Advice need - landlords accessing garden too much for comfort

BobT36

WEEKLY mow? Grass doesn't grow that quick.. 
Even my window cleaner gives me 24hr notice. 

Ask that it's done monthly at MOST, and just to drop you a text a day or two beforehand. State that this is because you may want to enjoy using the garden and would need to know when it will be under maintenance, or just want some privacy. 

I can't see how that would be unreasonable. 

35har1old

TheJP said:

You need to agree a set time each week that they come round to do the work, i don't think that's unreasonable. Let the letting agent sort this for you as that's their job. 

What if it rains making it impossible to mow the lawn that day.
Has the house the capacity to store a lawn mower

[Deleted User]

BobT36 said:

WEEKLY mow? Grass doesn't grow that quick.. 
Even my window cleaner gives me 24hr notice. 

Ask that it's done monthly at MOST, and just to drop you a text a day or two beforehand. State that this is because you may want to enjoy using the garden and would need to know when it will be under maintenance, or just want some privacy. 

I can't see how that would be unreasonable. 

It absolutely does in the main season, the owner of the property is clearly someone that likes to maintain his asset and good on him, there are far too many of the opposite kind out there.

The OP will get the necessary details in place and peace is restored.

[Deleted User]

35har1old said:

TheJP said:

You need to agree a set time each week that they come round to do the work, i don't think that's unreasonable. Let the letting agent sort this for you as that's their job. 

What if it rains making it impossible to mow the lawn that day.
Has the house the capacity to store a lawn mower

Let's hope a garden shed.

Murphybear

BobT36 said:

WEEKLY mow? Grass doesn't grow that quick.. 
Even my window cleaner gives me 24hr notice. 

Ask that it's done monthly at MOST, and just to drop you a text a day or two beforehand. State that this is because you may want to enjoy using the garden and would need to know when it will be under maintenance, or just want some privacy. 

I can't see how that would be unreasonable. 

I live in sheltered housing and we have a nice communal garden and outside areas.  Our gardeners come round  twice a month in the summer and once a month or less in the winter. They don’t just cut the grass but do a brilliant job of weeding and maintaining everything so it looks lovely.  

MultiFuelBurner

I think you should invite the local nudist society round for garden work day.

Quiet enjoyment. The "quiet" in ‘Covenant of Quiet Enjoyment’ does not solely refer to noise levels or absence of sound. Instead, it signifies an undisturbed state of occupancy, where the tenant can peacefully use and enjoy the premises without interference.

From the one side described during the summer it can be weekly? And less so in the winter monthly? So is this 20 unscheduled visits a year. How long do these visits last?

You can kick up a fuss with the caveat being are you prepared to find another rental should the landlord take exception to what sound like reasonable requests?

MobileSaver

BobT36 said:

WEEKLY mow? Grass doesn't grow that quick.. Ask that it's done monthly at MOST,

This is so wrong it hurts! Grass can grow an inch in just four days with the right growing conditions, we use our ride-on mower several times a week on the main lawns to keep them looking perfect.

Section62

MobileSaver said:

BobT36 said:

WEEKLY mow? Grass doesn't grow that quick.. Ask that it's done monthly at MOST,

This is so wrong it hurts! Grass can grow an inch in just four days with the right growing conditions, we use our ride-on mower several times a week on the main lawns to keep them looking perfect.

Yes, one of the most ill-informed posts on this board in recent months.  The OP has been getting some rather poor advice in response to their situation.

Grass needs to be cut regularly and frequently in the growing season to keep it in good condition.  Leaving it for a month before cutting will not only lead to a rubbish lawn, it also typically requires more work to do that one cutting than would be needed in four once-a-week cuts.

The landlord's responses to the negotiation, and the OP's comment they would "love nothing more than to just lock them out", suggests the tenant/landlord relationship is breaking down, if it hasn't irretrievably broken down already.  Advice to the OP to dig their heels in needs to be tempered with consideration of what the landlord might do (subject to whatever law is applicable where they live) to bring the tenancy to an end - and whether the OP is in a position to consider moving to a different property or would prefer to stay where they are.  (personally I'd already be looking for somewhere new to live as I don't like the sound of the landlord)

sevenhills

lincoln83 said:

In our initial agreement, the landlord asked to maintain the garden due to a bad experience with a previous tenant. The agreement was they would come at a scheduled time weekly/fortnightly to mow the lawn and do general upkeep. In the actual tenancy agreement, it simply states that they are responsible for the garden.

If the landlord is maintaining the garden at his expense, that is great.

TheJP

35har1old said:

TheJP said:

You need to agree a set time each week that they come round to do the work, i don't think that's unreasonable. Let the letting agent sort this for you as that's their job. 

What if it rains making it impossible to mow the lawn that day.
Has the house the capacity to store a lawn mower

Well you engage some common sense then. 'Hi, its raining is it ok to come round tomorrow or ill leave it until next week'. The storage of the lawnmower isn't the problem for the OP if the LL is maintaining the garden.