Garden Maintenance in Rental Properties: The Basics
A garden can be a genuine selling point when tenants search for somewhere to rent. Outside space often influences decisions and shapes how a property feels once occupied.
For landlords, garden maintenance can be a persistent source of frustration. Many tenants who keep the inside of a property in excellent condition pay far less attention to what is happening outside. Understanding where responsibilities lie helps both parties avoid disputes.
What Does the Tenancy Agreement Say?
The starting point for any question about garden maintenance is the tenancy agreement itself. This document should set out clearly who is responsible for looking after the garden and what that involves.
In most private tenancies, the agreement will state that the tenant is expected to maintain the garden to a reasonable standard. This typically means:
- Keeping the lawn mowed and edges trimmed
- Controlling weeds in borders and pathways
- Keeping hedges and shrubs at a manageable height
- Removing rubbish and debris
- Not allowing the garden to become overgrown or neglected
Some agreements include specific tasks or frequencies. Others use more general wording such as requiring the garden to be kept in a condition similar to how it was at the start of the tenancy.
If the tenancy agreement does not mention the garden, the situation is not necessarily unclear. Under common law, tenants are generally expected to return the garden in the condition it was in at the start, allowing for reasonable wear and tear. This principle applies even without specific clauses, though proving breach becomes more difficult without written terms.
Landlords should make sure garden responsibilities are spelled out clearly from the beginning. Vague wording often leads to disagreements later on, particularly when deposits are being returned.
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Rules for council and housing association properties follow a similar pattern. Most social landlords include a clause requiring tenants to maintain gardens to a satisfactory standard.
What counts as satisfactory is not always defined in detail. However, social landlords will usually expect tenants to cut grass, manage weeds, and keep hedges under control.
Some housing associations offer garden maintenance services for tenants who struggle to manage outside work themselves, including elderly tenants or those with disabilities. Local councils may also have schemes for garden clearance or ongoing care. Check with your landlord or local authority to see what support might be available, though provision varies by area.
Where a tenant persistently neglects their garden to the point where it affects neighbours or the wider estate, the landlord may take action through warnings, offers of assistance, or in serious cases, legal proceedings. Such outcomes are rare and landlords will usually try to resolve matters informally first.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
What Tenants Can Reasonably Be Expected to Do
If the property has a private garden, tenants are commonly expected to engage in regular upkeep. This does not mean they need to be expert gardeners. Basic maintenance is usually sufficient:
- Mowing the lawn regularly during the growing season
- Keeping paths and patios clear of weeds and moss
- Watering plants during dry spells
- Pruning back shrubs or hedges that are becoming overgrown
- Disposing of garden waste properly
It would not normally be fair to expect tenants to carry out major work such as tree surgery, fence repairs, or replacing worn out lawn areas. These tasks fall more naturally to the landlord, as they involve the structure and longer term condition of the property.
Tenants who do not have access to tools such as a lawnmower may need to arrange their own. Some landlords provide basic equipment, but this is not required. Where a tenant does not want to look after the garden themselves, they can hire a local gardener or ask someone else to help.
What Happens at the End of the Tenancy
When a tenancy ends, landlords typically assess the condition of the garden alongside the rest of the property. If the tenant was responsible for maintenance, the landlord will compare the current state with the condition recorded at the start.
Photographs and notes from the check in inventory are useful here. Tenants should also take their own dated photographs at the beginning and end of the tenancy. If the garden has deteriorated beyond normal wear and tear, the landlord may seek deposit deductions to cover restoration costs.
What counts as fair wear and tear in a garden is open to interpretation. A lawn that looks different in winter compared to summer is not evidence of neglect. Perennials dying back, leaves accumulating in autumn, or minor weathering of paving would generally be considered normal. However, a garden that has clearly been ignored for months, with overgrown grass and dead plants, is a different matter.
Both parties may wish to consider mediation before lodging a formal dispute. Some tenancy deposit schemes offer mediation as a first step. If that fails, either party can refer the matter to the relevant tenancy deposit scheme for free dispute resolution. The adjudicator's decision is binding.
Further guidance on tenancy deposits and dispute resolution is available on the GOV.UK website.
They are now planning to build other properties down the bottom of the gardens, which means we would loose over 3/4 of the garden.
We have done extensive work and have well established plant all along where they want to take. Not including paying for the whole garden to be fenced.
And it looks like the new builds will have a bigger garden the us.
Do we have any rights or say in what can and cannot be done
A couple of weeks ago council men turned up in the garden and put a wooden rail up, after ONE person complained she could not come into garden as no rail!! Firstly, she does not pay towards garden, and secondly, last time she did , years ago when she was paying, she came in fine on her scooter!!
Now this bulky rail has been put up other disabled people , in wheelchair cannot get to the seat near to the entrance as the gap not big enough, and we cannot get in there to cut the grass!! I contacted local councillor but he did nothing. PLEASE advise what we can do as none of us that do use & pay for garden don't want this rail left in garden.
The lady upstairs is a leasehold for 11yrs. Iv been here 3yrs.
I know of 4 previous tenants in my flat.
Upstairs has the further back garden with her own access, but she and council want to erect a fence through my garden to gain access for upstairs, taking away half mine after iv been here 3yrs, iv obtained a land registry and it makes me rite, upstairs only access in my garden for emergency water / sewage.
Why hasn't there been a fence erect before with previous 4/5 tenants and within her 11yrs she been there ?
Please someone help me.
Am I entitled to put in a 10ft x 8ft garden shed when the space is there for one
The fence between us is in a bad state of repair and about to fall down .
It’s not my boundary responsibility , but over 20 metres so quite costly for the landlord to repair .
Does he have to do it at my request ?
I live in a flat under a housing association. And we have a communul garden that is very large.
Me included and other Tennant's have one or more children. Wondered if it is allowed that myself or others wanted to purchase garden play stuff for the kids. It's great too any way but as we.are in this lockdown and with kids off school and constantly stuck at home. But can go out into the garden. Then are we allowed to buy stuff for the garden. Another tenant seems to think it's against their rules, something like they don't want to be liable if the child's hurt on the play stuff. Is this right or wrong. I wanted advice first before approaching my housing association with this.
I am having to chase the housing manager who seems to be doing very little. In fact she made me feel like a nuisance and said that she was unable to comment. The rubbish still remains what can I do?
Access through his flat is the only way that the tree can be removed, he doesn't want it removed as it offers privacy into his flat, its beautiful and healthy...
what rights does he have?
Any advise greatly received!!!
Been in our rental for 12 months
Was mentioned that a granny flat was to be built
Nothing added to lease by landlord/real estate
We had a boundary fence across a back yard they have their own entry and exit
Issue is water and electricity is being connected off our rental
Went away was emaile with excavation was happening got back and the back yard has been trenched up the middle broken cement pathway pices thrown on yard all uneven just an absolute
nightmare to look at
requested compensation /waiver of rent no go said the reply but lease was terminated with out penalty
I still have 6 months left on new lease and no money to move
Not even a apolige for inconvenience
I am so sick of landlords having the upper hand with lease agreements
Will be going Tribunal for compensation because this is now about legalities.
Thanks Stuart
8 flats in the block
Been here 6 years now gardens but housing association did put a seating area (a bench)
Which has been damaged from previous tenants
But this year decided to put some plants in pots to brighten up the area
Using the outside tap to water them
2 weeks later housing have turned off the external water
I really don't understand how watering a few plants warrants this
Very upset
The tenancy for upstairs will state no garden. the neighbours on my left have half a garden, but the neighbours on the right all ground floor flat masionette has there own garden and upstairs has no garden.
Can you please advise and what I can do. Thanks
s
Am I responsible for the cost of a tree surgeon or should the landlord pay for this service?
I’m maintaining the garden at my own expense but quote for the trees are expensive
My problem is that the garden is open to and used by the public. Is it right then that tenants have to pay for the upkeep of the garden thank you
Also, the letting agents have warned us that the landlord has made comments about ensuring he gets all the deposit. We have looked after the property for the full 5 years of tenancy despite our landlord not fixing the front door for over a year so we couldn’t access the property via the front door, not supplying window keys to lock the windows, not fix the garage door, not sufficiently fixing the boundary fence, not fixing fixtures and fittings without us pestering. Could he take our deposit?
Because the neighbor has had 41st problems....(which I havnt)..the council made me open my shed and coz it's stacked high with Xmas decs and wedding gifts....apparently I'm in breach of my tenancy agreement?
They now expect me to put all my books and 700 magazine's into plastic boxes.
Although if there are rats in my shed then a plastic box will be no bother as 1 rat. ?? last year ate Thro my black wheelie bin kid while outside.
I'm looking for advice.
My landlord wants to take £200 from deposit for "grass slighty grown" in garden,but I hadn't any mover or equipment for taking care of garden. Futhermore garden was in the same condition like we mooved in (in my opinion).Who's right in this case?
I need some advice before I write to my landlord regarding use of the garden. I have recently moved into a property and was told on visiting that the garden was for my sole use. After moving I had some issues with dumped items outside my property which leads to the garden, and got the H.A to remove it. The person who dumped it decided he was going to continue to leave things outside my property, and we got into a small spat where he said, the garden is shared use. I called the H.A it turns out I signed the tenancy without reading the whole thing, and it does in fact say shared use.
My issue is this, the garden is small and my kitchen door leads straight out into the garden. The path to the garden goes right past my bedroom window and I have my teenage daughter living with me, as I am a single parent family. Bearing in mind that he can bring anyone he pleases into the garden does this mean I must have my curtains closed at all times? Before I found out about the tenancy, I was going to put up a gate a few yards in ahead of my door as we are in a vulnerable position being a side entrance. Not one of the houses on my road, with a side entrance, is without some sort of fence or brickwork as a security measure. I should feel safe and comfortable in my home, but I would be worried if my daughter was in the back garden sunbathing by herself. In my old flat the garden was huge so all 3 flats had access to the garden if they wanted to use it, but in order to do so, we walked past a small toilet window which was high up. Is there a minimum size for a garden to be shared, and are there any rules around privacy. Everybody I have spoken to seems to think the garden usually belongs to the ground floor flat but need help with all points.
Thank you
Upon deweeding and clearing the garden (completely overgrown and unkept) I’ve discovered that there is a lot of broken glass and rubble that has been left by the landlord (I believe they may have been paid to have topsoil/mud and waste dumped on the raised part of the garden).
Due to this it’s not possible for us to plant grass or use the soil area of garden (making up 75% of the garden) due to the risk cutting ourselves like I did while Deweeding. Is the landlord responsible for making sure the garden is safe for us to use?
Can please someone advise me on a very critical matter. My dad has been trimming the hedge around our garden for circa 7 years. The hedge is 4 meters and higher in some places. My dad genuinely has no strength (60 years old) to continue with that, and money. He’s been trimming the hedge on a cheap aluminium lader on a slope on uneven ground, which I think implies some H&S issues (he felt a couple of times). My dad is a Local council (DGHP) tenant and would like to know who’s liable for trimming the hedge. P.s. the hedge is not joined with other neighbours gardens. Nad he is affraid if he will not trim the hedge there would be charges imposed on him.
Just want to know if having a communal garden, in a housing association property,
Allows them to not attend the gardens if one sections off part of the garden but still has allowed open access at some point for others to go through...also if a fence with a gate now makes it private as opposed to communal even if other neighbours allowed access and have agreed ...
The fact that it is still shared although fenced with a gate means it is still communal does it not ..and that they still need to mow lawns etc as they have been doing ?
Where do I stand?
We moved into a property that is entirely gravelled. We were told it had been lined and gravelled so would be low maintenance. However, weeds sprung up almost immediately like a sea of cress and I took days off to get it sorted because the landlord rang our agents to complain to us about it. On closer inspection the gravel she has used is full of soil so it wasn't clean gravel to start with.
It's spring now and the weeds are worse than before and I'm spending all my free time weeding it. I have sciatica so it's excruciating but I don't know what to do. I've spent lots of money on weed killer, sprayers, all sorts but it's not helped. I've even sprayed it all turned it over with a rake and sprayed it again.
I asked the agent if she could ask the landlord to help or to compromise and was told she won't because she's already paid to have it lined and gravelled. The gravel used was full of soil so of course it sprung weeds!
I don't know what to do, if i give up and let it get weedy it then I'll get penalised when I move out surely?
Do I legally have to keep it weed free?
Do I have to employ a gardener?
I wish it was a lawn, I actually like mowing grass, much easier.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
We are currently renting privately. The garden was a state when we moved in, and we have done a lot of work to it to make it better including putting down turf where the grass was just mud.
My partner has a car which has broken, it is on our private drive and has been for a couple of weeks. We need to repair it at some point (it’s not a smashed up eyesore, it has a coolant issue and a flat tyre) but are saving up the money to do it. The landlord has requested we have this moved within 7 days. Are they within their rights to make us get rid of the car rather than wait to repair it?
It continues to be the same to this day.Has been turned into a total wilderness.In dispute now because letting agent should have noticed that the garden was being ignored.Will cost thousands to put right.
Landlords don't expect tenants to respect the property
Since Oct last year we cut back the buddleia bush and they wasn't very happy, now it has completely blocked out our natural light to the lounge and as you can imagine peeing us off, will I be prosecuted cutting it back although I know it is the wrong time of year but it is a hardy shrub.
Please any advice would be helpful
Thank you
Shell
Is this something my landlord would have to pay for?
Is this legal?
Front lawn and an even bigger rear lawn.We would love to keep both e lawns
And the hedges in a good state but do not have a mower.
As we provided all our white goods I think it's reasonable for us
To ask the landlord to help us out with said mower.
Thank you.
If you have cut the branches off and placed them in the neighbouring garden, this is on an equivalent to fly-tipping. If you cut the branches, it is up to you to dipose of the waste. However, should the trees be causing significant damage you can ask your neighbour to pay to have them cleared or to pay for the cost of any damage they might have caused.
Thank you
The first time as my husband has been transferred for work. In the lease it is stated that the tenants are responsible for cutting the grass. There is nothing that says we have to supply them with a lawnmower, however the estate agent has just emailed to say we are responsible for Providing and maintaining a lawnmower for them to use. Please could you tell me
If this is correct. Many thanks.
They have left property and landlord keeping deposit could I ask landlord to pay me out of deposit or can they refuse as they owed rent too.
Regards iain
yours sincerely
roxanne
Thanks
Anyway, I always keep my garden tidy even the front communal one for us both neighbours. Never had an offer since moving in there 2004.
Their back garden is a mess. Never used. Never trimmed. Never entered.
Now, I have been told, on the grapevine, after I had tidied up my garden for summer, they have been asking the council to move the fence back so they can have part of my garden that I had given to me, at the date of signing a tenancy agreement with my local housing authority.
Apparently the lady before me, had moved the fence and upstairs never ever, fought about it at all with her. Now I am tidying it up etc during the past 11 years, not one word about this fence, now they want the fence put back.
Is this allowed? Considiering they do not keep their garden tidy let alone enter into it. Lots of foxes live there.
CI need some advise, can the Housing Association change their money after so many years of telloing me "do ot touch our trees"?
Regards
About one month ago my landlady of four years sold her house and the Annex garden flat which I occupy. The new landlady who seems very friendly and accommodating has worked out so far until I found her putting up a washing line in my garden right next to my own washing line. I contacted her and she asked for a meeting. After a condescending conversation of which she began with telling me how much she bought the house for, she told me that the my garden is now communal. She also felt the need to tell me that the other Tennant doesn't do his laundry from home. No where in the tenancy agreement does it state this and after contacting my previous landlady my garden is not communal. I must point out that for her she has to go through three doors to get to my garden, one of which leads into her 11 times my garden size. A garage divides my garden from hers. She now is telling me not to use bright colors in my garden as she doesn't like them. I built my own planters but she wants me to use plain colour. My last landlady respected my privacy and never once made demands of me. I feel a little victimized and my privacy is being invaded. I could be sat in my garden or living room and she comes and goes as she pleases. I'm worried and upset and don't know how to approach without being to defensive or upsetting a now delicate relationship.
Where there are multi-residences and communal gardens there can be a mixture of tenants, some of which do not want anything to do with the maintenance of the garden and others who "claim" a patch of garden as theirs.
There are services available up and down the country who are very happy to maintain a landlords property on their behalf, but with little or no interference from tenants. For garden maintenance services this is not always true. On many occasion a gardener will be approached by a tenant to carry out a job that "they" wish to have carried out, and expect it to be carried out within the remit set by the landlord. This puts the gardener in an awkward position and certainly refusal can often offend the tenant leading to further problems with the tenant complaining.
As I mentioned it can be a very grey area and landlords should be sure about what they want done with their property and make it very clear to their tenants. After all if you are a landlord who is renting out your home for longer lets, you may return to find a pond you didn't want or indeed, as mentioned in previous comments, your favorite tree missing!
Can landlord or agent legally prevent me from using it?
Can you offer me some advise. I am rregistered blind and cannot do any gardening on my own.
Thank you
Do they have any right to stop me tidying up the front garden? I removed about 20 small self seeded lavender plants from the front path!
Thank you
regards
mike mcghie
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