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?

We had a similar situation. Before we signed the lease we flagged up a number of things - the garden was wild, the bath panel was loose, the front door only had a flimsy Yale lock, and the back door was in poor order. The landlord agreed to have all of the issues sorted, and they were done before we got the keys. We did view with the letting agent though, who actually advised us that we should request for them to be sorted.

We've lived here for five years now, so it was definitely worth her while to make sure we were going to be happy! (She's a great landlord, and in return we always pay the rent slightly early, and treat the property really well.)

Check your contract!!

Also, was there no move-in inspection and inventory done?

You should go over the whole property with a fine toothcomb and note anything and everything that is amiss - and insist that it is either fixed or noted in the inventory.

Definitely video everything.

The garden at the back is massive, loads of trees and bushes. It's wildly overgrown and the grass is up to my knees.

This didn't happen in the month and a half since you saw it.

I didn't ask for people's opinions on how fast grass grows. I asked if I was being unreasonable to speak to landlord about it. I've spoken to letting agent, she said she agrees and will speak to landlord. Thanks all for your input - consider the matter resolved

My grass has barely grown in the last 6 weeks. Too dry. Where are you?!

It can’t be knee length if it was fine six weeks ago, you must be exaggerating. I’ve always been responsible for the garden in rentals and I think all tenants generally are unless your rent includes a gardener.

My grass has grown loads in the last six weeks and looks terrible. I can't mow it easily as too many bushes/trees/vegetables planted. Perhaps the OP is in my part of the world, I have certainly got weeds above waist height, and the grass above knee height without intervention lately.

It hasn’t overgrown in six weeks. You saw what it was like and went ahead; now you rent the property it is your responsibility.

You’ve asked so they may be kind and do you a favour, but ultimately, it’s up to you.

Did you get the inventory yet. You should do if you've been there a week.

I didn't ask for people's opinions on how fast grass grows. 😂
It's not an opinion, it's a fact. Your op hinges on this point, really 🤷🏻‍♀️

Tbh our grass after six weeks would be a disaster but our gardener says we have the fastest-growing grass he's seen and no idea why We have to get it cut weekly during summer or it's really difficult to get it back down properly.

We were away from our (sold STC) house for about 7 weeks. The (small suburban) lawn was very definitely knee height when I went back (armed with strimmer) to rescue pictures and tidy up before completion.

Strum before mowing and once you're on top of the grass its an ok job. The rest is less urgent as it grows slower!

Make sure you take a dated photo of it now so you can show it was like this then. If the landlord gets it back into order then you can be expected to keep it in order. Otherwise state you will hand it back in same manner as you got it.

I didn't ask for people's opinions on how fast grass grows. I asked if I was being unreasonable to speak to landlord about it.

🤦🏻‍♀️

Well, the thing is, you are asking if YABU to speak to the landlord, and that can only really be answered by comparing how the garden was 6 weeks ago and how it is now.

Unless you are a grasshopper the grass did t grow up to your knees in a few weeks. Therefore, YABU to expect the garden to be done for you. It should have been brought up before now.

It’s actually in a tenants favour if no move in Inverness done as when they leave, there is no evidence of the “before” condition and so they could trash the place and not lose any deposit.

In this case, if you want the garden to be done by the landlord you should request it, in writing.

If you are happy to leave it as it is and there is no move in inventory / photos then you can walk away at the end of your tenancy and not have touched it.

I would definitely ask.