Landscaping around apartment?

CowgirlK39

Spring is going to be here before we know it, and I KNOW this issue will arise at our apartment again. We live in the upstairs of a remodelled house, with someone living downstairs. The girl downstairs has the attached garage included in her part of the house, so thats where all the lawnmowers and things are. However, last year, she broke every single one of them. So our lawn got cut twice all year. Needless to say, the town sent a letter to our landlord saying the property looked like hell, and he called both her and I and yelled at us. There is nothing in our lease that says we are responsible for the lawn. He said if we want someone else to do it, we must pay extra rent for him to hire someone. Of all the people I know who live in apt's not a single one is responsible for the lawn. My father told me because it is the landlords property, and HE received the letter, not us, that it is not our problem to maintain the lawn. Also, my FI and I cannot just walk into the downstairs girl's garage and take equipment, and we sure are not going to buy something and have her wreck it like she did all the others.

 Who is right? Anyone have experience in this area?

Dr.Loretta

I'd want to see what's in writing for both you and the downstairs tenant. Does her lease specifically say she is responsible for lawn care, or just that stuff is stored in her garage? Or does it say nothing, and there's a gentlemen's agreement between her and the landlord?

I'd either suck it up and get a lawnmower, or suck it up and find a neighborhood kid to get the lawn mowed. But I'd go to the landlord and ask for your rent to be lowered by $X/week during lawnmowing season to pay for the mowing.

IMO the landlord can't have it both ways. Either he writes into your lease that you're responsible for lawn maintenance, or he doesn't. And IMO he has to pay for it, one way or another.

How much longer is your lease? This place doesn't sound like a good place to be.

soozy87

We live in a duplex with a good sized yard. The landlord offered to "let" us take care of the yard in exchange for $25 off the rent (year round). He provided a mower and the gas for it. So far it has worked out well for both of us. The couple that lives next to us is older and I don't think they would want to take care of the lawn if we didn't.

 Your situation sounds bad. If it is not in the lease he can't expect you to take care of the lawn for nothing. Maybe he has a similar agreement with your downstairs neighbor and she just doesn't follow through with her end of it.

CowgirlK39

Soozy, I'd be thrilled with a deal like what you have. He just tells us its OUR job (either us or the girl downstairs) to buy a mower and maintain the property. There is scrap metal and junk in the backyard from the previous owner that we have asked him to remove and he hasn't done it (we are pretty sure this was included in the letter from the town). If he gave us a mower, it would be done no problem because my FI loves to cut grass.

pdxmouse

I don't think this is a gardening issue so much as a legal/money issue. I wonder if Money Matters might have some good advice? 

I can't think of how your landlord could force you to mow the lawn, but it sounds like he could be a d!ck about another letter. Personally, I'd be looking into tenant resources in your area. (And when you move document everything with photos in case he tries to keep your deposit.)  

Dr.Loretta

CowgirlK39:

If he gave us a mower, it would be done no problem because my FI loves to cut grass.

I might be tempted to bite the bullet, get one on CL or freecycle, and mow

+j+k+

If you don't want to mow - move.
The landlord is an ass and your neighbor is too.