Lawn service headaches

[Linus Zhao]

Hi BPs,

I am an OOS investor from CA. I have two duplex investment properties in Atlanta. I use the PM company to handle management issues. I also used my own lawn service vendor to do the bi-weekly lawn cutting. Then the troubles came. Due to the continuous rain recently, the weeds grow very fast, and the tenants start complaining about the lawn service quality. While the lawn service vendor also complains that the tenant left debris on the lawn which makes the lawn cutting very difficult. Today the vendor called and said that his mower hit a metal stick in the tenant's backyard and asked to share the repair cost, otherwise he will never come back again. I am new to the landlord business and not quite sure how to proceed in such a scenario. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

[Colleen F.]

@Linus Zhao   if the tenant can't pick up the yard they either pay for lawn service or are gone, leaving metal stakes is a little much.  If the tenants are unsatisfied they can hire their own lawn service.  I had one set of tenants with a section with all chairs etc. and it was an issue they wanted to clear it but it wasn't always timed right. We came to an agreement that they would just weed wack that section themselves. The lawn guy mows right around it. Not every tenant is like that though.