garden by Heather Hilder on September 24, 2019 “Tenants Garden” Your Tenant’s Garden Landlords often ask us what they should do about their garden in preparation for a tenancy. Our answer is, “It’s your Tenants Garden. What do they want?” They also want to know what they can reasonably expect of a Tenant in terms of maintenance. Having a well-cared-for garden can definitely help to attract Tenants. This is particularly true if they arrive on a sunny summer’s day to the sight of flowers in full bloom, a neat hedge and tidy borders! However, if the garden is just too magnificent and obviously requires lots of work, then it may actually scare some people off. In an ideal world, pleasant and tidy but without too much work is probably best. Landlords, once your Tenant has moved in, then what can you reasonably expect of them? Of course, any properly prepared tenancy agreement will require the Tenant to maintain the garden in good order. But we can make that demand more realistic by keeping the garden relatively simple, ie mainly lawn with perhaps the odd flowerbed and shrub. With this kind of garden, it is both realistic and reasonable to expect the Tenant to look after it properly. Tenants Garden Equipment Who should pay for the gardening equipment? Our advice is that it is reasonable for the Landlord to provide a garden fork and spade if they are needed, but that for reasons of safety and maintenance the Tenant should provide their own lawnmower. After all, we expect them to provide their own vacuum cleaner for the house, so why not a mower for the garden? With one of the large supermarkets currently offering a mower for under £20, and bargains available at this time of year, they can hardly object on cost grounds. Last but not least, if your garden really is your pride and joy and reflects years of hard work, then it may be wise to keep things under your own control by employing a gardener and including the cost in the rent. This removes the possibility of misunderstandings and should ensure that you get your garden back in the same condition that you left it – albeit slightly more mature! We offer advice and guidance to Landlords on letting their property, from studios to detached family homes, with gardens. Call us on 01273 735237 or email enquiries@callaways.co.uk with your query, and make sure no stone is left unturned.