Rented Property - Garden Maintenance

thesaint

It all hinges on whether the cost supplied the landlord is to get the garden into the same condition as it was at the start of the tenancy.

If it is, then the charge is justified.

scaredlady

I would not have the gall to let the garden get in a state once I moved in, rented or owned property.
Did you not want to look out on a neat and tidy garden, rather than the untidy overgrown patch you seem to have left it by your own admission.
A flymo or similar is cheap to buy.
Does the word pride not enter in here, rather than the rights or wrongs of whether landlord should have supplied a lawnmower and have it written into the contract about its use.
Out of interest if they had supplied a mower, but not mentioned it s use would you have cut the grass then or not.
What are you moving to..I hope not a house with a lovely garden, that you will let run down, unless its upkeep is mentioned in the agreement.

fallin123

scaredlady, I would advise you read the OP

fallin123 wrote: »

We regularly cut the grass for the year we lived there and tried to keep the garden reasonably tidy.

Pixie5740

Pride comes before a fall.

sheramber

but you did do garden maintainance

We regularly cut the grass for the year we lived there and tried to keep the garden reasonably tidy

So why was it in a worse position when you moved out.

fallin123

Largely down to a colder/wetter winter than the previous year and the fact it had been snowing less than a fortnight before we moved out.

Mallotum_X

fallin123 wrote: »

Again this isn't really a fair parallel, the agreement explains my obligations towards the property as such anything beyond the agreement I am not responsible for.

Sorry but it is a fair parallel.

Your obligations are towards the entire property you have rented - Garden and House unless otherwise stated. Whether some items are highlighted such as hoovering doesn't impact at all (if you hadn't hoovered to the required standard at the required interval then how would anyone know anyway).

Your obligation is to return the property (house and garden) back at the end in no worse a condition (save wear and tear).

Not having the tools isn't relevant, as you could easily buy what you needed, (same with a vacuum or washing up materials).

Your main avenue for contesting is whether the landlord can demonstrate how much worse you left it and that the costs are reasonable to bring it back to that condition but not better. This is where you need to devote your time. Or if you only recently moved out then go back and tidy up.

sniggings

fallin123 wrote: »

Again this isn't really a fair parallel, the agreement explains my obligations towards the property as such anything beyond the agreement I am not responsible for.

I'm sure the agreement says something along the lines of returning the property in a reasonable/same condition, it doesn't have to list the ways to go about this...that being said, if the pictures show a messy garden and you returned a messy garden, I can't see how they can win a claim.

Argghhh

if the garden wasnt included as part of the tenancy - why did you use it - surely now you owe the landlord rent for using something not in the agreement. silliness apart, you rented the property in its entirity and should have checked at the very least if it was good enough to be left to not risk your deposit