Normal for a LL ? - Landlord Forum thread

Normal for a LL ? by Anonymous on March 28, 2012 @02:19

Went with a friend to her appointment to see a SFH for rent (she passed the initial screening criteria).

The price was right, the house was older but very nice. THEN the LL told her that the yard is the tenant's responsibility (he doesn't provide a garden hose or a lawn mower).

There was not a single window in the entire house that had any kind of a window covering. Nothing. The LL told her that it's up to her to put up window treatment but if she affixed anything to the house (mini blinds, roll up shades, Roman shades, vertical blinds or curtain rods etc), it becomes the property of the LL. I suggested tension rods if she ended up with the place.

The icing on the cake was that there wasn't even a curtain rod in the bathroom for her to hang a shower curtain for the tub/shower area.

Is this normal? This is in California, not a rent controlled area, not sec 8.

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Re: Normal for a LL ? by OK-LL on March 28, 2012 @08:43	[ Reply ]

Window coverings and shower rods are disposable items which most occupants purchase to match their furniture or decor. While it is convenient if the LL supplies these, it is not uncommon to leave it to the tenant. They typically have to be replaced after each tenant because the tenant doesn't dust them (blinds accumulate dust) or wipe them down (shower rods accumulate iron stains from water). I supply them in white because I don't want a load of holes in my walls, but I hadn't thought of the tension rod idea. As for lawn equipment and hoses -- why would you expect the LL to take care of the lawn? Seems like expecting the LL to vacuum the living room for you. You want it, you enjoy it, you care for it. Otherwise, get thee to a condominium!

Re: Normal for a LL ? by Jake on March 28, 2012 @09:35	[ Reply ]

Is it normal for a tenant to mow their own grass with their own lawnmower? Yes, you will also have to wash your own car and bring your own paper in from the drive.

Re: Normal for a LL ? by MrDan (Georgia) on March 28, 2012 @09:55	[ Reply ]

Some landlords do not do the things you listed for various reasons. What would been the thing to do was have a list of available landscape companies with prices,that could preform the service. As for mini blinds, roll up shades, Roman shades, vertical blinds or curtain rods etc, becoming the property of the landlord is not correct, as these things can be removed with little or no damage and are not a permanent fixture. If the landlord was thinking outside the box, a shower curtain rod would be installed to prevent damage from any tenants installation that was poorly done.

Re: Normal for a LL ? by Anonymous on March 28, 2012 @11:50	[ Reply ]

Oh, I dunno. I've certainly read a number of posts on this very site that says the LL should take care of the lawn mowing and yard upkeep, with comments about how you don't want tenants to take care of the yard because they might not know what they're doing, might trim the trees and shrubs unnecessarily or incompetently, not water the grass, etc. If you like having a house with a yard, you do need a lawnmower and a garden hose. As for window coverings, if your lease says that anything you put up that is affixed to the property becomes the property of the LL, then yeah, you're donating stuff. If you remove the window coverings and putty up the nail holes (some people use white toothpaste, kid u not!) and paint over them (if you have the paint and it matches), then that's okay but a lot of older houses have older wood, or wood that's been drilled and filled and won't take a decent nail or screw. It just depends.

Re: Normal for a LL ? by Gail K (GA) on March 28, 2012 @11:52	[ Reply ]

The OP may be more familiar with apartment renting and unaware that it is not unusual that, when renting a house, the tenant is responsible for mowing the yard, and for window treatments. Gail

Re: Normal for a LL ? by tenant (PA) on March 28, 2012 @15:34	[ Reply ]

Every landlord I have had took care of landscaping (and not always to my approval, but hey, I wasn't charged for it, so whatever). I think it is common in some places, and honestly makes a lot of sense: If left to the tenant, most of the time at the end of the lease the grass would be overgrown and the plants dead. Then again, I guess to many landlords, mowing the grass and replanting the garden once a year is easier than tending to it once or twice a month, and they really don't care what the place looks like except when trying to lure new tenants. Some of my prior landlords would hire a landscaper (cheaper if they own many units), and others would just mow the lawn themselves. One complained that even with the discount it was hardly worth it because there were no good landscapers in this town, and they hired a new one every other year. My advice to the OP is to either ask the landlord to add landscaping to the lease, or find a new place, or just consider it the cost of doing business. If the place is in demand, the landlord isn't going to bother appeasing you, but if he needs the place rented he might. Otherwise, just hire some kids up the street to do it for 5 bucks a week, or roll up your sleeves and do it yourself! Make a garden and grow your own veggies-- make that lawn work pay for itself! If you don't want to do it, just invite some hippie neighborhood co-op over. They'll care for the space in exchange for getting to use the yard to grow their wares. Oh, you're in Cali? Just make sure it's really vegetables those hippies are growing in your yard ;)

Re: Normal for a LL ?

Re: Normal for a LL ? by Abdon on March 28, 2012 @20:01	[ Reply ]

You may not realized but trust me, you are paying for landscaping one way or another. A rent may be $1000 you do your own lawn, or $1100 a month with free landscaping. Also, this is a contract between two individuals. It will be whatever the two individuals negotiate. If the contract says that you will get your car washed twice a month, then that's your right and the landlord's responsibility. If it says that you take care of the lawn, that's your responsibility and his right to expect. If you don't like the deal you are being offered, negotiate or decline.