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Welcome to the AAOA Forum, where we discuss the the topics our members want to hear and want to talk about. We like to take an active roll in the online community to help our members learn and help educate landlords new and old. We encourage you to participate and join in our discussions. Thanks.
Dead Landscaping to Cost Landlord Thousands
by Robert Griswold, Inman News
Q: I am a landlord with one rental house. I have a problem with damage done to the landscaping by the tenants who recently moved out.
The rental contract states, “The tenants agree to care for and adequately water the lawn, shrubbery and trees.”
I have always paid the water bill and there was no noticeable change in the monthly amount so I was very disappointed when I met them for their move-out inspection to find they let the trees, shrubbery and grass die.
This damage will amount to hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in repairs before I can rent out the house again. Can the security deposit be applied to the damage done to the yard?
A: Based on the language you included in the rental agreement, I believe you have grounds for making reasonable deductions against the tenant’s security deposit as they clearly breached the terms by allowing the landscaping to die. Of course, determining what is proper maintenance for landscaping can be very subjective and you need to be fair in assessing the damage to the former tenants.
For example, if the grass can recover with watering it would be unreasonable to charge the tenant for resodding the entire yard. Hopefully you had pictures of the landscaping before the tenants moved in to establish the pre-move-in condition of the landscaping. Take pictures now to show that the damage occurred during the tenancy. This will be particularly helpful if the tenants go to small claims court to challenge your security deposit deductions.
Also, you should seek at least two or three bids for any replanting or other professional services. It is likely that getting these bids will take longer than the maximum time allowed to account for and refund any remaining balance of the tenant’s security deposit, so you should also contact the tenant in writing to let them know of any other deductions and exactly what your concerns are about the damage to the landscaping. Once you receive the bids, select the lowest bid that will do the work properly and send the former tenant the final accounting indicating the remaining balance due or amount owed.
This column on issues confronting tenants and landlords is written by property manager Robert Griswold, author of “Property Management for Dummies” and co-author of “Real Estate Investing for Dummies.”
E-mail your questions to Rental Q&A at rgriswold.inman@retodayradio.com.
Questions should be brief and cannot be answered individually.
What’s your opinion? Leave your comments below or send a letter to the editor. To contact the writer, click the byline at the top of the story.
Copyright 2008 Inman News
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Filed under: AAOA Forum
[...] your tenant responsible for watering the lawn? Click here to learn how this landlord got [...]
[...] at the top of the story. Copyright 2008 Inman News See another feature by Robert Griswold, Dead Landscaping To Cost Landlord Thousands. American Apartment Owners Association offers discounts on products and services related to [...]
very interesting and direct informative and useful information , keep up the good work. thank you
[...] 2008 Inman News See Robert Griswold’s feature Dead Landscaping to Cost Landlord Thousands. American Apartment Owners Association offers discounts on products and services related to [...]
[...] at the top of the story. Copyright 2008 Inman News See Robert Griswold’s feature Dead Landscaping to Cost Landlord Thousands. American Apartment Owners Association offers discounts on products and services related to [...]
[...] at the top of the story. Copyright 2008 Inman News See Robert Griswold’s feature, Dead Landscaping to Cost Landlord Thousands. American Apartment Owners Association offers discounts on products and services related [...]