Tenant wants back money for yard work he has done.

[Steven Maduro]

I have a problem.
I will be having an upcoming conversation in the next week with a tenant.
Out of nowhere he
has requested back money from grounds keeping he has performed
since January.

Originally I was going to have a neighborhood landscaper keep the property.
The tenant stated that he would do it. He even stated he enjoys doing it. ( I should have known that feeling would not last)

I stated that he should be compensated since I would have payed the landscaper anyway.

Nothing further was said.

now 5 months later he is requesting that he be paid for these past months.

I have three issues with this
1) no discussion about frequency, quality expected, or compensation was really ever discussed.
2) I only have his word that he performed yard duties twice a month. According to the previous landscapers the property has too much shade to grow grass with any frequency and one landscaper refused to do a bi monthly service contract because he would be taking my money unnecessarily.

3) no pictures to verify work. no conversation prior to now. about compensation.
The one or two times I have seen the property
the grounds did not look completely over grown but they didnt look manicured either
which is what I expect if I am going to shell out money.

I am not an unfair person if he has been doing a workers share of work
I have no problem reimbursing him.
I would have paid a landscaper 60 per month to keep the grounds
but that landscaper would have a knowledge about what bushes needed to be there and what needed to be done away.

I need some advice about how to go into this conversation.