Now that it’s the summer people are finally starting to venture out into their gardens, and if there is one thing that we love here in the UK it’s spending time in our gardens and having a barbecue! However, during the winter your properties’ gardens were probably left unattended and even forgotten about by most of your tenants, but that doesn’t mean it will cost you a fortune to get them back to their best! Follow our easy tips and you can have your gardens rival the Hampton Court Flower Show in no time (well, almost)…
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Whose Responsibility?
There have been many arguments between tenants and landlords when it comes to gardens and whose responsibility it is to maintain them, which is why you need to make this clear in your Tenancy Agreements. Many landlords state that it is their tenants’ responsibility to keep their gardens in a suitable state especially if they have a long term tenancy, however sometimes it is easier for landlords to do it themselves.
For example, landlords that specialise in short term or student lettings may find it more hassle than it’s worth to ask their tenants to maintain their gardens. This is especially true if your tenant is only staying for a short period of time as they probably won’t be using the garden very often anyway. On the other hand, if you are letting upmarket properties or are in a particularly competitive market offering yearly maintenance for gardens is essential.
Know your Properties
Depending on the size of your property portfolio you may have a range of houses all with different types of gardens, which means that you will have to carry out various forms of work on each one. For example, if you have a property with a large back garden you will have to spend more time on this than the others, however properties with front gardens should always be prioritised as not only does an overgrown garden make your property look bad but can also get you in trouble with local councils.
The best way to organise what needs to be done is to make a list of all your properties which includes the type of gardens they have and what work will need to be carried out. Not only can this help you stay organised but also save you money if you plan to have work done on properties close to each other at the same time!
Understand your Tenants’ Needs
If you have a young family in one of your properties then they will want their children to be able to play in the garden while the weather is good, so it’s important that the lawn is kept well. However, children are notorious for pulling up flowers, breaking pots and climbing trees so including these could end up being a poor investment! At the same time you may have a house in an upmarket area which would look even better with a few hanging baskets outside, especially if it’s currently on the market.
When it comes to properties with decking you need to be extremely careful as if it is not well maintained it could lead to damp in your properties or may need to be completely replaced in the long run. Generally, all you need to do is make sure your decking remains in good condition is to apply some decking treatment once a year, however make sure you let you tenants know when you are carrying this out as they won’t be able to use their decking until it’s dry!
Talk to Tradesmen
As a landlord you probably have a list of tradesmen that you know and trust, however during the summer months they are often extremely busy! This can leave you in a difficult situation, as it means you may have to hire a tradesman or gardener you have not previously used. The best way to handle this is to ask around and see if anyone in your local area knows someone that can help you, or go online and visit websites that help you find local tradesmen and see previous customers’ reviews.
Remember, before any work is carried out on your properties it is imperative that your landlord insurance is up to date, as if any damage is caused you will need to make a claim. If you have garden furniture or other expensive items in your gardens it’s also a good time to check that they are covered too!
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