Tenants in our rental property have asked us to replace lawn with pavers because they let it die?

Badinsk on 02/02/2017 - 16:57

Hi everyone

I'm hoping you can give me some advice on our rental property. Our property managers have sent me this email this afternoon and I don't know how to respond? (We also did not know they were given a breach in the first place).

"We have had the tenant contact us in regards to the breach we recently served on them.

They have not maintained the lawn and have allowed it to die. There are all sorts of excuses and they have asked if it would be possible for you to have the area paved.

I really don't know what your thoughts on this would be, I understand you have spent money already having the lawn installed, however, it appears that given the small area and lack of reticulation it is proving difficult for tenants to keep it in good condition.

Personally I don't have any problems keeping my lawn green and healthy, but there are always people with excuses in regards to the lawn maintenance.

If you plan on having this property as a rental/investment for a while it may be a good time to have the area paved or put pea gravel down.

Please let me know your thoughts."

Advice would be appreciated!

Thank you!

Home & Garden

Comments

        • Lichen6420 on 03/02/2017 - 14:58
          +6

          @becevans1992:

          6m x 5m square if pretty damn small.

          If you want the lawn to stay alive in the long term (it's a rental, no one gives a shit about your lawn) install automatic irrigation. Area that small can be covered with 4 little popup sprinklers. It's like a half weekend diy job, pretty simple, especially if there is a tap nearby.

        • Ti-au on 04/02/2017 - 13:22

          Probably the best advice.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/02/2017 - 18:19
    +4

    The gravel option would be a funny passive aggressive act. Use kitty litter.

    • Badinsk on 02/02/2017 - 18:57
      +1

      Could you imagine! Ha! It would be used as the neighbourhood litter tray! lol

    • MCPokey on 03/02/2017 - 09:03
      +4

      or…a lawn made up of lego. not made up, neat lego.
      just throw it all in there and hope for the best kind of lego

  • [Deactivated] on 02/02/2017 - 18:28
    +1

    Newly laid grass can be difficult to keep alive.

    • Badinsk on 02/02/2017 - 18:54
      +5

      Yes, but we left them a watering system which they only had to set up a timer for, and let it do its thing. We also pay for the water bills of tenants in WA, so water usage is not a problem

      • tj101 on 02/02/2017 - 21:45

        Set up a timer or just turn it on and off? I have a timer that I have never figured out how to properly use and I am well educated. Handing a tenant a timer not set up means they probably won't use it. For tenants things have to be idiot proof, like an automated timer that goes off without them doing anything at all. Send gardener to change timer to once a week in winter. For next time, otherwise it is quite likely you'll run into this type of thing again, which is why the RE is suggesting pavers. It depends upon clientele you rental attracts.

        • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 10:34
          +3

          We weren't required to leave any type of watering device or hose, but we did.

      • stemcell on 03/02/2017 - 12:28

        So you'll don't have any water restrictions in WA?

        • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 12:39

          There hasn't been any recently to warrant dead grass.

      • MessyG on 03/02/2017 - 19:37
        +2

        Could you also offer the option to get them to grow it back before they leave otherwise they will have to pay? Reseeding and watering it diligently may be enough.

  • whooah1979 on 02/02/2017 - 18:30
    +1

    It's in the backyard which can't be accessed by a car

    in that case. just leave as it is, but advise the tenant that you'll make claim for the bond to repair the damage.

  • whooah1979 on 02/02/2017 - 18:32
    +3

    Lease is up in September.

    good. they've all fall and winter to try and grow it back.

  • PVA on 02/02/2017 - 18:37
    +2

    if you dont care if the area is paved, tell the property manager it can be - but it needs to be done professionally and the tenant pays for it.

    when we had a rental property the tenants (via our manager) asked if they could install a carport - I said yes but it had to be professionally done and paid by them (it didnt get done)

    • Ti-au on 04/02/2017 - 14:09
      +1

      You should've asked if they were prepared to pay more rent for it. Lets say an extra $20 p/w x 52 = $1,040. Cost to install $5,000. Your ROI is 20%. Plus you could of increased your properties value (via a nice carport and increase on rent). If you were even smarter you would of payed for it via an increase in your loan.

      I could relate a story where some tenants asked for the ugliest green carpet be replaced and were prepared to pay $20 more per week (nice clean home, except the carpet made you throw up). Owners said no of course, instead tenant found another property and stayed there for 3years plus. And guess which property has a new tenant every 6-12 months? (and sits vacant for 2-3 weeks per week).

  • mbck on 02/02/2017 - 18:56
    +6

    That's the agents duty to find tenants that will abide to the contract (which includes keeping everything tidy). So no. You don't have to pave the whole thing. Try and find a new agent. They just want an easy way out.

  • shaybisc on 02/02/2017 - 19:23
    +1

    I've been trying to kill my lawn for years but it's still in rude health. Never watered it- what a concept.

    • tj101 on 02/02/2017 - 21:39
      +2

      depends upon where you live. Where I live lawn must be watered or it dies and you have dust.

  • tassieeagle on 02/02/2017 - 19:33
    +8

    Your rental agent is lazy and useless. It is their job to sort this stuff out for you, you shouldn't really be hearing about it at all if they were doing their job properly and sorted the renters out at the first sign the grass was dying.

  • SnakeDoctor on 02/02/2017 - 19:34
    +3

    Don't suppose you have a picture of the lawn (curious) ?

  • trustnoone on 02/02/2017 - 19:55
    +4

    Maybe this is completely wrong, and I'm just being super paranoid but there could possibly be the case that the property manager is getting some kickbacks by some paver or landscaping company? I might be fully wrong, but it seems a bit sus, you're on the other side of the country, they only tell you after the fact, the property managers recommend their own thing and you say you've had problems with them. I unno, might be worth asking for a photo if you were curious enough.

    In any case if its true I'd tell them that either A) grass must be back to normal by the time they leave or B) take money out of bond if it isn't. They agreed to ensure to keep the grass well during their time there, so its up to them to do that.

    • kolorijo on 03/02/2017 - 08:21
      +6

      mr trustnoone you are indeed super paranoid but seriously I don't see why you got negged, it's a valid suspicion and good that you raised it up.

  • Plug on 02/02/2017 - 21:14
    +2

    The simple question is, what works best for you?

  • serpserpserp on 02/02/2017 - 21:25

    Why don't you just put the rent up $20 a week and use the extra money as garden maintenance and advertise that fact when you have it up for rent again. People love that.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 10:38

      It's a good suggestion, but the grass is well and truly dead, so it doesn't matter how many people try to maintain it, it won't address the problem at hand. Also- to pay someone for grass maintenance is around $50 per week, which I legally can't add to the rent, and even if I did, they would getting paid to maintain dust.

  • tj101 on 02/02/2017 - 21:38

    Going to vcat or the wa equiv. is time consuming, the RE usually charge a fee and you don't usually get much from vcat anyway, and if you are awarded money from the bond it might not be enough anyway. I'd chat to the RE on the phone.

  • mgh4me on 02/02/2017 - 21:54

    Just a question: In NSW tenants are billed for excess water if a landlord wants lawn maintained should they offer a concession on water bill?

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 10:39

      We pay for the water bills in WA, not the tenants.

      • jackspratt on 03/02/2017 - 15:04
        +3

        You have repeated this statement a few times - to avoid any doubt, as a landlord in WA, you do NOT have to pay for water consumption by the tenants.

        If you do so, it is entirely your choice.

        (Perhaps something else the Agent should have informed you about).

      • BartholemewH on 04/02/2017 - 14:56

        "All water consumed is payable by the tenants".

        Source: https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/consumer-protection/paying-ra…

        • jackspratt on 04/02/2017 - 23:24

          "All water consumed is payable by the tenants".

          Sort of misleading …… in that you didn't include the rest of the paragraph, ie:

          Since all water consumed is chargeable to your tenant, you may want to share the costs of the water bill to encourage the tenant to water lawns and gardens. The prescribed tenancy agreement lets you identify what percentage of the water consumption costs the tenant is required to pay.

        • BartholemewH on 05/02/2017 - 07:43

          @jackspratt:
          Only misleading to the same extent that the OP stated "We pay for the water bills in WA". Just pointing out that her agent is pulling her leg.

  • MITM on 02/02/2017 - 22:11

    When was the last time the grass was fertilised ? Need to do this beginning of spring each year (bag of fertiliser pellets) for a healthy lawn to survive summer.
    Lawn should be watered in the morning (weekly, daily depending on climate) before it becomes active during the day (photosynthesis).
    Every now and then it's good to push a fork through the soil to airate -or use one of those rollers with spikes.
    Or get a garden maintenance crew in to keep it in top shape,

    Incidentally - does the grass match the conditions i.e. shady or sunny for most of the day dictates the type of grass.

    In this case I'd help with regenerating the lawn back to heath properly. If you can't do it (from Canberra), then get in a garden maintenance crew as a oncer.
    Go halves with the tenant so they have a vested interest in maintaining the lawns and get the maintenance man to give the tenants a run down on how to keep it up to scratch on a weekly basis or give them the option to bill them for routine maintenance.
    Presumably you will want to keep the tenants on after September.
    As for the property manager, keep turning them over till you find the right one - "it's just business".

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 10:46
      +2

      Because most houses in WA are built on sand, we paid good money to have the sand dug out, and a good soil foundation laid by professionals who also matched the grass to the climate. I can't remember the grass type off by hand, but was originally told it was un-killable so they have done a pretty good job at neglecting it.

      I mean, the thing I'm annoyed about is that we shouldn't have to pay for anything. We didn't destroy the grass, they did, and they agreed under the terms of the lease to maintain it.

      I'm going to try and see if I can find a loophole within the 2 year agreement we signed with the property managers, and see if I can get out of it. They have caused nothing but issues really.

      Thanks for your input MITM.

  • SeVeN11 on 02/02/2017 - 22:36

    don't mean to be a party pooper, but how small is 'small'.

    Given it's not reticulated were you expecting the tenant to manually water it? If so, I assume the lawn is nearby to a garden tap etc.
    Just want to make sure the excuses are not actually valid.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 10:54
      +2

      It's around 33m2- the tap is about 2 m away from where the grass starts. Here is a section cut and pasted from the agreement that they signed:

      "The tenants are aware that although the property may be reticulated, that some plants will require additional water if the reticulation does not reach them sufficiently, or in the summer months. The tenant is aware that they must monitor the garden and supply additional water (hand watering) if needed. Reticulation not reaching the plants or grass or extreme heat, will not be grounds for dead grass or plants."

    • BartholemewH on 04/02/2017 - 14:58

      That's less than the size of a double garage. Pretty poor effort on the tenants part.

  • Brucet on 02/02/2017 - 22:37

    No, no and no…..Don't need to do it.

  • skywards on 02/02/2017 - 22:48
    +1

    Sounds like my useless property manager

  • Leeeroy on 02/02/2017 - 22:53
    +3

    They are tenants and they might not be interested in investing their time everyday watering the grass or mastering the watering system to keep the grass alive. It is probably in your interests to make sure your property has rental appropriate low maintenance outdoor areas to ensure happy tenants and a good return on investment.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 10:55
      +3

      Then they shouldn't have signed the lease in which they agreed to maintaining the grass- they inspected the property before the signed the lease.

      • veej on 03/02/2017 - 18:50
        +3

        Maintaining the grass to me means keep it mowed down and whipper snipped, I've never watered a lawn before and I don't expect watering grass to be high up there on a things to do list.

        • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 18:52
          +2

          I don't think its high on anyones list of things to do… still needs to be done, much like the mundane things we all have to do in life…

  • Shame on 02/02/2017 - 23:00
    +4

    I feel this is half your fault and half their fault.

    It's your fault because:
    - Grass is the easiest thing in the world to grow so if they managed to kill it then the grass must be in a severe environment (i.e. very dry or no sunlight).
    - If you expect tenants to maintain a garden then you're a bit deluded. It's only worth a tenant maintaining a garden if they intend to stay there a few years, otherwise spending money on plants/fertiliser/hoses/pots/water is dead money.
    - Some people (like me) like to grow a garden whilst a lot of other people (like the missus) don't care/spend no time maintaining a garden. If you lease your property then you may get either but I'd say it's a 66% chance you get the latter.
    - Gardening is hard! Knowing how much water, fertiliser and light a plant needs is a lot harder than it looks. It took me 5 years of killing plants before I became modest at gardening (and my mum loves gardening and my dad is a farmer so you'd think I would be above average at this!)

    It's their fault because:
    - they rented the place with a lawn so they should maintain it so long as you pay a reasonable amount for water bills.
    - how hard is it really, if they can't maintain a lawn then I'd be worried about the carpet and walls in the house.

    Your best options are either to:
    - install astroturf as it's cheaper than tiles and the next tenant can't kill it either, or
    - allow them to reseed the lawn and water it so it's in good condition when they leave (this should cost them $20)

    • Adz81 on 02/02/2017 - 23:07
      +2

      This is the best answer you'll get on this question.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 11:02
      +4

      Although you make some good points- I don't see in anyway how this is our fault.

      1) They inspected the property and agreed to the conditions under the lease which specified their responsibilities as tenants to maintain the lawns and gardens.
      2) We rented many properties ourselves in Perth, and always maintained the grass.
      3) It's not big, or hard to maintain and only needs a water every few days at the right time of day.
      3) AstroTurf is very expensive and wouldn't add any value to our property (we looked in to a while back.
      4) The lawn is beyond repair, and needs to be replaced so reseeding may not be an option. Also, if they can't handle watering 3 times a week, then I doubt they ill want to nurture/ put the time in, to repair the lawn.

      Appreciate the input though, ta.

      • Sheez on 05/02/2017 - 10:47
        +1

        "Water every few days at the right time of day", is an unreasonable expectation for any tenant imo. I usually have pretty good tenants, but I would never put that sort of expectation on them.

        The only way I would even consider it would be if you have an automatic/timed watering system for the grass. Did you have that in place or did you expect them to manually water the grass?

        • vetopower on 05/02/2017 - 11:03

          Exactly. Completely unreasonable request to expect tenants to water lawn every few days if that is what is required to keep your lawn alive (due to harsh conditions, poor soil, etc). Terms of rental agreement set out above would not cover such extensive maintenance. A warning to OP, tenants will have strong grounds for contesting your withholding of bond on these grounds.

  • [Deactivated] on 03/02/2017 - 00:24

    if the pavers would fix this issue from happening again I'd just do it. It's not worth your time.
    How much would the pavers cost?

    Tell them you'll do it but ask them for $100 towards the pavers because they (profanity) up the lawn.

    How much you think the pave job will cost? Couldn't be more than $500 right?

    You don't wanna bend/buckle to every request but this will help you and the tenants long term I think.

    Good luck and let us know what you do….

  • Rifraf on 03/02/2017 - 01:21
    -2

    You got to be joking OP.
    I'm in Yanchep and there is heaps of council owned land with sprinklers where the grass is dying.
    Either put in the retic or go around yourself to water it.
    Just pave the bloomin place.
    Most the back sections around here wouldn't be much bigger than 3x3 or 5x5 metres.
    You expect the soil aerated?
    The tenant is renting somewhere to live and is not an indentured peasant who has nothing better to do than toil under 40+ degree Perth heat so you can admire
    your investment greenery.
    The rents and valuations are still in a downward trajectory in WA so if thats your only beef about your tenant, perhaps think again. Good tenants are hard to find.
    Mine loves me because I keep the interior clean and immaculate, treating it as if it was my own.
    I haven't needed to point out that the rents all around our place have dropped and there are no shortage of for sale, for lease signs up and down the street.
    My only lament is when I moved in the new estate was lovely with manicured verges with regular footpath blow's and weed spraying.
    The developer must have sold all the properties in the street now cause its rapidly turning to crap and filling with ferals.
    My landlady won't be happy when I tell her I've had enough and its time to go back east.
    If your tenants crap anyway and late with the rent, give them nothing but if they are at all an asset, consider how long it'll take to find another tenant.
    Less likely an issue if your extremely central but if your anywhere near the northern suburbs, perhaps think again.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 11:09
      +2

      We live in Canberra, so as much as I would love to go and water grass that is someone elses responsibility- I think being 3000 kms away makes it a bit hard.

      I don't know where you got "I expect the soil aerated" from, this was never mentioned. I only expect that they uphold to the terms in the agreement that they sign, which specified that the lawn is maintained to the standard that that it was when they moved in.

      Sometimes, I also don't feel like paying thousands of dollars toward my mortgage, but I signed an agreement with that bank that it needs to be paid, so I do.

      You think I should have to pay to replace the grass that they destroyed, because they didn't feel like looking after it? Would you expect a car dealership to replace a car that you crashed because you were negligent? Hmmmmm.

      • jackary on 04/02/2017 - 19:11
        +3

        The issue is you can't really prove that they didn't tend to the garden. What if they watered it as per the lease and it still died? Prove otherwise.

        He got the expectation of soil aeration from the fact that it would have been necessary to keep the lawn alive. He's right. You specified in the lease "maintaining the garden to X standard", and aeration would have been required for this. Can you knock off the "I lived in Perth once" crap too? So what?

        You keep repeating "lawn maintenance is possible in Perth, it just takes effort". Firstly, how much effort do you expect a tenant to put into a garden when there's no incentive for them to? "Well the lease specified X" is not an appropriate answer to this question and gets you nowhere. Now I live on the east coast (Brisbane) and I've had a HELL of a time keeping the lawn green this summer. I don't want to think about the amount of water I've used (even if you're paying for it, you Good Samaritan, you) - and definitely not the time spent. If i were full time employed, my lawn would be brown and shithouse too. It has honestly become an all consuming thing.

        Have a look at all the other houses in the street. Do they have perfectly green lawns? I just genuinely wonder what realistic chance the tenants had of keeping the green lush to OPs standard over a Perth summer… particularly when there's very little in it for them. It's not their bloody garden after all, and it's not their job to go above and beyond developing a green thumb just because you added a likely unenforceable clause to the lease. The RTA here in QLD would laugh any claim like this from a lessor right out of their office.

        Sounds like OP is a little butthurt that the landscaper selected an incorrect variety of grass and or plants for the space - charged an arm and a leg for it - it's all turned to crap - and now the tenant is being asked to pay for it. Happy to be corrected but you're still not being forthcoming with the variety of grass, nor the reticulation system after repeated requests. But hey, maybe I'm just a tenant that's been subjected to way too many scumlords - not that I'm suggesting a 21 year old that's "worked really hard" (read: got a job briefly in the mining boom) and then proceeds to chase a tenant over a friggin lawn is a scumlord of course.

        And LOL at all the heat the poor PM is copping! Heaven forbid the mere suggestion of $500 worth of pavers for a 5x5m space in a stinkin hot Perth rental house to avoid this problem EVER AGAIN! Kudos to all those sticking to the "well this shouldn't be your problem" mantra though - while they're right, I don't understand why you'd bother with the headache even to this point when such a cheap, viable long term solution exists. Is this about maximum rental return for minimum effort or the principle of it to you?

  • havebeerbelywillsumo on 03/02/2017 - 02:19
    +1

    Not much impressed with your property (mis)manager however, do they or the RE have a maintenance arrangement for gardening of properties under their control, can your property be included as one to be looked after….at a significant discount for the initial year or till the current tenant vacates in view of the tardy advice perhaps.

    Tick for automated watering system. IF the environment makes it difficult to maintain a lawn as several have stated (and WA is dry!) rather than relying on a tenant to do so which is not right IMHO unless specifically asked as part of the lease pre takeup.

    As for replanting the lawn that WILL be a task as seedlings need lots of TLC, despite the tenant letting it go I still couldn't put the job on them unless they fully agreed in writing and the task was also monitored.

    Pavers are damn ugly & look sterile, dry and hot. IMHO they will devalue the property. For this choice I have no answer, it's really your call as the owner. Now you know that the lawn needs to be managed as well as the occupants esp in summer.If the lawn is to be reinstated the tenancy agreement needs to be rewritten after the current tenant exits OR care of the lawn be the total responsibility of an outside agent with access rights and costs (as part of an overall item,"running costs & ongoing maintenance to maintain the property" perhaps) to be included in the tenancy agreement.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 11:11

      Thanks for your input.

      We lived in Perth for many years before we moved to Canberra, and always maintained our grass in various properties, so it is possible, it just takes some effort.

      This is a cut and paste from the lease agreement:

      "The tenants are aware that although the property may be reticulated, that some plants will require additional water if the reticulation does not reach them sufficiently, or in the summer months. The tenant is aware that they must monitor the garden and supply additional water (hand watering) if needed. Reticulation not reaching the plants or grass or extreme heat, will not be grounds for dead grass or plants."

      Let me know what you think.

      • havebeerbelywillsumo on 03/02/2017 - 16:44

        personal opinion - "and always maintained our grass in various properties"…thank your parents/guardian or whatever it was for instilling ethical values in you, well done. Curse your parents LOL(or yourself) for not instilling - but an increasing number of people will feel no responsibility for anything and will act deceptively and lazily in any situation where that will suit them, your values will have absolutely no relevance to them, indeed they will see you as some sort of fool for caring for anything outside of Number One",

        That reply makes a lot of difference to me……tenant is thus responsible for "damage" to property value & liable for costs of either paving or resowing and maintenance of growing lawn IMHO. No comment on what you should do regarding plot other than think long term.

        How you can recover anything from them may be the problem……

        Off the top of my head and I have NO expertise with this

        In advance, get an opinion from a rental authority if you can dock bond (is there enough there???)

        On that theme get an independent property inspection to find the state of the premises itself - if the outside has been neglected despite specific mention in the lease then the inside is…..???……..and your manager is not managing so what else have they ignored or put in the too hard basket?

        If there is damage outside of the lawn then eviction perhaps if you can legally?

        In my mind as things stand you have no-one that you can trust locally, not the tenant, not the manager. How you can fix this I have no idea but I'd feel very uncomfortable if I was in your shoes with what I feel is an inadequately monitored asset.

  • DrDollar on 03/02/2017 - 06:46
    +2

    How big is the patch of grass?

    What type of lawn was it?

    Where is is situated?

    Does it get any/much sunlight?

    What is the soil like (is it mostly sand/rock with little actual soil)?

    The managers mentioned you spent money already in installing the lawn. Why was there no grass there in the first place, is this a new home? Did the grass die there previously?

    Grass can be killed… obviously. There can be legit reasons why. You may be putting lawn in an area that it is not really going to grow.

    Depending on the size of the area and whether or not there is any other grass elsewhere, you should strongly consider putting some gravel down. It's cheap and doesn't die. Good luck thinking you're going to recoup costs on the grass dieing from the tenants.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 11:16
      -1

      Hi DrDollar.

      The maintenance of the grass and gardens was a condition of the lease agreement that they signed.

      "The tenants are aware that although the property may be reticulated, that some plants will require additional water if the reticulation does not reach them sufficiently, or in the summer months. The tenant is aware that they must monitor the garden and supply additional water (hand watering) if needed. Reticulation not reaching the plants or grass or extreme heat, will not be grounds for dead grass or plants."

      You'd have to ask my husband about the grass specifics, but it was professionally installed by a reputable company and the grass was matched to the conditions and climate- but of course all grass/ gardens need to be attended to and cannot be left to survive on their own.

      The property was brand new, and as we did not have landscaping in our building package we had this done to appeal to tenants, and we were recommended to install grass as pavers/ gravel is not appealing.

      There are many houses within the area that have lovely green grass.

      • DrDollar on 03/02/2017 - 17:02

        You are on here asking for help. Why on earth would I attempt to find out who your husband is to ask for answers to the questions above?

        Sounds like you just want confirmation to go after your tenants and recoup costs rather than being open to other options, otherwise you would've found answers to the questions raised above.

        I don't care whether they agreed to maintain your greens or not. If your greens are founded upon bad soil or constantly out of light, they are bound to die regardless of the effort applied or any agreement signed.

        Good luck…

        • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 18:27

          ….Clearly a figure of speech to contact my husband.

          The reason I posted this was to see if people had been in a similar situation and to find out how to approach it- not to be questioned upon the types of conditions upon which my turf was laid….

          You cared enough to ask a million questions, and I was only polite back to you- may pay to show the same courtesy sometimes…

          Thanks for the well wishes.

        • DrDollar on 03/02/2017 - 18:45
          -3

          @becevans1992: lol

          Yes, clearly a figure of speech.

          You've missed the point - Your unwillingness to actually want to provide information.

          Did you think for a second beforehand it may not be the tenants fault? Guess not.

          Garbage in garbage out.

          Have fun.

        • jackary on 04/02/2017 - 19:29
          +2

          @DrDollar: I really don't understand why you were negged. You're entirely right even if it's not what OP wants to hear.

        • DrDollar on 05/02/2017 - 08:28
          +1

          @jackary: Thanks. Some people are allergic to direct wording I think.

          Shield me from reality! Take the words away! Ahhh that's better. Ignorance is bliss!

  • jellykingdom on 03/02/2017 - 07:02
    +1

    What about a "compromise" of fake lawn. The good stuff looks totally great and I doubt it would be dramatically more than pavers. Maintains your look as well as satisfying the tenants

    …obviously get them to pay for it!

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 11:16

      Fake turf is very expensive, so I wouldn't like our chances unfortunately.

      • jellykingdom on 03/02/2017 - 12:31

        Sure you can pay half? its probably in everyone's best interests

        • Zondor on 03/02/2017 - 16:07
          +3

          Still alot of money, considering they shouldn't have to pay anything. Especially since they replaced the soil to make maintaining the lawn as easy as possible.

        • jackary on 06/02/2017 - 00:00
          -3

          @Zondor: Ummmmmm, nah mate. First off, yeah the owner should pay. Until OP can prove the tenant actually killed the lawn and that it wasn't a result of just being a cheapskate and not doing the job right the first time, then the tenant and REA will tell OP (rightfully) to bugger off. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume something along these lines is the case, considering OP chose the cheapest way of covering the ground as possible, entirely ignoring what any RE would have told them. He used bloody grass seed and didn't even bother turfing it, like what friggin rot. How much should they be penalised? $20 worth of seed? OP cant prove tenant broke conditions of lease as it's a fanciful lease condition and cannot be enforced. Simply put it's not worth the paper it's written on, and as such may as well be ignored, regardless of the deluded view OP seems to hold.

          Second. A few inches of topsoil doesn't change the fact that it's sand underneath. Being in Perth I'll bet my hat it's sand and rock.

          Here's an alternative person to blame, for example - if not enough topsoil went down before the grass was laid, then said topsoil has probably long washed away. Hence, there is NO chance of the grass surviving. With or without water. You're trying to grow grass in sand. This is OP's and or the landscapers fault.

          Source: My family own an excavator business and my entire block is clay. Been there done this. Neeeeexxxxttt

        • Zondor on 06/02/2017 - 09:23

          @jackary: My entire block is sand in the Adelaide Hills and we still manage to maintain our grass with basic watering. All we needed was a few inches of topsoil and it's fine.

        • jackary on 06/02/2017 - 10:08

          @Zondor: Thank you for not listening. Read above. Sigh.

        • Zondor on 06/02/2017 - 10:10

          @jackary: I read the above before, and I didn't agree.

        • jackary on 06/02/2017 - 10:13

          @Zondor: The second sentence of your comment "all it needed was some topsoil" - yes - correct - which is why the basis of my original comment was "it died because the topsoil has washed away or there isn't enough of it". Did you know Perth copped like 4 extreme rain events this summer? Pretty plausible scenario really. And whether you can grow grass in pure sand is not really a question up for debate. You.. just.. can't.

          So in conclusion, you friggin well didn't read but ok. Bugger off and find someone else's Monday to ruin m8888888888

        • Zondor on 06/02/2017 - 11:16

          @jackary: We get the same thing happening here in Adelaide south weather wise too. It's still not an issue to grow grass.

  • nikhi24 on 03/02/2017 - 07:59

    Grass seed is cheap. Australian soil is pretty bad and weather harsh. Grass can die pretty fast unless you actually spend time keeping an eye on it and maintaining it. I dont see why you think its the property managers fault. Its grass. Who cares. If the rest of property is maintained and rent paid on time Id be pretty happy. If its a small patch I dont see the harm in making the property more maitenance free.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 11:18

      I guess because we spent a lot of money and time installing beautiful gardens and grass when the house became available to rent- so it's pretty frustrating.

      It's not really a small patch, its the front and back lawn which is approximately 33m2. If it was more like 10m2 I would agree with you.

      • stemcell on 03/02/2017 - 12:31
        +1

        You wasted your money making the garden pretty for a rental.

        • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 12:41
          +1

          Pretty does not mean they are hard to maintain.

    • havebeerbelywillsumo on 03/02/2017 - 16:53

      How did you know the OP's name was Jack?

  • CLoSeR on 03/02/2017 - 08:14
    +4

    My last tenants dog dug up the backyard and killed all the turf, they agreed to replace it when they vacate.

    It was done as promised, if it had not it would have been taken from the bond.

    It's that simple.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 11:19

      Good point!

  • furys12 on 03/02/2017 - 09:04
    +1

    Seriously i can't get my rental agency to pass anything more then a blown lightbulb along to the owner and these guys are so sheepish they will pass along a request to pave over an entire area because the tenants are lazy, the top post here is exactly what you should do including the subsequent changing of agents.

    for some personal experience the property i'm renting now has 3 small "garden beds" each at a different height as my property is on a hill, so flat patches instead of just a hill, one of them is grass, one is gravel and one is paved, seriously do not gravel over its easily the worst of the 3, you think the tenants we bad with plain old grass wait until stuff starts growing through the gravel its a real pain to maintain.

    also im incredibly lazy in my lawn care for my little patch but it does nothing but grow i really dont know how they killed it in any manner but deliberately

    • jackary on 04/02/2017 - 19:33

      Or because it was originally laid like shit/incorrect variety grass or topsoil materials used and the tenants never had a chance.

      Jesus in the days when the landlord has ALL the power, why so quick to blame the tenant?

  • aussieprepper on 03/02/2017 - 09:14
    +1

    Some times lawn just dies. I had the council strip done and I water the grass every day even gave it the lawn care stuff like plant food and the stuff to keep moisture in. Still died but it did grow back.

  • Sheez on 03/02/2017 - 09:38

    Are the tenants otherwise good, do you want to keep them there?

    If you want to keep them there, you don't have to replace it with pavers, you can replace it with tanbark. This is what I do for a low maintenance tenancy, it's cost effective and can still look pretty good. Just be sure to get the large tanbark (something like red gum chips) which doesn't break down quickly (i.e not garden mulch).

    If you want to get rid of them, then don't comply.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 11:30

      I think the issue is that something needs to be done, but who does the responsibility fall on and who should foot the bill?

      The fact that they are asking us to pay for pavers to be installed, after the grass died under their control, to me sounds like they want us to pay for their laziness? What do you think?

      • Sheez on 05/02/2017 - 10:40

        As a landlord myself, I think it's mostly irrelevant who is at fault in this case, and it will be very hard to prove for grass. As with any relationship there is more than who is right and who is wrong, and it depends on what you are trying to achieve.

        If it needs to be replaced, is it something that needed to be done anyway? If so, are they good tenants, do they usually keep the place in good condition and pay their rent on time? I personally put a little extra effort in for good tenants.

        If they aren't good tenants and you want to cause problems for them, then you can make it a hassle for them, this can be risky and may end up causing you more problems though.

        If it does need to be replaced, then based on your budget you decide what to do with it, whether you pave it or tanbark it. Redgum chips look pretty good and are a quick, cost-effective solution. They don't get a say in what you put down, if you need to put anything down at all. You can always tell them you are going to put tanbark down, and if they want pavers they can pay half (with a very clear term that the pavers are to stay there when they leave).

        I personally try to make my rented places low maintenance, and if what little of the grass I have died, then it was probably too hard for them to maintain anyway.

  • Duram on 03/02/2017 - 09:53

    I've got a dead patch on my front lawn, I've tried fertilizer, tried to rip up the dead grass and allow the other grass to grow into there.

    It's still dead, what can I do? lay new turf? grass seed? thank you. I am the tenant by the way. (jokes).

  • rickxs on 03/02/2017 - 10:17

    "Grass seed is cheap. Australian soil is pretty bad and weather harsh. Grass can die pretty fast unless you actually spend time keeping an eye on it and maintaining it."

    & is shit, it will die in no time at all,Put Buffalo in !!!! it can go brown & look dead if unattended for weeks, but will respond to the next watering/rain ,problem is your in Canberra house in Perth

  • [Deactivated] on 03/02/2017 - 10:27

    Having just done some paving and grass laying IN SYDNEY - Paving a 30sqm cost me $2300 + cost of the pavers. The area was a little sloped, so we needed some roadbase to level it. Grassing the same area would have cost me less than $600 which includes the grass as well as around 3m3 of dirt. I laid the grass my self. Grass estimate includes delivery of the turf and delivery of the dirt. You can save $100+ by collecting it yourself. If it is only a small area the turf can die for a number of reasons - possibly even the fact that you are walking on it and it is only a small area! I selected different types of grass for different areas of my house. IF you are re-grassing you also need to consider disposal of old grass and diging up to put down new underlay. Not really an issue for me as the area was quite rough before. SHOULD CLARIFY - I paved one area and grassed another.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 11:32

      Thank you for a commonsense response!!!!

      Yes, all options seem expensive, I just feel like we may have a battle on our hands with the response being " we don't have the money to fix the grass" from the tenants.

      • jackary on 04/02/2017 - 19:35

        Why should they pay for your poor choice of grass variety?

  • payless69 on 03/02/2017 - 11:30

    Hi Bec, we put artificial grass down at our investment town house. Required removal of existing soil and 2 trailers worth of base and once we nailed the grass down it took another trailer of sand to be brushed in. Made a small garden and a paved path. Now we get the highest rent in the complex of 12 and the tenants love it so much hey have been in for 2 years. Worth every cent in the long run.
    If your agent belongs to a franchise, get rid of them! In QLD there are strict rules they can be appointed and they usually lie and threaten the owner but now the penalties are stiff.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 11:34

      Thanks for your comment payless69.

      I agree it would be a good option, but should we pay for something new to be installed because they failed to maintain what was already there and perfectly fine?

      They are a small, and privately owned agent- which is why I'm so surprised at how bad they have been considering that their business would suffer greatly from bad service.

      • payless69 on 03/02/2017 - 11:41
        +1

        depends on the rent. Give them the option to pay more or move out and keep some bond to recover cost.
        I only put in tenants with a credit card and anyone can have a square reader and merchant account and all 3 cards are 1.9%.

  • Diji on 03/02/2017 - 11:42
    +1

    TIL loads of people still care about lawns.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 11:44
      +1

      That tends to happen when you invest a lot of money and time into a property and its gardens that you worked your arse off to buy at the age of 21.

      • stemcell on 03/02/2017 - 12:32
        +1

        You have a lot to learn youngster, get a few more years and properties under your belt and you will not waste money on gardens.

        • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 12:46
          -7

          You don't know anything about me. I would have far more life experience than you and the garden and lawn that was installed was done so under professional advice which added value to our property. Obviously you need a garden to spend your time on instead of wasting it giving unhelpful advice to a stranger…. hmm.

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