A lot of renters take pleasure in their Bloomingdale rental homes, wanting a charming and well-kept spot to live. For the property owner, these tenants are the best ones since they can expect that their property is being cared for.
For a lot of renters, a basic and easily maintained yard is the thing that they are searching for or need. If the landscaping is anything but difficult, property owners can–for all intents and purposes, anticipate that their tenants should commit time and effort to ensure the place is looking decent. Owners should clearly explain their expectations about keeping up the yard, and who is responsible for mowing lawns, weeding flower beds or gravel areas, and so on.
Finding a tenant who is set up to do these things is fantastic. What happens then when a tenant wants to make improvements that surpass basic maintenance, particularly those that would involve permanently changing elements of the garden and landscaping? Tenants with a green thumb may want to make certain changes, such as adding, moving, or cutting down trees or other plantings, planting a vegetable garden, or even installing a fence, walkway, or patio.
As a property owner, it is practical to expect that your tenants will maintain a clean yard; nonetheless, it’s a different situation when they roll out critical improvements without getting your approval to do so–regardless of how beautiful or expertly done. Alterations of this kind are in direct violation of most leases. In fact, if a tenant does alter the landscaping, it is their responsibility to put it back to its original condition upon moving out. If they can’t (or won’t), they may be subject to penalties or even eviction proceedings.
As hard as it may be to understand, tenants of Bloomingdale rental homes may not realize that going past their contractual landscaping maintenance responsibilities may violate the terms of their lease. They may even think that they are doing the property owner a courtesy by building something beautiful in the yard. For this reason, property owners must be careful to make the distinction between maintenance and major alterations clear and to fully clarify any possible legal action that may result.
At Real Property Management Washington DC, we include clear statements about yard maintenance and alterations in all of our leases, taking the guesswork out of the equation. We also perform regular property evaluations for all of our clients, and can take appropriate action to have trees and bushes trimmed, lawns edged, or intervene in a resident’s unsanctioned yard improvement plans, if needed. If you would like to learn more about our property management services in Bloomingdale, please contact us online or call 202-813-9993 for details.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
