There is a condition in our agreements about maintaining the gardens but if you are concerned the tenant may not maintain the gardens as they agreed, there are a few things you can do:
- If the tenant is to be held responsible for maintaining the garden, it may help to make available the appropriate gardening tools and equipment. Any tools or equipment you do provide must be safe and in full working order and must be supplied with manufacturer’s instructions.
- Few tenants are experienced gardeners so if the garden is particularly large, of an elaborate design, contains plants of high monetary or sentimental value or must be maintained to a particular standard we recommend you contract a gardener to maintain the garden on behalf of the tenants and add the cost to the rent.
- Make sure you carry out regular periodic inspections and check that the gardens are being maintained as per the agreement and if they are not, bring this to the attention of the tenants immediately.
When an Adjudicator looks at claims for gardening they will consider the following:
- the tenant should return the garden to the condition it was in at the start of the tenancy;
- the tenant should not need specialist gardening knowledge or skills;
- the season at the start and end of the tenancy, (e.g. the condition of a garden in summer is likely to be different to its to its condition in winter); and
- any agreed terms and conditions for gardening in the tenancy agreement.
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