Landlord Mowing the Lawn?

Lbuk

Hello, we’re trying to find a rental and it’s our first time. 

We’ve always owned our own property and are generally quite private people, I’m especially tentative when it involves my young children.

We keep on encountering landlords who want to mow the lawn themselves and it is feeling intrusive.

I’m imagining them popping up every time they fancy to trim another mm off and my children might be outside or I might be entertaining family.

We have our own lawnmower and commented on the shed being useful and they said that they use it themselves to keep their lawn mower in.

How does this arrangement tend to work out? Can I refuse them entry as long as the lawn is tidy? Does it essentially put into place a right to access the property unannounced?

 Thanks

AdrianC

No, your legally-enshrined right to quiet enjoyment trumps their grass-cutting preferences.

BUT remember that the reason they want to be in charge of the grass is probably because previous tenants have neglected it, leading to complaints from neighbours.

No, that's not really their problem, either - a tenant has a perfect right to not cut the grass at all for their whole period of occupation if they wish so long as it's in a suitable condition on move-out...

One man's uncut eyesore is another man's rewilding and prioritisation of nature.

Our next-door neighbour cuts his lawn most days. We let ours grow long - some parts only get cut once or twice a year. His is sterile and boring. We have a riot of wildflowers, from clover to bluebells to fritilleries to orchids.

GDB2222

Lots of tenancy agreements require that the garden is kept in good shape throughout the tenancy, although I have no idea how enforceable that is.  

I would talk to the future landlord about this issue, rather than taking the property with the landlord expecting one thing and you intending something else. You can probably reach agreement, but if not you should rent a different property.

lookstraightahead

When we were in rental the landlord paid for the grass to be cut twice a month. 20 min job and usually the same time. Fabulous, saves us doing it.

previoysly the tenant didn't cut the grass. That's why they do it.

why do you feel it's intrusive? Ask if they can come when the kids are at school, or at a certain time of day.

If it's inconvenient one then occasion you are entertaining guests outside, ask them to come back another time.

I think it's a win for you! 

Leasehold apartments are similar when then managing company clean windows etc - nothing necessarily to do with renting.

eddddy

I've known LLs who hire gardening firms to cut grass and do the gardening at their properties.


The arrangement was that the gardeners turn up at the same time, on the same weekday morning each week, for one hour. So the tenants would know to leave the lawn clear and the children indoors at that time.


Are the LLs proposing a fixed time each week to cut the grass? I guess it would be annoying if they turned up at random times, perhaps including evenings and weekends.


And also, if it's the LL that does the grass cutting themselves, there's always the thought that they're quietly checking up on the property at the same time.

theartfullodger

I have a couple of student lets.  With the usual requirement to keep garden (quite big) tidy, cut etc.  At one grass cutting never ever happened. I now pay a contractor to do it fortnightly.  Plus huge bill last year to trim some 122 trees after 15 years growth...........

Some landlords (not me..) find doing a regular minor job like grass cutting enables them to keep an eye on things.  e.g. no cannabis farm, no brothel, no massive subletting of rooms etc etc etc.  I had one pair of tenants who were subletting to decent hard-working eastern-european workers. They were making more money from subletting rooms than the rent for the whole house, but they somehow forgot to pay the rent.  I can confirm the HMRC online report possible tax-fraud does work........

Best wishes to all

Norman_Castle

Lbuk said:

We have our own lawnmower and commented on the shed being useful and they said that they use it themselves to keep their lawn mower in.

Its possible they keep an old mower at the property for them to use when needed and possibly for tenants to use. If you want to use the shed check its included in the rental agreement, the landlord may use it to store personal items or tools for use between lettings. Ask if the landlords intend on visiting regularly to cut the grass.