Tenant complained about bandicoot in the backyard

[Peter Morgan]

I am now getting vexed with this new tenant who has been complaining about one thing or the other.Today she saw a bandicoot in the backyard and called me immediately saying she found a 'weird' animal in the backyard.

Their complaint seems like an indirect way to push me in to cleaning up the backyard.

The backyard is not part of their lease and is offered as a freebie and I have no control over to the lush vegetation in my tenants backyard that overflows into mine.Should I ask them to terminate the lease and leave if they don't like the place? Or am I required to clean the backyard and start looking for a bandicoot exterminator and pay them from a very little cash flow I am getting and continue keep processing their petty complaints throughout their lease term?

[Kyle J.]

Where does she think animals live? They live outside. Landlords are required to provide a habitable home. Not a habitable backyard. Especially when the backyard isn’t even included in the tenant’s lease. 

I’d tell her she’s welcome to call animal control, or her own pest company. (Based on my experience I don’t think either will do anything about what has been described.) But either way I wouldn’t do anything more in this scenario or pay for anything myself.

Good luck with this tenant.