Landlord destroyed the garden

[zo2812]

So I completely understand the responsibility, I am a tenant have been living here for 6 years. There is a small back abd front garden however from when I moved here, there were trees in the front and back garden, I have tried my best to keep them trimmed, but a retirement property ,on the street adjoining has made me aware that the ivy from the property is damaging their roof.

It's hard to see, but yes, I can see it, after this the lady came to my house and I reported to the property agent, they promised to sort it out , however, they have not tackled it at all!!

We had a front and back garden, they have thcompletely removed the back garden even though the Ivy has grown from the front garden!!

So we had trees in the back and the wall runs from the front to the back, however the back wall is not adjacent to any properties, we had bushes flowers and trees in the back garden, I was warned about waiting for work while I was at work.

I agreed, it was supposedly a trim back and remove the ivy from the next door property, front garden,which is where the ivy crawls over is untouched.

Back garden, which I entered into a tenant agreement with and was no problem had been completely removed...

I work long hours and was told to expect, am so upset, also what about the ivy that is still destroying the roof of (as I might add) a retirement property!! Who came around to me, and I promised I would get onto the landlord!!

Thank you, I'm not sure why I've been attacked and I do appreciate you and others who have given advice.

I'm obviously as a tenant shouldn't ask these questions, not even sure how I got answers from a couple of people who are attacking me for some reason.

I didn't ask something negative, the advice from some seems wholier than thou, you are a tenant how dare you!

Very strange some people out there , wow, guess you own your home, and how dare I question my landlord 😳

I wasn't being rude, guess there's just some on Mumsnet ?

I'm a landlord and use a management company. The management company can't instruct contractors to do anything without first getting my permission, so the landlord will be aware that someone has come to do the garden - and will be paying for it!

If you think it very unlikely that the landlord would have approved such drastic work to the back garden then I agree with a PP's suggestion of taking photos and emailing them to the management company, advising them that this is what the garden looks like now. You don't want, down the line, for it to be suggested that you did this!

Sorry that a beautiful garden has been taken out OP, I hope you can slowly make it enjoyable again

Orbitold, please explain what "people like me" think. As I'm pretty sure you don't know what you're talking about, also pretty sure it means nothing at all.

Just an example of a bully. Pretty sure as well your pointless post will come to nothing, so enlighten me please? As a person" like me" wouldn't understand, I'm obviously not on your level 😗

Yep, he was an elderly gentleman, and this was his retirement home, he spent a lot on the gardens, my neighbour told me he only moved away when his wife passed away.

They were not gardeners, I do know this, and also don't think that just because the property manager agreed, that he knows, I really don't think that the garden that he spent so long on being completely removed would naturally be ok .

They have taken short cut's before, he pays a fee to them, doesn't mean he gets what he wants, after all they are in for a profit, they take a cut of the rent, and if he doesn't check up on them, it's not always on his side, thank you for this.

He was supposed to visit the property as he lives in London but I was told that it was postponed, he lives far away, I do think I need to take photos as evidence, as I don't know for sure that this is what he agreed.

Greedy property management does exist! If that's ok with him then fine, it's just a nuisance when I can't deal with the landlord directly, the estate agents are not entirely the landlords wishes.

It's been weeks and they promised to cut back the ivy, it's also on me to chase them up, as damage to another property, it's not fair and they have given me the run around.

It's all very well saying, it's not down to you, the damage, you have reported it, but it's been weeks now and it's a private retirement property!! It's not their problem, when the estate agents do nothing!

Have had conflicting advice on property inspections, have advised every time (6 monthly) that there is damp coming through wall. It's an old brick and flint building, have been told it's nothing each time except the last time when I had a new inspector. She obviously took this seriously. Have only been living here 6 years! It could be a problem. She actually told the landlord, he was due to visit about it, but couldn't at the last minute. Is due to visit now in November, as he lives in London.

Pretty big indication to me, that property management doesn't always report things to him and it's structural.. I'm only supposed to report to them, maybe I need to address a letter and photos.

The neighbours have complained the garden was overgrown so the LL has cleared it completely to avoid a repeat of the problem

you still have a garden just no plants
it’s a grey area as you as a tenant are responsible for maintaining the garden and you’ve left it get that overgrown it’s causing damage to next door
it won’t of been cheap to clear it fingers crossed LL won’t bill you for it

@zo2812 I can see why you are upset. We had similar happen where we had repairs done which removed things that were in place at the start of our tenancy - underfloor heating in the bathroom, a big solid gate which provided privacy and security, various trees and a whole bed of plants, which left the front of the house completely exposed. We were annoyed but there’s no right for the tenant to have things replaced ‘like for like’ and they don’t need the tenants permission to remove plants from the garden etc, even though as you say they are paying tenants. They don’t even have to maintain the same standard of fittings - luxury fittings can be replaced with budget ones as long as you have a kitchen, bathroom, and the house isn’t letting wind and water in. It’s very frustrating. We moved.

I don't think it is right everything was just removed but I don't think you can do much unfortunately.

You've got four issues:
-the ivy is still there: email the management company and tell the neighbour you've done so
-the landlord might not be happy with the back garden clearance: take a photo and tell the management company what's been done
-the front garden may yet be ripped out: don't feel you can prevent it, but you may have rights if you research
-you need something nice in your garden going forwards - I agree with gardening in pots.

As a tenant doesn’t she have the right to the peaceful enjoyment of the property? I don’t think vandalising an established garden under the pretext of dealing with some ivy is honouring her rights. And, the ivy hasn’t been dealt with so it’s just pure vandalism.

@MaryJanesonabreak thats not what peaceful enjoyment means though in legal terms. It’s shit, I agree.

I agree, I think the landlord can redesign the garden. Ideally the op would have been warned so it wasn't a shock, but letting agents are often absolute twats in the way they interact with tenants.

I would just have cut through the base of the ivy. Ivy can be really invasive but it isn’t difficult to deal with 🤷‍♀️

Can you do this? And then say it has been sorted? Might save your front garden from the same fate!

Isn’t it your responsibility as a tenant to maintain the garden?

Oh honey, you’re arguing semantics. Switch every “landlord” mention in my posts for “property management” then.

It’s the same advice: not your circus, not your monkeys. Pass the complaint on and give it no more headspace.

Pointing out that it really isn’t your problem and you’ve done what you’re supposed to do doesn’t make me a troll just because you want to continue on the drama llama train.

Landlord address should be on your tenancy agreement. It is a statutory requirement for you to have it. If the retirement home management complain again give them the agent's number.

This isn't your fault.
Ensure you have copies of all correspondence, take photos of everything, document dates/times. Hopefully you have before and after photos of the gardens, photos of the ivy, where it is in the garden and where it is affecting the neighbour. Set out everything in writing and ask the managing agent (in writing) to ensure all is sent to the landlord.
Send copies of everything to the neighbour.
As a tenant that is all you can do, but it is very important that you have all the evidence so you cannot be accused of damaging the property.
I am so sorry about the garden.

I’d be suggesting a rent reduction because one of the amenities (the enjoyment of a well stocked garden) has been removed. (You won’t get it)

I have been tidying the garden and maintaining it, there were shrubs and very high well established trees. I'm not able to climb up the wall to remove the ivy as it's too high and the trees making access difficult, needs a professional.

Asked when I moved in as to wether cutting back trees was my responsibility, was told no, but the shrubs are, they were not the problem.

I'd have been happy to do this as the trees have long been a problem, have informed agency and of course they inspect so they are not blind.

They let it get out of hand and then it's a more expensive process for them it seems.

It is a shame about the garden but I'm not worried about it, just think they are crazy as it was a lovely garden, and may make it harder to rent to the next tenants!

Honestly they are useless! I have sent the pictures to them and asked to confirm today, just hope the landlord was actually ok with this.

Thank you so much for the positive comments to everyone who to the time to read and reply, not sure why I had some angrier comments though along the lines of how dare you! You are just the tenant get over it already 😞

Sorry!! I meant to direct that to the poster who thought your landlord could do what they like. Wasn’t concentrating - i actually deleted my account but after but I’ve made a new one to explain - I’m sorry about your garden id be really upset. I dont agree your landlord can just dig up all your trees and shrubs.

Well the so called gardener appears to have got the wrong brief if I understand this correctly. He was booked to sort out the Ivy in the front garden because it was affecting a retirement property and instead he's done nothing to the front garden and stripped the back garden bare?
I'd definitely be complaining about that and I would be trying to make the LL aware too, Is their name and address on the tenancy agreement, id be tempted to go direct to them and circumvent the managing agent if possible as they will only minimise this.
Someone needs to stump up for some new plants and plant them in the ground

Op I'm not a home owner and a tenant , and the snobbery shown to those who rent here is almost laughable

I would complain, had you planted the garden ?

I reckon the property management company arranged for a contractor to go in and clear the garden, which the contractor has done. The word 'front' seems to have been omitted from their instructions.

Hello all, thanks to all that replied,

As a follow up, after stating there would be a trim back of large trees and bushes in the front and back garden, as well as removing vines that had grown from our wall onto the adjacent property.

They have stated a trim back, but have removed all plants, trees and bushes from both the front and back garden.

This is fine with me, it's not my property, and if it's easier to remove it all ? Fine, however in the front garden they have left all of the tree limbs, there is a lot, as they removed well established trees and they are large.. front garden is covered with fully grown trees, as well as bushes , in fact needing a specialist to remove them.

The front garden is shared, although it's divided, it looks completely awful, I was told when I moved in to maintain the front garden of course.

It's been over a week, I've emailed the estate agents and asked if I need to remove all this myself, no reply, I've been working, and thought an email would be enough, now I'm wondering if they cleared the garden and expect me to pay for tydying up? There's a lot of trees, it's going to cost me a lot!

This didn't need to be removed, really, just to trim back the vines on the wall over into the next street, but instead they removed all the trees and bushes and left me with the mess! Is this ok?

It was so beautiful! Only needed trimming, as the wall you see on the right led onto a house and there were vines, I'm just so sad they cut down the lot, it was so pretty and it was in necessary! Why? I was left to clear it up, I wasn't told it would be a removal of the entire garden, fine if that's what's needed, I do know that I don't want to go above the estate agents to the landlord, it was made clear as it's fullly managed to contact them first

If you can cope with leaving it as a wildlife pile at the end of the garden then I would do that. Don't pay to get rid of it unless you actually need it gone. If the landlord needs it taking away then they can do that.