Landlords - make the most of your garden!

For a landlord, the temptation is to think of your garden as a nuisance, or a drain on resources, but with a bit of care and attention it can be a real asset. In the warmer months a great looking, well cared for Garden, is a really attractive proposition for tenants, and a great selling tool.

Here are some simple steps for looking after your garden:

 Make sure any trees and perimeter bushes on your property are well maintained, they should be cut back and pruned regularly, many insurance policies stipulate this. 

Water plants regularly in the summer. Put up shade nets in late spring to protect plants from scorching by direct overhead sunlight. Special shade protection washes can also be sprayed onto the outside of greenhouses and then washed off in the autumn. 

Choose a colour scheme for plants and hanging baskets that suits the house, such as pink or white flowers or bright reds and yellows and stick to them.  The end of April is also your last chance to plant any bulbs you want to flourish in the summer.

Investing in a patio, decking areas or permanent stone-built BBQ for the summertime may be a useful incentive for prospective tenants. 

Safety & Security

Make sure any outbuildings such as garages, greenhouses and sheds are well maintained and secured. As the days get lighter the amount of thefts from outbuildings increases by nearly 20%, with power tools and lawnmowers being the most popular items taken – don’t give thieves an easy ride!

Outbuildings with water, electricity or gas supplies also require the same care and attention as the main property, so make sure that everything is in order.

List garden objects, as well as household items, in the inventory, note their current state and suggest steps to uphold their maintenance in the same way you would advise on avoiding damp for example.

 Is the garden my responsibility or the tenants?

Generally the tenants are responsible for maintaining the lawns and flower beds etc, whereas the landlord has responsibility over the condition of fences, gates and sheds but it depends on the terms of each individual tenancy agreement.

However, the above doesn’t mean you should turn a blind eye to the garden, especially with unoccupied properties.  A tidy and attractive garden is especially important for viewings at this time of year.  It is also common courtesy to tidy up any unkempt outside areas prior to new tenants moving in.

Be wary of tenants making changes without your permission

Landlords are facing a growing problem of tenants making drastic changes to outside areas such as gardens and driveways without their permission, according to the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC).

The problem is best-illustrated by the recent case of David and Elaine Rolfe who spent £20,000, turning the two-acre plot of their rented garden into sweeping flower beds and arbours over an 11 year period - without the approval of their landlord. The landlord then demanded that the couple pay a further £5,000 to have the garden dug up and covered with gravel instead as the end of the tenancy.

There have been many cases of changes and alterations being made to the grounds of properties – including putting in ponds, decking and paving – without the landlords permission. The introduction of outbuildings such as large sheds - which are then left behind at the end of the tenancy – is also common. If the landlord does not want or require them, then he or she is within their rights to make the tenants pay for their removal and dismantlement.  

According to the AIIC, the most common unauthorised-changes tenants make to gardens are:

Replacing lawns and borders with shingled areas
Leaving garden ornaments and many old plant pots
Digging in ponds and water features
Leaving garden sheds or green houses

“Tenants should be advised to get written permission for any major – or minor - improvements they wish to make to the landlord’s garden, or property in general. Whether additional items and changes to a garden can be classed as an improvement is a decision for the landlord alone,” says Pat Barber of the AIIC.

Richard Anthony

www.discountinsurance.co.uk