If you own investment property, it’s safe to assume that you want to keep it looking nice. A well-maintained yard adds curb appeal, keeps the neighbors happy, and contributes to the health and wellness of your tenants.
But who should bear the responsibility of maintaining this outdoor area: the tenant or the landlord?
The tenant lives on the property, but the property manager owns the space.
You can see both sides of the debate. But if you leave this aspect ambiguous, you run the risk of nobody taking care of it.
How to Avoid Ambiguity
Rather than leave maintenance to chance or create misunderstandings without setting clear expectations, discuss this topic upfront.
If you have a policy on who does care for the yard, tell tenants upfront before they sign the lease. Remember to include specific language in the lease for expectations, level of care, and any ramifications—if not done to par.
Some tenants may think that if they maintain the lawn, they’ll receive a big discount on rent. Therefore, it’s best to be clear about this before you start seeing new landscaping or “fixed” edging.
Benefits of Tenants Yard Maintenance Responsibilities
When tenants take responsibility for a yard surrounding their rental, they feel a greater sense of pride. They may not own the property itself, but wow, it looks good because of them!
Landlords should love this. Tenants will often keep better care of it than owners by adding it to their weekly chores. Having a tenant do self-service maintenance would also cost far less than hiring a lawn service company.
Benefits of Property Owner Covering Lawn Care
While self-service lawn care has become an industry standard, the results aren’t always satisfactory. Sometimes, for example, even the tenants with the best intentions, cannot properly handle all these tasks. Or their standards don’t match those of the owners. The only way to guarantee the lawn being properly maintained all year long is to hire a professional to do it.
Our Thoughts
The standard is mostly the tenant being responsible for lawn care. But the reality is that they often do not do it well or keep up with it all year long. The lawn needs the right size cut, frequency, fertilization, weed killing and proper watering. In my opinion, having this outsourced is the best option if the owner wants their lawn care being properly taken cared for all year long.
Bottom Line
If you have been considering hiring a trusted property manager lets connect and see how we can assist you with your investment property.