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

        • Zondor on 03/02/2017 - 16:12
          +2

          @becevans1992: You don't know me, You don't know what I got.

          I'm old greeeeg, I'm a scaly man fish

        • SwarlesBarkley on 03/02/2017 - 17:11
          +2

          @becevans1992:

          "You don't know anything about me. I would have far more life experience than you"

          But you don't know anything about them, how can you say that?

        • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 18:29
          +2

          @Zondor:

          Ever drunk bailey's out of shoe? Wanna go to a club where people wee on each other? I'm old Gregggg!

        • stemcell on 03/02/2017 - 19:56
          +1

          @becevans1992:

          Yikes with an attitude like that I feel sorry for your tenants.

        • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 20:15
          -1

          @stemcell:

          Haha! Stick to your research "Stemcell"

        • stemcell on 04/02/2017 - 02:11

          @becevans1992:

          Been stalking me have you ;) are you parked outside your renters home or just peering in through their curtains?

  • Fergy1987 on 03/02/2017 - 13:06
    +3

    Pfft no way! tell them to EAD! - if they don't look after the lawn - then get out…..and if they want pavers, they can pay for it themselves. It's your house and if you want lawn, then keep it. some tenants are just pathetic.

    • Badinsk on 03/02/2017 - 13:48
      +1

      EAD hahahahaha!!! I agree- thanks for the laugh!

  • mattyman on 03/02/2017 - 13:32
    +1

    Rather than repave, you could go with fake grass.

    Still make them pay for it though.

  • macca22 on 03/02/2017 - 14:07

    excess water is paid by a lot of tenants in Perth and most of it goes on lawn maintenance and people have in past received letters from perth property managers to not hold back on watering the sand and rocks prevalent there .

  • shaybisc on 03/02/2017 - 15:52

    Can't you automate the watering with soil moisture sensors?

  • deviant on 03/02/2017 - 15:56
    +1

    No, don't pay it's not a necessity. Let it die, and don't go and fix it and the next set of tenants ruin it.

  • PaulieDx02 on 03/02/2017 - 16:01

    Grass can be purchased at many places. For example Bunnings sell turf by the role or square mtr.
    Maybe they could just replace it them selves.
    If not take it out of their bond which will be more expensive as it would incur labour and admin costs.
    That's 2 options.

  • [Deactivated] on 03/02/2017 - 16:26

    Put some Kikuyu. This thing never dies, it is like a terminator of grasses.

  • Roman Sandstorm on 03/02/2017 - 16:32
    +9

    I'm surprised no-one has yet mentioned the utter absurdity of growing grass lawns in most parts of Australia.

    It seems to me to be some kind of hang-over from a Victorian era of cultured English gardens. And it smacks of colonialism; of introducing a little patch of 'home' into a new environment.

    And, of course, the most offensive thing with most grass lawns is the profligate wastage of precious and scarce resources; most importantly, fresh non-salty water.

    The attitude of "I paid for it, I can use it" towards water usage is inappropriate and immoral in a world of changing climate, and dwindling water resources. In recent years I know that both Brisbane and Melbourne have had to introduce extreme water restrictions on residential use. I am unaware of other capitals, but I would be surprised if similar circumstances had not been in place at different times.

    And just because supplies and reservoirs are not critical right now does not mean that we should not be responsible with water use.

    There are many relatively-low cost alternatives to vast expanses of green grass. Rock gardens, bark chip, pavers, artificial grass (as suggested above), native shrubs and grasses.
    .
    .
    As for your 'letter of the law/tenancy' / potential cost to you of a couple of tenths of a percentage point of the value of your property issue: you need to ask yourself a business decision. Have the tenants otherwise been good? Rent generally paid on time? Maintaining house in reasonable condition? Sometimes one needs to just cut one's losses. There are always risks to any business concern, especially renting property. It is not a guarantee of endless, stress-free profit.

    Say you could evict your tenants over this issue, I would think being able to withhold bond over costs for the lawn would be very problematic. Whatever WA's rent tribunal is called would look at the situation, see that they have been otherwise good tenants, take into account that Perth is one of the freakin' hottest and driest large cities on the planet, that even best intentions to maintain grass lawns can often fail. To be honest, I would think taking such a case to tribunal would be almost laughable.

    But let's say you choose to not renew the lease, or ask them to leave… and they agree. What is your downtime? Re-advertising = $$$. Each week unoccupied = $$$. Cleaning = $$$. Re-laying your precious green carpet = $$$. You will have to be so, so careful in vetting your next tenant that they are agriculturally expert enough to understand how to maintain particular grass lawns in a harsh environment. I'm sure these tenants exist. But how long can you be prepared to wait? Three weeks is gone now… Cost to you is into four figures, and rising.

    Damn. Bet you wished you had not decided to make a little outpost of the green rolling hills of Sussex, and rather planted some tidy native grasses and shrubs, and a couple of winding rock/pebble paths, and some maybe defined bark chip areas. Hell, in some areas (my part of Melbourne, for example) I think the Councils even subsidise and assist in doing some of that stuff, supplying information, etc.

    TLDR; 1. Don't try and recreate "England's green and pleasant land" on the driest inhabited continent on earth. 2. Don't expect your business to be without risk. 3. Make sensible and moral environmental and business decisions, and don't blame others when you don't.

    • [Deactivated] on 03/02/2017 - 16:36
      +3

      Thanks for the TL;DR

    • shaybisc on 03/02/2017 - 16:55
      +1

      Grass is a colossal waste of time and resources- there should be a law against it.

    • stemcell on 04/02/2017 - 02:17

      Very well said Roman +1 from me.

    • DrDollar on 04/02/2017 - 15:45

      You're talking too much sense. OP won't understand. From what I've seen, in their mind the world is black and white with no shades of grey.

      Their logic. Agreement signed to keep lawn alive, lawn dead, go after tenants - those naughty naughty tenants.

      Not open to other possibilities. Why bother positing OP? You realize that contracts and agreements are valid only if reasonable, right? Your lawn sounds like it was probably laid on desolate "soil" and had no chance. Good luck getting your $$$. Lol waste of time.

      • Badinsk on 15/02/2017 - 14:21

        I did get my $$ back- thanks for asking- the grass has been completely replaced and paid for by them. They've also asked if they can resign the lease at the end of this one, so good news for me all round! :)

        • DrDollar on 15/02/2017 - 18:02

          You're just such a lovely person.

          claps profusely

          …

          o.O

        • Badinsk on 17/02/2017 - 08:07

          @DrDollar:

          Thanks DrDollar! :)

    • jackary on 04/02/2017 - 19:41

      I am forever endebted to you roman. All of the thankyous.

  • Wibbleman on 03/02/2017 - 17:27
    +1

    I reckon this is the place for you:
    https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/atoms/fil…

    This extract >>>>
    The Department of Commerce gives free advice to all parties in a residential tenancy agreement, looks into complaints, and, wherever possible, helps settle them. If we can’t negotiate a fair outcome, it may be necessary for the matter to be settled in court (see ‘Going to court’).

    Heres their contact details:
    Consumer Protection Division
    Gordon Stephenson House, 140 William St, Perth Western Australia 6000
    Advice Line (for the cost of a local call)……………………………1300 30 40 54
    Email address …………………………………[email protected]

    Extract of Tenant responsibilities:
    Maintenance outside
    You are responsible for garden maintenance, such as mowing and edging lawns, weeding and pruning. The lessor/ property manager should provide you with the necessary hoses, sprinklers etc.
    If you become aware of any potential damage to gutters through leaf blockages or notice a water leak, you must advise the lessor/property manager. If the leak is obvious and you fail to report it, you may be liable for the costs of water lost.
    The lessor/property manager is responsible for maintenance to any garden reticulation system, tree lopping, cutting back overhanging branches (such as those near power lines) and maintaining fire breaks, unless your tenancy agreement states otherwise.

    Read into that what you will…..They may be able to argue that the garden reticulation system requires owner maintenance to cover all the grass.

  • pjgirl on 03/02/2017 - 20:08
    +1

    What does your rental agreement say in regards to maintenance on garden/lawns? I know some landlords specify this and if you do then the tenants must abide by it. And damages should come out of their bond

  • topRamen on 03/02/2017 - 21:36

    I rent a massive amount of lawn in Victoria, I want a large backyard for sports and entertaing, I don't water frequently but will seed and feed brown patches.

    At my last rental I had dug out about 3 square meters of garden beds which were easy enough to get back to lawn before moving out. Murdering a lawn completely is difficult.

    Buy the tenants some boxes of drought resistant seed blends, lawn fertilizer and and a lawn care book or even a fact sheet printed off from gardening Australia website. Once they spend time reestablishing the lawn they will be invested in maintaining it.

  • eggles01 on 03/02/2017 - 23:20

    if you agree what comes next.maybe one of them may paint the front door purple and then ask you to paint the rest of the place purple for them as they love the colour because they were not keen on the colour that the property was painted when they moved in,as far as it should go by offering them 2 options,#1 they repair or replace the lawn back to what it was when they moved in or #2 eviction, see what they have to say about either of the 2 options

  • Kevan2 on 04/02/2017 - 01:28

    The right grass will grow back if it rains.

    How old was the "lawn" when the property was let.

    Did you arrange on a regular basis for the "lawn" to be aerated - little holes for water, fertiliser and seeds to work natures magic.

    If it looks like a dust bowl maybe there is a issue with the soil.

    And that garden water clause was that read out to them and initialled.

    If I was Tennant I would go get a box of grass seeds , or putts from the park, neighbours footpath gutter (cleaning up edges for them ) or other fast repairers and make it look green. (here and there)

    Does the back yard get 8 to 10 hours of sunlight a day ⁉ nature wins you loose.

  • tryagain on 04/02/2017 - 01:29

    Is it actually dead or just brown on top? did the real estate provide you with any pictures? if it is dead do you know why the lawn actually died? was it actually established when they moved in? and was it maintained in between the time it was installed and when they moved in? some of their "all sorts of excuses" might actually be valid. Not enough information here to make an accurate call, on the surface it looks like they should be replacing it but that could just be because we have only heard one side of the story.

  • simonjb on 04/02/2017 - 06:31

    Tenants request all kinds of things that you as a landlord are not responsible for. You won't get grass back through your bond, tenants are expecting to maintain gardens to a 'reasonable' standard. Tell your property manager to send a warning of a visit to the tribunal if the lawn is not maintained. And evict at first opportunity. Take it from a multiple property landlord and off and on manager for 10 years.

    • jackary on 06/02/2017 - 00:27
      +1

      Lol it's Perth mate the property will sit unoccupied for MONTHS if he does that - ain't a landlords market in Perth!

      • simonjb on 07/02/2017 - 17:34

        Oh right I missed that, The center of my universe is Melbourne nowhere else even exists. Apologies.

  • Lockieasy on 04/02/2017 - 14:48

    Make sure it's 100% dead first because if it's just gone brown then watering it every day may be able to regenerate it. Happened in my parent's backyard when they went on holiday over Summer and it's looking really green again now

  • aripper on 04/02/2017 - 19:03
    +1

    WOW! All this comment over a small lawn.
    Fact one - the tenant should know what responsibilty is.
    Fact two - The agent is paid to enforce the terms of the lease.
    Fact three - Sure it's "only" grass, but dead grass detracts and costs if and
    when the owner may decide/have to sell.
    I'd bet that the "only grass" people commenting here would change
    their tune if someone went back on an undertaking and cost them
    them the convenience of a quick sale or a few thousand dollars.
    Fact four Want to be fair people - then don't even hint that someone may
    have any right to inconvenience or cost another person monetary loss.

         As Malcolm Turnbull had to remind Donald Trump - "a deal is a deal"
      A contract (lease) indicates your word is your essence... or not!.
    • callum9999 on 05/02/2017 - 20:43

      Who is Malcolm Turnbull? Are you talking about Malcom Trumble, our president?

    • DrDollar on 05/02/2017 - 21:14
      +1

      A contract is useless if the terms are not reasonable.

      Hence why we first need to establish why the lawn died. Was it negligence, or, was the grass doomed to die no matter how much effort was put into it. This is new lawn on a new property… in WA… Perth…

      It is very possible that the "good soil" is in fact still 90% sand and rock, hence the fresh new lawn was going to die anyway. In which case the OP needs to rethink their approach. This does happen. OP seems pretty oblivious to considering these possibilities though.

  • fruxo on 04/02/2017 - 21:38
    +1

    Although I agree it's their responsibility, it seems a bit silly to have a 30 square meter lawn in a rental. It's just a hassle for everyone. Being at a guess something like 7m wide and 4m deep, it's really just the size of a deck/alfresco.

    Paving it and using it as an entertainment area makes a lot more sense for both you and tenants. Anyone that wants a lawn for the kids to play in etc wouldn't rent your place anyway.

    Pending on the actual layout etc of course. But as mentioned, the tenants definitely seem liable, although I wouldn't be surprised if the lawn bounced back with some water.

  • [Deactivated] on 04/02/2017 - 22:37

    Synthetic grass can be a solution.

  • poppit88 on 04/02/2017 - 23:37

    As an ex Property Manager, my advice is to have everything absolutely as low maintenance as possible. Whilst I understand your frustration, unless you are footing the water bill (and realistically - the weather thus far this summer has been appalling and hot.)to ask your tenants to maintain your property at their expense is a bit rich. (I've been both a tenant and a landlord.)

    The poster above though @fruxo is correct. A bit of water and some extra help with supplements, it'll be right as rain. (No pun intended!)

    I'd ignore the request for pavers though, the next tenant is likely to arrive, and say they are a tripping hazard etc.,

    In the meantime I'd go back to the agent and just say you are not in a position to landscape and install pavers and the tenants will just have to live with it!

    The same goes for weeding and general maintenance. I've always expected my tenants to do general weeding and mow the lawn. However, I've never, ever expected them to prune and lop trees. (Exactly, what happened to me in one property I rented years ago on a big block.) The landlord did zip, not only expecting me to lop huge branches that kept receiving threats from the power provider because they were growing over lines, but he then expected me to to chop and pay for the branches removal. I'm not kidding.

    So, the moral of this story is that Landlords can be just as pesky creatures as tenants.

    • BartholemewH on 05/02/2017 - 07:46

      The OP is footing the waterbill.

      • poppit88 on 05/02/2017 - 20:53

        I'd be watering my little heart out then!

        • tryagain on 06/02/2017 - 13:22

          leave a sprinkler on 24/7?

    • Tj1999 on 05/02/2017 - 08:30

      to ask your tenants to maintain your property at their expense is a bit rich.

      I'm pretty sure that is what you sign up for as a renter. If I have to go to the shop and buy some Spray n Wipe to clean the kitchen, I should expect the landlord to pay for it, or else I won't clean the house?

      • poppit88 on 05/02/2017 - 20:58

        You're twisting what I'm saying. You'd clean, dust vacum, weed and mow a lawn whether you're renting or buying.

        I'm talking about out of pocket expenses - such as mine. Enduring a landlord who basically refused to maintain his property.

        If you have lawn that needs regular watering get a hose with a simple twist sprinkler and buy a timer, so it's atuomated.

        I can sympathize with the tenants - I own my own place - the garden still looks like a dog's breakfast. I work long hours, coming home watering gardens etc in the late evening is not my thing!

        • Badinsk on 15/02/2017 - 14:25

          We paid for a brand new hose/ automated watering system for the tenants before they moved in- and they still managed to completely kill it which is why I asked for peoples advice, because its not a matter of could of- should of- its complete laziness.

        • poppit88 on 17/02/2017 - 22:00

          @becevans1992:

          I agree with you completely. It's lazy on their part. And I feel your pain. If I listed the things previous tenants have done to properties I rented it would make your eyes curl. Hence, any investment property I own from now on will be kept neat and tidy, with repairs done only as absolutely necessary. Frankly, concrete/pave every spare inch of space you can.

          I should also confess that I manage to kill indoor pot plants, so don't get me started on the damage I do to my own garden.

          When you are renting a property - assume that all tenants who walk through your door are stupid, lazy and lack initiative. Maintain the property around these principles and it will be a step in the right direction.

          I was also a tenant for many years - what you are enduring gives all the really good tenants out there a bad name & usually means we have to deal with stingy landlords who refuse to conduct basic maintenance because we might 'wreck' it!

  • phluffed on 05/02/2017 - 14:18

    Synthetic isn't all that expensive when you factor in the savings on water, mowing, etc.
    We just did an area 4.5m x 6m for under $1k. Could have been under $500 if I'd done it all myself.

    As for the grass killers… well done! No watering, no lawn care, 2 big dogs, and my grass STILL wouldn't die! Hence the switch to synthetic.

  • jackary on 06/02/2017 - 00:21
    +1

    Can I just say I particularly loved your underhanded thankyous and ta's to responses that are giving you the right advice. You go girl!! Buy another property!!

    • Badinsk on 15/02/2017 - 14:26
      +1

      Love this comment! Thank you! :)

  • woteva on 06/02/2017 - 01:44

    The tenants of a friend offered him a special kind of grass 1 week as they had no money for rent :O

  • aliocroc on 06/02/2017 - 09:05

    Ive just moved out of a place after 2 years as a tenant. Owners had some simple shrubbery and hedges but I will give you one bit of advice-Artificial Grass!!! 2 years and i've pulled a few weeds at the edges, thats it. The house looks great, the garden is maintenance free and overall a worthwhile investment-it made the house so attractive for re-rental, and the amount of people who commented on it was insane. Simplest solution for a long term rental property and gives you a great aesthetic. How big is the area?

  • coolsteps on 06/02/2017 - 09:09
    +1

    beware some tenants poison the grass as they cant afford to buy a lawnmower.

  • wallet72 on 06/02/2017 - 13:35
    +1

    I hate tenants like that, they give the rest of us a bad name.

    They moved in to a place with green grass, they have to move out leaving it the same way. If they have issues with the lawn, they contact the property manager to discuss options BEFORE the grass is dead, not after.

    If it was me, I would have asked when I first realised there might be an issue if the owner would pay have the cost to pave the area and I'd pay the rest. Saying that, the owner has no obligation to pay anything, but it never hurts to ask or negotiate.

    So from reading the post, it's a small grass area that needs replacing - the tenants pay for it or it comes out of the bond.

    • Badinsk on 15/02/2017 - 14:27

      Absolutely- thanks for your input!

  • nuno on 06/02/2017 - 14:31

    Maintaining lawns and gardens can be a tricky one to enforce in a tenancy contract. Tenants will come up with all sorts of excuses on why the garden died. Mostly things that are out of control, like stray animals, adverse weather conditions, faulty irrigation equipment and the list goes on. It's hard to prove total negligence in a court of law so we mitigate by removing all high maintenance items.

    I would go ahead and pave the area or let them enjoy dirt. you could always use astro turf it but that would need replacing every so often.

    Asking this generation and moreover in todays world of internet, social activity, hipster eating smash avo and 'cinoes to maintain a garden is almost impossible. People have no time or inclination to maintain them. We have three properties and all them have had their gardens trashed.
    We've paved, stencil concreted the area and planted some indestructible conifers instead. good luck.

  • nikhi24 on 08/02/2017 - 08:12

    Fake grass is truly hideous. I would prefer pavers or even dead grass. Many things can be fake. Grass should never be one of them :)

  • Badinsk on 15/02/2017 - 14:30
    +3

    Thank you everyone for your comments. We have now sorted this issue with our tenants. They admitted full responsibility for the dead grass and said they just "couldn't be bothered with the hot weather lately". They have now paid for the removal and replacement of the grass- professionally, and have even asked if they can lease the property for an additional 12 months once the lease is up in September. Good news all round!

    • wallet72 on 16/02/2017 - 11:56

      Good to hear it worked out.

      • Badinsk on 17/02/2017 - 08:08

        Thanks! A good turnout :)

  • nikhi24 on 17/02/2017 - 08:14

    Sorry as not relevent but do you have to have a seperate switch to turn of elements in Qld? The oven and elements are seperate, both electric.

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