Tenant/Landlord Lawn Mowing Query

[Rharris9585]

Need some advice on a landlord/tenant dispute plz!

I live in a houseshare and up until now my housemate has always mowed the lawn with his own mower. He is now moving out and has offered to sell us the mower.

I contacted my landlord, saying that we were happy to continue cutting the grass if he wanted to buy this mower, but have been told he has no interest in buying a lawnmower for the house. We are more than happy to cut the grass, IF we are given the equipment, i.e. a mower, to do this with and we remaining housemates have no intention of buying a mower either.

It has been suggested that we should borrow a friendly next door neighbours mower whenever it needs cutting, but having to rely on neighbours goodwill is a ridiculous solution in my mind.

At the same time, we have been made aware that our contracts state it is 'tenants responsibility to keep the garden in good order', but in the next breath have been told 'he will never take action against us for not mowing a lawn'!

Rather a conflicting message!

Who is right and who is wrong here?

[Postdog]

Try that on with a council or housing association (it's your house so give me a mower for the garden) and you'd get laughed at.

[cassa333]

Out of curtesy I provide a mower for my tenants but I don't have to.

As part of your tenancy agreement it probably says you have to keep the place clean and tidy but the landlord doesn't have to supply you with cleaning equipment does he?

[what..the?]

I have had grass cutting issues as a tenant myself but I had a landmower supplied with the house as part of the inventry when I signed the agreement. So when the landmower broke it was his responsiblity to fix the mower or buy a new one, which he did but after about 1 year delay. In that year there was no way of borrowing a mower and the landlords agent said one was on its way every week so we thought nothing of the delay. I grass grew really long and it was too long for any mower so a professional gardener came in and removed 2 tons of grass and it cost hundreds of pounds all at the landlords cost. The delay was down to the letting agents not doing their job and the poor landlord paid.

I found out alot of other tenants with the same letting agents had the same broken lawnmower issue which again went unsolved until it cost the landlords hundreds to fix.

I think the only thing to suggest is get a really cheap mower on offer and share the cost with the other residents. Otherwise if it over grows so it cannot be cut with a mower you might have to pay for the gardener, cheaper to buy a cheap mower and as old tenants move out they get maybe some money back and the new tenants pay alittle towards it when they move in therefore you have a movement of money round and you only pay a little towards the mower if you still live there.

[Rharris9585]

What..the? - thanks for such a full answer. I'll get a cheap one.

Cassa - thanks, nothing is specified on the contract, just that it is to be kept in good order.

Tetjam - nice one kn0bhead