Landlords and Gardens.

jcn1977

The landlord wants the garden returned to the state it was in when I moved in. Couple of problems with this
1 - I moved in in the middle of winter and now its spring
2 - There was no planted lawn for much of the back garden

Further to this, the landlord specifically asked me to cut the hedges to a certain height before I moved out. I've done this and now the landlord is complaining they haven't been done. Not happy.

How can anyone return a garden to the state it was in when they moved in when it's a completely different time of year?

Landlord isn't bothered about the fact there's now a fully planted, and properly mown lawn, but is bothered that it's spring so there's plants popping up all over the place!

Guest101

Just ignore the idiot and claim back your deposit via the scheme

jcn1977

I should rephrase the question... the contract says that the garden must be returned to the state it was in when the tenancy began. Given the natural cycle of the year how is this part of the contract ever possible? Can one write into a contract an impossible to adhere to term, and then force the tenant to adhere to it?

If the landlord does not want the lawn cleared and dug up, is the landlord then surrendering that part of the contract?

theartfullodger

Did the inventory & photos provided when you moved in list/show a garden in better condition than it is now?? If not, (bit it didn't) ignore the idiot & claim deposit back from scheme:

Artful (Landlord since 2000..)

jjlandlord

jcn1977 wrote: »

How can anyone return a garden to the state it was in when they moved in when it's a completely different time of year?

By applying a bit of common sense...

"Same state" quite obviously does not mean in full bloom in the middle of winter because you moved in in late spring.
It means that everything must be neat and tidy (or not) as it was when you moved in.

sniggings

jjlandlord wrote: »

By applying a bit of common sense...

"Same state" quite obviously does not mean in full bloom in the middle of winter because you moved in in late spring.
It means that everything must be neat and tidy (or not) as it was when you moved in.

well said...it's the other way around tho...A box of weed killer would do the trick if the LL really wants the winter look back

jcn1977

The garden wasn't neat and tidy though... it had an unplanted lawn! There's the catch. Some bits of it are far better than now, landlord objects to plants which are flowers and just popping up now calling them weeds too

Should I therefore be digging up the lawn? Serious question believe it or not. Already pointed this logic out to the landlord.

Also... my tenancy hasn't finished yet, and yet the landlord has already had someone round to take photos of the place to show the state from when I moved out, but before it had been cleaned. I haven't given any such permission for this.

sniggings

jcn1977 wrote: »

The garden wasn't neat and tidy though... it had an unplanted lawn! There's the catch. Some bits of it are far better than now, landlord objects to plants which are flowers and just popping up now calling them weeds too

Should I therefore be digging up the lawn? Serious question believe it or not. Already pointed this logic out to the landlord.

Also... my tenancy hasn't finished yet, and yet the landlord has already had someone round to take photos of the place to show the state from when I moved out, but before it had been cleaned. I haven't given any such permission for this.

you can't please an idiot, just leave it neat and tidy and if the LL withholds some deposit, take it to dispute, you'll win, take loads of pictures, if the LL wants the winter look back, then that's unreasonable and you will win.

jcn1977

Anyone got any comment on the landlord having the inventory people go around to photograph the house before the tenancy has finished, gaining access without my permission, and before all of the house had been cleaned (it's being cleaned tomorrow). Landlord is saying that they are doing all of this during my tenancy as they want to re-let it the day after. Like I said, no advance warning, no permission asked, nothing...

sniggings

jcn1977 wrote: »

Anyone got any comment on the landlord having the inventory people go around to photograph the house before the tenancy has finished, gaining access without my permission, and before all of the house had been cleaned (it's being cleaned tomorrow). Landlord is saying that they are doing all of this during my tenancy as they want to re-let it the day after. Like I said, no advance warning, no permission asked, nothing...

don't let them in, change the locks if needed.

jcn1977

I've already moved out, I moved out a couple of weeks early and gave a set of keys just to the estate agent so they could show people around (nice of me eh). I gave the keys only to the estate agent and only for this purpose. The estate agent says they've done that - I trust him, we would drink together in the local pub and he lives down the road. The landlord has used their keys and given the inventory people access before the lease has ended, and before the place has been cleaned fully. I told them when it would be cleaned already.