Tenant complaining about garden

donfanatico

Is it actually a 'proper' garden or just a piece of land which is part of the property?

What I mean by proper is , is it meant to be enjoyed for outside living with BBQs, parties etc?

Turnbull2000

Give them three options...

1. Fix it themselves
2. Get rid of the pets
3. Leave

Lord_Baltimore

Offer to install a diving board so the dogs can enjoy the water feature ?

Seriously, they probably see you as a soft touch because you agreed to pets; time to put your foot down as suggested by G_M.

RuthL

donfanatico wrote: »

Is it actually a 'proper' garden or just a piece of land which is part of the property?

What I mean by proper is , is it meant to be enjoyed for outside living with BBQs, parties etc?

Yes it is a proper garden which was fenced on 3 sides with 6' high planks and 4' high on the front which then had a gate to the side of the house.

My husband went there today to have a look at the garden to see how bad it was and what he came back and told me really shocked me! :eek:

They have added an 8' high fence to the front which is what they are claiming cost £700. They have taken down the 4' fence and have built a small 'run' for their dogs which are living in our garden shed apparently. He said that the grass looks perfect (if a little wet from all the rain) but nothing like the swamp they are claiming. They have also cut down the raised decking which was in the garden under a tree which must be where they want to make the dog pen and plonked it in the opposite side of the garden leaving the stumps cut off.

I don't know what my husband is going to say to them when he goes around tomorrow, the problem is being firm but polite. I don't want to force them to leave only for the fact of trying to find someone new again

BitterAndTwisted

Your husband should just tell them that there's no problem with the garden and therefore you are not prepared to spend thousands on a problem which does not exist. He should also remind them that they will be required to hand the garden back in precisely the same condition at the end of their tenancy as it was at the start. And that includes the fencing and the decking. If nither of you relish having this conversation face-to-face then you should write them a polite letter. That should stand you in good stead at the end of this tenancy anyway given the unauthorised changes they have made to the property already.

If you show any signs whatsoever of moving on these issues they will just push you for more and more.

Bad tenants are worse than no tenants at all, and I would not be particularly worried about not being able to find replacement tenants if these ones choose to move out IF the property is in a decent area and the rent being asked for is reasonable. Good properties are hard to find and good landlords even harder.

G_M

Not much you can do now, but if/when they leave you either

* insist they re-instate the fencing, and decking, as it was or
* you deduct the cost of doing so from their deposit and sue them for the extra

Doozergirl

G_M wrote: »

Not much you can do now, but if/when they leave you either

* insist they re-instate the fencing, and decking, as it was or
* you deduct the cost of doing so from their deposit and sue them for the extra

Reporting the 8' high fencing to the planning department would be one way of getting them to reinstate the old one . An 8' fence needs planning permission. I'd be surprised if none of the neighbours have complained already.

comeandgo

The 8' fence and planning permission was what I was going to mention.

sandsni

TBH I'm getting alarm bells and acid flashbacks already - are you sure they're not setting up a dog-breeding or kennelling business and using your garden for the purpose? Yes, they have the use of the garden, but if they were walking their dogs regularly they would be getting muddy anywhere they went. Do they petition the council to drain soggy parks?

witchy1066

Doozergirl wrote: »

Reporting the 8' high fencing to the planning department would be one way of getting them to reinstate the old one . An 8' fence needs planning permission. I'd be surprised if none of the neighbours have complained already.

good point , the only problem is its the OP responsibility as the house owner,
tell them they have to take it down and reinstate the original,
its you who will be in trouble not your tenants,

OP do they not have to ask your permission to erect fences and outbuildings , if so why didn't they and how come you have only just noticed , don't you do regular checks ,