Single family with Landscape maintenance

[Kali V.]

I am planning to make an offer for a detached single family home (for investment) with SOD and sprinklers systems installed in all 4 sides of the house. (About 6k SQ.FT of lawn). I confirmed HOA doesn't cover external ground maintenance for a single family home. So, the lawn and shrubs maintenance is owners /landlord responsibility.

Do landlord expect tenants to pay for the full water bill including running the sprinklers ? or split the costs of the water bill (and some power bill) if landlord have to request the tenant to run the sprinklers during summer time ? I have checked with county, they do not offer a separate water meter for running sprinklers, so it all included in 1 bill.

Please advise how to go by this.

[Anna Sagatelova]

It can get really complex when you try to split the "sprinkler allotment" from your utility bills. It's much simpler to have the tenants pay, as long as you set up expectations from the very beginning - like at the showing stage! "Hey, look at this beautiful lawn. Good news, you won't even have to water it manually, the owner has sprinklers installed." Then down the line in the process... "Of course you are renting this beautiful house with this beautiful lawn and you'll be expected to maintain its condition by running the sprinklers."

And it should of course be in lease.