Lawn maintenance fee

[Tommy Sutherland]

I have a single family home on over an acre of land, a 24x30 metal shop, insulated portable storage unit & an un insulated storage area.  The last renter did not maintain the yard like it needed to be so I am looking for advice on how to incorporate the requirement of you must own a working riding mower or pay an additional maintenance fee for the yard.  Does anyone have any advice on how to go about this from your experience?  Do I charge this yearly or just during the spring/summer months?  Any advice is appreciated!

[Jon Holdman]

A requirement for owning a working riding lawn mower would probably reduce your tenant pool by 90% or more.  Tenants rarely take care of lawns like you would, in my limited experience.

How do other landlords in the same area take care of this?  If you charge the tenants a fee for this you're effectively raising the rent.  Are you still competitive if you do?

I have a clause in my lease that if they don't take care of the lawn I will hire someone to do this and send them the bill.  I also have a clause that I can apply money received to fees like this first then to rent.  So if they pay the rent but not the mowing fee, the rent would be late.  Are you willing to evict over this?  That may be what it comes down to.

Then, establish clear expectations, do inspections, and give the tenants a chance to mow if it gets past your expectations.   I would try to keep expectations reasonable.  Mine are what the city dictates, which are a lot looser than what most people would impose.  I think they only cite people if the yard is over a foot tall.