To expect Landlord to reimburse for garden costs

[Natureninja]

Hi!
I started renting a property a few months ago. When I initially viewed it the garden was a mess and fairly unusable. I was told the landlord had received complaints about it from previous tenants as well as people viewing the property, and was assured that the landlord was going to fix this and redo the garden area. However, I haven’t heard anything further about this and when I’ve asked he says it’ll get done soon but hasn’t mentioned a date, so I feel like it’ll never actually get done!

I do like gardening and am happy to make the improvements myself but AIBU to expect the Landlord to reimburse me for the cost of doing this?

Would really appreciate any advice, thank you!

Yeah that is bad. I would just get some things to cheer it up and make it prettier to sit in till he gets his finger out.

The weeding is your responsibility but what I would do is weed it all, then send a pic showing you've done your part but stating the broken slabs need sorting as they are a hazard meaning you do not have full use of the property

I rent out a property. Tenants reported a few broken decking planks last month and I literally can't get anyone out to fix it. The letting agents have contacted numerous tradesmen, as I have. No-one is interested in what is a relatively small job. We live overseas but DH is now going to fly back to the UK just to fix the stupid decking. If our tenants had offered to fix it themselves I would have happily paid for the materials and their time.

So, that is to say, maybe your landlord is happy to pay you so he/she doesn't have to deal with it. Or maybe they're an arse and just don't care. Best to check beforehand so you know what to expect.

With a garden left get like that I would have no faith in the LL of doing any work or reimbursing for any. I certainly wouldn't pay up front in the hope or expectation of getting anything back. If you make that garden good and spend money, time and effort on it LL will have a much improved property to rent out. One LL might love you for it and another might increase rent.

''@TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · Yesterday 14:55
That’s not how it works.

You accept a house as seen and any improvements should be approved and really at YOUR cost not theirs''

I am so tired of this type of entitled and petty attitude...

If you let a property it should be in good condition throughout and usable and that includes the garden.

The garden should not be some kind of overgrown nightmare where someone could actually injure themselves by tripping over something or that could attract mice/rats and whatever else...

That's the landlords job, then the tenant can do basic upkeep.

It is also disrespectful to the neighbours to keep your garden in a mess for months/years.

Have a bit of respect for others for goodness sake, beyond naked greed.

That is not even a garden but a sad dumping ground. Sadly, I don’t think you have any legal recourse if it wasn’t specifically noted in writing in your tenancy agreement that the landlord would turn it into a usable garden.

The default is that if you want to make any changes to the outdoor space, you need written permission and it is at your cost.

The competition for rentals is absolutely bonkers right now and landlords of the nicer properties are beginning to expect tenants who will not only care for the property, but improve it at their own cost.

I think I would get costs for a few initial things and then via the estate agent ask for permission plus a contribution to the costs per earlier discussions. If the landlord is a decent sort, they may pay for the materials if you do the labour. But you don’t really have any power to insist they do it and making a fuss might risk a no fault eviction at the end of your current tenancy period.

I only voted YABU because that’s the shit reality we live in. If renting worked the way it is supposed to, then YANBU.

All that torn weed-suppressing membrane and loose paving slabs are trip hazards. Imagine if you caught your foot in something, went for a Burton and took your eye out on the dumped Christmas tree

I have been in this position before (renting a place with a tatty garden) and I ended up quietly improving it myself, for my benefit while I was living there. I'm guessing your landlord isn't going to prioritise making the garden safe and I would also worry that hassling him about it might result in being served notice.

My own response would be to tidy it up myself so that I can get use of it and accept that I'm not going to be compensated for the costs and my effort, because I'd rather that and be able to use it, than fume impotently while I wait for an uncaring LL to sort it (which probably won't happen and certainly not in time for you to be able to sit out in summer, etc).

I do think that he’s never going to get round to sort that out. If he didn’t for the previous tenant then why would he for you?

looking at that it does look like it could be quite nice - I would do the weeding etc and put all plants in containers so that if I needed to move they’d be going with me.

are those paving slabs loose or is it just the weed suppressant mat that rifled up? Does it just need a few bags of gravel over the top or relaying?

I’d suggest to your landlord that reimbursement is made by you deducting the cost from your next rent payment and see what they say. This is what I’ve done in the past when I’ve wanted to do painting etc - it means you’re not reliant on them reimbursing you.

Usually the landlords have just been happy that there’s necessary maintenance being done on the house that they are too cheap/lazy/busy to pay for themselves.