Is it the landlord or the tenant?  

If you are a landlord and rent out a property with some sort of outdoor space whether it be a garden, patio or decking, you must put in place some sort of arrangements to ensure its upkeep. To avoid confusion and potential conflict, this should be outlined in your rental agreement.

Should you decide maintenance is the responsibility of the tenant(s) you must set out what defines ‘maintenance’ and the minimum you expect. Bear in mind that for some potential tenants, this could be a turn-off if they have no or little interest in using the garden or its maintenance. There’s argument to say that longer-term tenants might be more inclined to maintain a garden than short-term tenants, as they look to make your rental house their home. This isn’t to say that all long-term tenants will feel this way, and it is in your interest as the landlord to make sure the property is well-maintained.  

Even if it is stipulated in the rental agreement that garden maintenance is primarily the responsibility of the tenant(s), if multiple tenants have access to a garden (in an HMO, student house or apartment/flat block with a communal garden), this could cause friction as some tenants will be more keen and willing to help with garden maintenance than others.

If you are a portfolio landlord and have multiple properties with outdoor space it is probably wise to take responsibility for garden maintenance yourself. This sort of work can be very time-consuming, and so employing the services of a gardener to manage it for you is your best option. This way you can rest assured that your property’s exterior spaces are being well kept and are removing the added responsibility from your tenant(s).

At RFM Trading we can assist you with all aspects of outdoor and garden maintenance work. From mowing lawns, tending to flower beds and jet-washing paths, drives, patios and decking to landscaping and laying gravel or concrete to minimise any on-going maintenance work, we can help.

Please call us on 0161 707 6106 /07964 552 310 or email us on sales@rfmtrading.co.uk to discuss your property project. We’d be happy to offer you some free initial advice and a quote for the garden maintenance of your rental property.

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