Lease verbage for landscape maintenance?

Question

Hi -- I'm looking for some advice on what verbage to use in my house lease agreement for landscape maintenance. The house I plan to rent is in a nice neighborhood - so it matters that the lawn is kept mowed, the sprinkler system is used, and the flower beds are kept weeded (or at least not allowed to go completly wild). Any suggestions?

Thank you,
Jennifer

N/A N/A · Answer

Jennifer99,

I HIGHLY recommend you get a service to take care of landscaping/snow removal. I have bought lawnmowers, build sheds, supplied clippers, bags, and everything you can imagine including HD gift cards to get necessary items, and NO tenant has EVER lifted a finger.

If you have it done every two weeks, and they charge, say $50 a visit, then add it to the rent. You will be much happier.

Trying to get the tenants to do this is COMPLETELY pointless by my experience.

Luck!

Mark N.A · Answer

I have a clause that states 'the yard will be kept neat and mowed'.  Then a clause that states if I have it taken care of I'll charge the tenants $75.  No real problems other than an occasional warning to the tenants.  That's with blue collar and low income.

The trend with my college rentals is to build it into the rent.

Stirling Gardner · Answer

Jennifer,

These gentleman are right on the money... you do not want to put the landscaping chores into the hands of renters... for one thing, even if you did, they may not know what the heck they are doing and actually end up costing you more.  I have on RARE occasion, rented to someone with a green thumb and actually liked doing it, but they are a needle in a haystack.

If the neighborhood is truly known for it's landscaping, you want to have a professional do it (just build it into the rent price) and then one of your great selling points in advertising your property is that "professional landscaping" included!  They don't have to know the price, but all they will think is, "wow, what a gorgeous place and we don't have to do the upkeep?!!?"

Good luck with your rental adventure!

Greenthumb Ty · Answer

you could use a company to do your landscaping in order to maintain the look of the place. i do the same, hiring a company for 
         landscaping palm trees in houston to insure that it always looks good

Laura Abraham · Answer

I would agree with the above posters, if you are not sure if the tennants will maintain the landscape, build it into the rent and hire a service(or do it yourself). This allows you to have an input in how your property looks externally and may determine its rentability in some markets.

In my experience, a well landsaped yard have given the first impression that makes prospective tennants want to see the rental. I have also had a lot of applications when prospective tennants see the property is well maintained both on the outside and inside.

Scott M. · Answer

Hmmm - Oddly enough (knock on wood) that is one area I have never had a problem - grass is cut - snow is shovled (where it snows) etc...do they put in Hmmm - Oddly enough (knock on wood) that is one area I have never had a problem - grass is cut - snow is shoveled (where it snows) etc...do they put in flowers and improve it - not really - but I don't have any of that in there anyway - I can say that the landscaping is really always returned in the same condition...

I don't have any special language - I just have a clause that states they are responsible for the maintenance of the landscaping and it will be returned in the condition it was given and there are photos and a move-in check list........
flowers and improve it - not really - but I don't have any of that in there anyway - I can say that the landscaping is really always returned in the same condition...

I don't have any special language - I just have a clause that states they are responsible for the maintance of the landscaping and it will be reutrned in the condition it was given and there are photos........

Jennifer Hillberg · Answer

Alright - thank you for the input!

Jason Barnett · Answer

If you're REALLY concerned then you also might consider doing the maintenance yourself and charging for this service as part of the rent.

Jim Gordon · Answer

How about this area it has a nice lease form.

http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-forms.html

Lease verbage for landscape maintenance?

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