Weeding out problems with your garden

Tenants can spend a lot of time worrying about the interior of their property that the outside can fall by the wayside.

But the garden is just as important as the interior, and any tenancy will confirm it must be well looked after at all times.

Gardening and your deposit

Neglecting your garden can make your property look unkempt – but it can put a dent in your bank balance too. If it isn’t looked after properly, the costs to put your rental garden back to it's original condition at the end of your tenancy is likely to come out of your deposit.

It's easy to hand in your notice and spend that time moving furniture and moving out, all the while forgetting the garden which can become overgrown. Don't forget, you are responsible for the property including the external grounds right up until you return your keys and so even if you move out early, you must ensure it is in good condition when you hand the property back.

Homes with pets

Pets, and in particular dogs, can be a big problem for gardens. If they urinate on grass which isn’t looked after, it can kill it. And one of the most common problems agents encounter is dog mess – scoop it regularly, don’t leave it as manure.

Many tenants can let the pets rule the gardens. While you can let your dogs or other animals have the garden as their own territory to avoid ruining carpets and walls inside, don't get so used to the garden being that way that you forget to rectify this when leaving.

We have experienced many disputes over ​gardening issues but ultimately, as with the home itself, you must return the exterior as you were given it at the start of your tenancy.

Overgrown shrubbery and flowers

Overgrown hedges not only look messy but their maintenance is part of the agreement. They are also a big factor in first impressions of a home; you can tell a lot about a person by how well they keep their gardens.

Flowers can make a garden look bright and colourful - be careful not to trample on them, or ruin any decorative plants provided to you by your landlord as these can be costly to replace.

Allotments

Sometimes tenants want to make some changes to the garden of their properties; allotments and sheds can be great ideas, but can be bad for your deposit.

If an allotment is dug on part of the garden, it should be restored to how it was before when you leave. Sometimes new tenants will want to keep the allotment and the responsibility becomes their throughout their own tenancy, but the handover of this must be agreed in writing between all parties to avoid any future discrepencies.

Items on the grass

You may have a shed or even a trampoline, keep it moving around the garden during the summer months – or risk an obvious patch of dead grass. Anything that shades the sun from the grass will prevent this area growing naturally with the rest of the lawn, and can cause a very obvious cosmetic difference. This counts for garden furniture too, and children's large play toys.

Do you have any handy gardening advice you think others would benefit from? Drop us a line at info@thelettingco.com for your tips to be featured on our website.