Tenant Incentive for Property Maintenance

[Adrian Ede]

Hey there, my duplex is currently tenanted with a retired gentleman upstairs, and I'm working on getting the lower unit tenanted asap.  For the first year I have handled the Grass Cutting and Snow Shovelling myself.  The unit isn't too far away, and I enjoy the work, but as my life gets busier I am hoping to get this off my plate.  I am trying to place this responsibility on the next lower tenant and am considering rather including this agreement on their lease and reducing their rent immediately, or leaving it as a verbal agreement where I "refund" $50/month as long as they're keeping the grass and snow under control.  Specifically, I would ask they still pay me the full rental amount every month, and that's what the lease will state, but then I can e-transfer them the $50 back as long as they're holding up their end of the deal.  My idea here is obviously to incentify them refund money, instead of include it on the lease and risk them not fulfilling the promise.  

I've heard there's risks of accidentally becoming the tenants employer this way, and then getting in trouble if they hurt themselves during shovelling the driveway or something.  I am in Canada, and I'm reluctant to believe a court here is as likely to pin that fault on a landlord based on a friendly deal to look after the lawn, but maybe I'm wrong?

Does anyone have a better idea, or advice?

Thanks!

[Max T.]

Why pay the tenant? 

Either go with @Roy N.'s suggestion or simply pay a landscaping company to take care of it.

I prefer to not complicate the landlord-tenant relationship with extra arrangements.