Bill for gardening work arranged by landlord

Brian2510

I've let the weeding slip at the property I rent due to painful wrist and arm, making it difficult to tightly grip with my right hand, and the landlord arranged for a gardener to do the work, but didn't even tell me what the quote for the work was before they started, which was quite expensive. I only heard about the quote the day after the work. They even charged for mowing the lawn which I can still manage to do myself and did a few days before they came. It didn't really need cutting. Shouldn't I have been asked if the quote was okay with me first? I'm sure I could have got someone to do the weeding at less than half the price. Thanks in advance for any replies.

user1977

Brian2510 said:

I'm sure I could have got someone to do the weeding at less than half the price.

Were you given an opportunity to do so?

Sandtree

Brian2510 said:
I'm sure I could have got someone to do the weeding at less than half the price. 

Why hadn't you rather than let things slip? Presumably your tenancy agreement states you must maintain the garden?

Brian2510

user1977 said:

Brian2510 said:

I'm sure I could have got someone to do the weeding at less than half the price.

Were you given an opportunity to do so?

I never really asked for any work to be done. The landlord noticed the weeds when he came to look at a damp patch in the house and just arranged the work without asking me if I wanted him to arrange it. I was just told the gardener was coming on a given date. No information on a quote or anything. If he had asked me to get it done I would have got a quote myself from local gardeners, or even got my brother to help me do it myself.

Brian2510

Sandtree said:

Brian2510 said:
I'm sure I could have got someone to do the weeding at less than half the price. 

Why hadn't you rather than let things slip? Presumably your tenancy agreement states you must maintain the garden?

Well, yes, but 400 quid to do some weeding without asking if the quote was okay with me first seems slightly unreasonable. I usually catch up on the weeding slowly myself, because my wrist really hurts if I do more than half an hour at a time.

Drawingaline

Surely the landlord would only arrange for the garden to be cleared at the end of the tenancy if you hadn't done so by then? As long as the garden wasn't dangerous or causing an issue to the house itself its none of their business how it looks until they get the property back? Its like coming to fix a leak and then arranging a cleaner because they don't like how you clean? 

Brian2510

Drawingaline said:

Surely the landlord would only arrange for the garden to be cleared at the end of the tenancy if you hadn't done so by then? As long as the garden wasn't dangerous or causing an issue to the house itself its none of their business how it looks until they get the property back? Its like coming to fix a leak and then arranging a cleaner because they don't like how you clean? 

Yeah, I really wish I hadn't mentioned the damp patch in the house now!

canaldumidi

Dear Mr Landlord,

Regarding the invoice you recently sent, I encliose it herewith.

I made no request for gardening help.

I was not given an opportunity to review 3 competitive quotes. Nor was I given an opportunity to either undertake the gardening myself, or source a gardener myself.

And ultimately, of course, the state of the garden is only open to assessmet at the end of the tenancy when it should be compared with the state at the start.

I therefore take no responsibility for this invoice.

Yours sincerely

Brian

Of course, don't expect relations with your LL to be good going forward, and it may be that when your fixed term (if any) expires the LL will seek eviction via a S21 Notice.

Brian2510

canaldumidi said:

Dear Mr Landlord,

Regarding the invoice you recently sent, I encliose it herewith.

I made no request for gardening help.

I was not given an opportunity to review 3 competitive quotes. Nor was I given an opportunity to either undertake the gardening myself, or source a gardener myself.

And ultimately, of course, the state of the garden is only open to assessmet at the end of the tenancy when it should be compared with the state at the start.

I therefore take no responsibility for this invoice.

Yours sincerely

Brian

Of course, don't expect relations with your LL to be good going forward, and it may be that when your fixed term (if any) expires the LL will seek eviction via a S21 Notice.

Yeah, whether you are in the right or not is often irrelevant if you are a tenant.

Sandtree

canaldumidi said:

I was not given an opportunity to review 3 competitive quotes. Nor was I given an opportunity to either undertake the gardening myself, or source a gardener myself.

First of all the "3 quotes" thing is absolute rubbish, the law only requires costs to be reasonable not either selected from a range of quotes or even the cheapest quote. 

Secondly, how do you justify the fact the OP hadn't had any opportunity to undertake it themselves? By their own admission they had but had let is slipped and not got someone else in to help. 

Clearly we aren't going to get the LL's version of events which could, but not saying it would, include the fact they warned the OP that they were breaching their contract by failing to maintain the garden and only after these went unheeded did they instruct professionals.

Brian2510

Sandtree said:

canaldumidi said:

I was not given an opportunity to review 3 competitive quotes. Nor was I given an opportunity to either undertake the gardening myself, or source a gardener myself.

First of all the "3 quotes" thing is absolute rubbish, the law only requires costs to be reasonable not either selected from a range of quotes or even the cheapest quote. 

Secondly, how do you justify the fact the OP hadn't had any opportunity to undertake it themselves? By their own admission they had but had let is slipped and not got someone else in to help. 

Clearly we aren't going to get the LL's version of events which could, but not saying it would, include the fact they warned the OP that they were breaching their contract by failing to maintain the garden and only after these went unheeded did they instruct professionals.

I had no warning at all. And as I cut the grass every 10 to 14 days, I don't know why I'm being charged for that either.