Gardens in a Rented Property – Common Tenant Questions

Gardens in a rented property can be a thorny issue. Garden maintenance takes time and effort, but what are your responsibilities as a tenant?

If, as a tenant, you are a keen gardener, then that’s great, but what happens when there is no time or energy for you to maintain an outside space? Even if you love to garden, you can find it can drop further and further down the to-do list.

To help tenants, we’ve gathered together answers to the common questions we are asked about gardens in a rented property.

4 key questions about gardens in a rented property

1: What exactly is the tenant’s responsibility when it comes to the garden?

The general rule of thumb and a standard clause in tenancy agreements is that tenants are expected to keep their garden litter-free, reasonably tidy and not overgrown.

As a tenant, you are ultimately responsible for ensuring the gardens in your rented property stay in the same state at the end of a tenancy, as it was in the beginning. This includes jobs such as mowing the lawn and keeping hedges trimmed. To aid both parties, it’s a good idea to ensure there are (dated) photos taken at the beginning of a tenancy agreement. Landlords can’t expect a tenant to turn a mess of a garden into a palatial retreat!

There are 3 main points to remember

Return the garden to the same state it was when the tenancy began
Keep the garden reasonably tidy, litter-free and not overgrown
As a tenant, you are responsible for your behaviour and actions and of any guests in your garden

2: Can I change anything about the garden?

Generally, most landlords are ok with this, provided it’s an improvement. However, if you would like to change the garden in any way, you MUST get the landlord’s approval, so always ask. This even applies to planting some new flowers. The odd plant or 2 may not seem like much, but there might be a valid reason why certain plants wouldn’t work for the property. Failing to have the landlord’s permission could result in a charge to return the garden to the way it was.

3: Am I ok with having a party in the garden?

As a tenant, you can have social events in your garden, such as a party. You are responsible, though, for everything that then goes with that. This makes you responsible for noise, nuisance or damage caused, together with tidying up any mess. If a landlord wanted to restrict any activities, it would need to be explicitly written into the tenancy agreement.

4: Does the landlord have to provide gardening equipment for general garden maintenance?

There is no obligation for a landlord to provide garden maintenance equipment. The reason is, that it can lead to additional risks for both landlord and tenant.

Do you have more questions about your garden?

For more advice on this topic or any other questions on rented accommodation, don’t hesitate to contact us on 01603 763363. For other ways to contact us >>