Rental Property Investor · Cocoa, FL · Member since 2019 · 51 posts · 33 votes
Hi!
We just bought a duplex and inherited seemingly high quality tenants. We will be living on the other side and managing ourselves.
I am making NOT becoming my tenants friend a high priority but I can tell they would like to be friends. I don't mind being a friendly neighbor, but I definitely want to keep things professional and not cross any lines.
We are in the middle of renovating our side and our tenants just bought a lawn mower and mowed the whole front yard (which I think is normal)
But now she texted me and asked if we'd mind her mowing our backyard and that it would be a privilege to do something nice for us. I feel like maybe I should say no so that we don't complicate things and leave her thinking she is owed a favor from us.
Am I overthinking this? Should I tell her yes its fine or NO THANKS?
Reston, VA · Member since 2017 · 67 posts · 68 votes
7y
@Lindsey Vargas I think your intuition on this one is right. Best case scenario you don't have to mow your lawn, worst case scenario is a tenant nightmare who sues you as you evict them because they want you to pay for all the times they mowed your lawn... Or they don't want rent to increase because mowing your lawn is worth X. Or they want x,y,z updated because they mowed your lawn. Yeah, just not worth it.
Real Estate Agent · San Marcos San Antonio, Austin · Member since 2015 · 28 posts · 18 votes
7y
@Lindsey Spivey stick to the requirements of the lease. Don't accept favors from the tenants. This is a business relationship. Set the boundaries up front. Good Luck!!
Vendor · Napa, CA · Member since 2017 · 2 posts · 1 vote
7y
Hire a lawn care maintenance guy and one up them. Also you should have control of the sprinkler system as well. If they stop maintaining the lawn it will drive you crazy.
Investor · Portland, OR · Member since 2017 · 182 posts · 115 votes
7y
@Lindsey Spivey KUDOS FOR GETTING A DUPLEX AND NOT PAYING THE MORTAGE—— TO YOUR QUESTION, HELL NO I WOULDNT LET THEM DO THAT. THEYLL EXPECT SOMETHING LATER, IF NOT BILL YOU FOR IT! 5 YRS OF MOWING FOR EXAMPLE, TAKE U TO COURT AND YOU COULD BE FORCED TO PAY FOR SERVICES RENDERED. IVE SEEN IT HAPPEN! COURTS HATE LANDLORDS!
Emerson once wrote, "If a person should offer to do me good at no cost, I should run in fear for my life." (Roughly quoted as memory fails to recall the exact quote, but you get the point)
While the honesty may be genuine, I would still make sure I keep my eyes wide open and myself protected.
Reading this not knowing the full story, I would be a little bit in (hummm.... why are you so friendly) mode...
While there is no harm in a simple cutting grass initially, it can turn into a legal issue...
@Lindsey Vargas I have had tenants do a "favor" for free, then a year later when I tried to charge them a late fee they said "remember when I did that for you".
LOL. I've had that happen. And I didn't hardly remember the earlier "favor".
I might accept the one-time offer, and make sure the tenant understood it was needed only for one time. If you don't own a lawnmower, and if the tenant would like to keep cutting the entire lawn, I would create an agreement that paid him for his efforts. Pay him $20/month with a check. Or do it yourself.
But, if he cuts the entire lawn for free for an indefinite amount of time, at some point he's going to expect reciprocal "special" treatment from you. No late fee. Ceiling fans. Allow him to paint the living room neon chartreuse. At move-out, overlook "minor" damage. And honestly, he wouldn't really be wrong in expecting it. If I cut your grass for free for two years, then you charged me a $50 late fee one month, it would strike me as ... not a neighborly thing to do.
Either be a landlord, or a neighbor. You can be kind and respectful without crossing the line.
Rental Property Investor · Cocoa, FL · Member since 2019 · 51 posts · 33 votes
7y
@Ray Chambers
Yep, I’m totally in “hmmm why are you so friendly?” mode! It is intense friendliness and it doesn’t seem genuine. It’s over the top mentioning how they are soooo happy for us. It’s scaring me a little. I told them they could now the lawn. Then i wrote them a check and said if they’d like to continue mowing the lawn until we get settled, we would pay them $25/a month.
Rental Property Investor · Cocoa, FL · Member since 2019 · 51 posts · 33 votes
7y
@Benjamin Macie
Thank you!! I am so glad I asked this question!! The people in my life who are not in this industry just thought it was a sweet suggestion and they are trying be good Christians. But I have to protect myself!
Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2018 · 84 posts · 140 votes
7y
@Lindsey Spivey
I agree with most of the folks on this. Tell them it is not necessary. If they have done you a bunch of favors, it will make rent negotiations that much more difficult in the future. Best of luck!
Property Manager · Chicago, IL · Member since 2018 · 3 posts · 0 votes
7y
Liability is the first concern that comes to mind. If your tenant does work for you, that's a lawsuit waiting to happen due to the possibility of the tenant injuring himself or causing injury to someone else. We have a few clients (landlords) who live in their buildings (usually 2-4 apartments) and have or want an arrangement that involves one or more tenants cutting the grass or shoveling the snow. (The latter is more fraught with potential liability.) It seems reasonable, but the potential for a mishap isn't worth the risk, so we require our clients to use third-party, insured vendors for all work (unless the clients want to do the work, which is fine).
Rental Property Investor · Montgomery county, NY · Member since 2019 · 35 posts · 8 votes
7y
tennants may get busy at work and sometimes deal with tall grass. a professional lawn company will have your property looking its best. having a flawless yard shows pride in ownership and may even add a little value to your home on the rent end or the selling end. it may cost more monthly though. usually the owner is responsible for lawn care.
Real Estate Appraiser · Isabella lake, CA · Member since 2018 · 628 posts · 491 votes
7y
If you live next to your tenant, or even if you don't, seems like you could be clear and tell them you are keeping an arms length business relationship. And pay a gardener.