Garden overgrown - our problem?

[LunaHardy]

DH and I got the keys to new rental property last week. It's been empty for a couple of months prior to us moving in. The garden at the back is massive, loads of trees and bushes. It's wildly overgrown and the grass is up to my knees. AIBU to expect landlord or letting agent to get this under control for us to be able to maintain? Or are we expected to do it ourselves?

You should've asked for this to be done as part of your negotiations.

Did you not ask at the viewing?

Have you spoken to the agents. I would expect it to have been sorted by the ll but maybe they couldnt get a gardener due to covid. If you do it yourselves I would take photos and ask LL to pay. Was it overgrown when you viewed it and signed the contract

You signed the contract knowing it was in that condition.

Photos and keep copies of correspondence to the estate agent now, you could lose part of your deposit for this.

It wasn't that overgrown at the viewing which was about month and a half ago. Plus we viewed the house alone with no agent present due to COVID.

I’d let them know in writing that you plan to hand it back in the same condition it was in when you moved in. Provide photos as evidence. Tell them you can’t access the garden due to the state of it so you can’t maintain it.

You could also ask for a rent reduction due to the garden being inaccessible?

Make sure you photograph it on moving in day

Consider if you should email the landlord/agents so that there is both a prompt record of what it looked like when you arrived, and also to give a chance for you to state what your preferred solution is

Do you like gardening?
Would you rather a contractor was sent for a one-off tidy up!
Are there some basic and appropriate tools available to you gut ongoing maintenance (it is normal fur tenants to do it)

No harm in asking.

What does it say in your contract? I would expect the trees to be dealt with by a tree surgeon so it may be that they haven't been able to do anything about it due to breeding season, possibly the same reason the bushes are looking overgrown. Grass grows like, well, grass, so it's not unreasonable to expect to have to cut it yourself. If you have had weather anything like ours recently - rain followed by a good period of sunshine - it has been great growing weather so all of a sudden our garden sprang to life.

Your best bet is to speak to the agent and see what their normal maintenance prior to moving a tenant in is.

If it was't that overgrown when you viewed 6 weeks ago I would guess it had been done prior to viewings and the recent good weather has encouraged growth. It wouldn't be wildly overgrown after 6 weeks if it wasn't already looking like it could do with some work before that.

massive, with loads of trees and bushes - I would see this as a plus and an opportunity, especially in these locked down times.

Do you intend to stay there long?

It can't have grown that much in a month and half! Cut the grass and trim back the trees in a few weeks when you are sure there are no birds nest and also where you want privacy or more light.

I'm not a very keen gardener and if I'm being honest I don't have the time it needs to get it under control. I will ask the question, they can only say no I guess!

TBH, if you can't manage it after what's happened in six weeks, you are going to struggle long term, aren't you? It's going to keep growing back; it's what gardens do.

The grass is not up to your knees if it was okay six weeks ago. Mine has barely grown at all in that time, as it's been so dry

Congratulation on your new home and garden I doubt they could have done anything more whilst the country was under lock down we all need to give a little and this is perhaps where you could. I'm a landlord and and I always get the garden in great condition before a tenant takes over and it's part of the agreement that they maintain it to a reasonable standard. That would mean tenant cutting the grass, weeding and light pruning of small bushes. I do get the trees, hedges and large bushes maintained yearly at my expense and I think that probably a good compromise for you. Cut the grass and tidy up yourself and ask the landlord/agent when hedges/trees will be done.

Really doubt it’s gotten overgrown and out of control in 6 weeks. Christ when my husband is away for 5 weeks at a time our grass does not get cut in that time and yes it’s long but nowhere near unmanageable.

Take some photos and ask them to sort it.

If it was tidy when you viewed it I would expect it to be the same or you would have made a request at the time for it to be tidied.

Simple, they do it and then expect it back the same when you go. Or they are not bothered and you can do it yourself, but not care before you go.

Either way, it should be made clear in the inventory.

How did it go from ok at viewing to inaccessible 6 weeks later?. Your contract will tell you who is responsible for maintaining it. My guess it will probably be you because you are the tenant of the property and properties come with gardens.

It hasn't become wild and overgrown in six weeks, no way...

You've signed the contract, it's yours to maintain now.

If you don't have the time to do basic maintenance in the garden, why did you choose a property with a massive garden? Or does the contract provide a gardener - I know some properties where the landlord wants to garden to be a specific standard do provide them. Ours takes care of the trees but the rest is up to us.

Our grass didn't get its final cut last year and due to weather, we werent able to cut it before the beginning of lockdown. Even our grass wasn't knee height so I think there is some exaggeration there (Photos or it didn't happen!)

Our landlord deals with the trees when they need it (not been touched in 3 years other than our light pruning) but tools were left for us to manage everything else if we didnt already have them.

The grass sounds like it just needs a good trim so if it is really knee height long strim, then cut with a mower with a box to pick up the strimmings, maybe go over it a couple of times at different heights if you have a height adjustable mower.

I’m a ll. All I can say is gardens are a grey area. If a bush or hedge is low and in good order, you will be expected to maintain it. But this sounds overgrown and needs ladders / more than just a pair of shears. I’d ask for it to be cut back and if the ll agrees, this to be reflected in the inventory. On check out you will then be expected to hand it back in that state.

look at your contract.
in some it says that garden maintenance (mowing lawn and trimming shrubs) is up to the tennant.
maintenance of big trees is the landlord's remit.

running the lawn mower is not that big a deal tbh.