Gardening accounts for more than a quarter of all deposit disputes claimed by landlords using our TDS Custodial tenancy deposit scheme. As the third most popular reason for deposit disputes, it makes sense that all parties do what they can to avoid disagreement.
From a tenant’s perspective, a garden can be an appealing feature of a rental property, especially in light of the recent lockdown situation. But whose responsibility is it to maintain the outside space? Yours or your landlord’s?
Much of the basic garden maintenance will likely fall with the tenant unless the property comes with a gardener (the specifics of that will come down to what is agreed in your tenancy agreement when you move in). With that in mind, here are a few ways you can ensure the outside space of your rented property doesn’t end up digging away at your deposit when you come to leave:
There are of course cases where the line of responsibility can be blurred. Make sure you read through our case studies to see why dispute claims were made and how they were resolved. This will help you to ask the right questions at the start of tenancy and also help you prepare for end of tenancy and deposit return.
About TDS
Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) is a Government-approved scheme for the protection of tenancy deposits; TDS offers both Insured and Custodial protection and provides fair adjudication for disputes that arise over the tenancy deposits that we protect.
Your landlord or letting agent can protect your deposit using our TDS Custodial Scheme where TDS hold the deposit for the duration of the tenancy. Join TDS Custodial for FREE today
Alternatively, they can protect your deposit using our TDS Insured Scheme where a TDS member can hold the tenancy deposits as stakeholder during the term of the tenancy. Join TDS Insured today.
We provide invaluable training in tenancy deposit protection and disputes for agents and landlords through the TDS Academy as well as joining with MOL to provide the Technical Award in Residential Tenancy Deposits.
TDS Academy: TDS provides property professionals with invaluable training in tenancy deposit protection and tenancy deposit disputes. Click here to see upcoming TDS Academy’s.
TDS can only comment on the process for our scheme, other deposit protection schemes may have a different process/require different steps. Content is correct at the time of writing.
These views are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the view of TDS, its officers and employees.