Should student tenants in house maintain lawn?

Question

For those of you who have student housing in single family homes, do you typically require tenants maintain the lawn? In my market I know of at least two examples where the tenants are required to mow the lawn, but I want to know how common it is in student housing and whether or not there are any issues you have encountered with students doing this.

Matthew Paul · Answer

Try and get your own kids to cut your lawn then ask yourself the question again

Damaso Bautista · Answer

@Landon Clipp

100% no for me.  They are college students, they can barely roll out of bed to do their school work.  I would never trust the lawn to my college students because it won't get done.

Landon Clipp · Answer

@Theresa Harris

The house is rented as a whole in a collective lease. I'm beginning to think it's probably not a good idea in general to have them mow. I don't think I can trust college kids to keep up with it, agree with the other posters here.

Theresa Harris · Answer

If you are renting by the room, no.  Up the rent a bit to cover a professional coming in and cutting the grass.  If you live in an area where it snows, include a snow shovel and tell them to do the sidewalks or face a heavy fine.

Chris Szepessy · Answer

While it would be good for the college kids to show some responsibility and make them do it, there's a very good chance it wouldn't get done. Not saying all college kids are lazy, but it would just make life easier to outsource it and add it into the rent.

Also, if you have multiple roomates in one house, I think it would cause issues on whose turn it is to do it and who's at fault if it looks terrible.

Jason Scott Vawter · Answer

@Damaso Bautista

Ha! My parents had a rental for my brother and I (and roommates) while I was in college. We definitely did NOT do a great job keeping the place mowed!

Maybe you could upcharge the rent and then offer to pay the students what you would have to pay a company. Give them a choice. Some students would jump on it while others wouldn't. Of course, don't pay them if the job's not getting done, and keep that transaction separate from rent.

Should student tenants in house maintain lawn?

Most Popular Reply