A tenant friendly garden and garden friendly tenants
Find out how to create a tenant friendly garden, select suitable tenants, and manage expectations from the start.
While it is reasonable to expect basic garden maintenance from tenants, this does not extend to tasks that require expertise, so it’s a good idea to create a low-maintenance garden with hardy, drought-tolerant plants. It’s also sensible to discuss garden maintenance expectations when prospective tenants come to visit the property. Here, we consider what you can do to create a tenant friendly garden and select garden friendly tenants from the start.
Selecting garden friendly tenants Although there has been a surge in demand for properties with gardens since the pandemic, not all tenants want the hassle of looking after a garden or have the time. So, it’s a good idea to establish expectations at the viewing stage, so that you can weed out unsuitable tenants and make sure the tenants you choose are more likely to have the time and enthusiasm to look after the garden. You can also make sure the garden is designed with your target tenant in mind. For example, families with children or pets will be concerned about garden security and are more likely to appreciate a lawn, whereas students and tenants in HMOs will prioritise a patio with a seating area. If your property has a garden, you may prefer to focus on tenants who are more likely to stay for the longer term, than short term tenants who may not make time to look after the garden.
Creating a tenant friendly garden An attractive, low maintenance and secure garden will appeal to renters and minimise the risk of any issues involving the garden at the end of the tenancy. Here are some tips for creating a tenant friendly garden:
Consider whether a lawn is essential for your target tenants. Lawns can be high maintenance but are attractive to families who need space for children to play
Virtually all tenants appreciate a seating area. Provide one with more than enough space for tenants so that they can also accommodate visitors
Opt for hard landscaping where possible, as this reduces the amount of lawn that needs to be maintained
Choose slow growing, drought tolerant flowering shrubs and perennials that require minimal watering. The RHS provides some renter friendly planting suggestions. Also consider plants that grow well in shady areas
Mulch around plants to help suppress weeds and encourage moisture retention
Install raised beds as these are easier to maintain than traditional garden beds
Consider providing a lockable shed for tools and a water butt to save water and make it as easy as possible for tenants to maintain and water the garden
Make sure the garden is secure, with robust fencing and a lockable gate
Gardening equipment and outsourcing maintenance.
If you decide to provide your tenant with gardening equipment, particularly power tools or a lawn mower, make sure it’s in good condition and compliant with health and safety standards. If you don’t have a Residual Current Device (RCD) built into your fuse box, you should use a plug-in RCD when using a socket to plug in a lawnmower, hedge trimmer or other power tool. If you decide to provide equipment, think about the storage needed too.
If you have several properties with gardens, it might be cost effective to outsource the garden maintenance. You can’t charge the tenant for this so would either need to cover the cost yourself or include it in the rent, but if you want to make sure the garden is maintained and it is important to you, then it may be worth it.
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Yes, tenants should be willing to maintain the garden
No, garden maintenance should be the landlord's responsibility
It depends on the type of tenant (e.g., families, students).Unsure.
