Rental garden maintenance can suddenly become a much bigger job once spring arrives.
Warmer weather and longer days can mean lawns grow faster, weeds appear almost overnight and gardens that barely changed through winter suddenly need regular attention.
Spring is a good opportunity to get back on top of your outdoor areas, but it’s also the perfect time to look around the property for maintenance and safety issues that may need to be reported.
The aim isn’t simply to make everything look good for your next routine inspection. It’s about taking care of the home you live in and identifying small problems before they have the chance to become bigger ones.
What garden maintenance are tenants responsible for?
In South Australia, tenants are usually responsible for general gardening tasks such as mowing lawns and controlling weeds. Property owners are generally responsible for larger repairs and some more substantial or annual garden maintenance. Your tenancy agreement may also provide important information about the property and its garden.
For most tenants, regular rental garden maintenance could include keeping lawns under control, removing weeds, clearing fallen leaves and keeping the outdoor areas you’re responsible for reasonably tidy.
Spring is when staying on top of these smaller jobs can really pay off.
Leave them for several weeks and what started as a quick Saturday morning tidy-up can become a much bigger weekend project.
What should you check around the property this spring?
While you’re outside, take the opportunity to do more than mow the lawn.
Have a good look around the property and check for anything that appears damaged, unsafe or in need of attention.
This might include:
- Overgrown or damaged branches.
- Loose or damaged fencing and gates.
- Blocked or poorly draining outdoor areas.
- Problems with irrigation systems supplied with the property.
- Uneven or damaged paths that could create a trip hazard.
- Outdoor lights that aren’t working.
- Excessive leaves or debris accumulating around the home.
- Gutters that appear full of leaves or other debris.
You don’t necessarily need to fix these things yourself.
In many cases, the most useful thing you can do is spot the problem and report it.
SA tenancy guidance requires tenants to tell the landlord when something needs fixing, so don’t assume your property manager already knows about an issue simply because it exists.
Should tenants clean the gutters?
Gutters are a perfect example of the difference between identifying a maintenance issue and tackling it yourself.
You don’t need to climb onto the roof or put yourself at risk on a ladder simply because you’ve noticed leaves building up.
Take a look from ground level where possible. If the gutters appear blocked or full of debris, contact your property manager so the issue can be assessed and appropriate maintenance arranged if required.
This is particularly worth thinking about as South Australia moves towards warmer weather.
The SA Country Fire Service recommends keeping gutters free of debris as part of preparing a property for bushfire. Its spring preparation advice also includes mowing long grass, removing weeds, cutting back trees overhanging the home and clearing fallen branches and other debris.
Not every Adelaide rental is in a high bushfire-risk area, of course. But removing dry vegetation and identifying areas where leaves and debris are accumulating is still good seasonal property care.
What shouldn’t you tackle yourself?
Taking care of your rental doesn’t mean taking on every maintenance job you see.
If something requires specialist equipment, involves working at height, could be unsafe or appears to be a repair rather than routine upkeep, contact your property manager.
The same applies to larger tree branches or significant pruning. SA.GOV.AU lists general gardening such as mowing and weeding as tasks tenants usually undertake, while landlords are generally responsible for larger repairs and annual gardening work such as pruning fruit trees.
When in doubt, ask.
It’s much better to report something and find out how it should be handled than risk injuring yourself or accidentally damaging the property.
How can rental garden maintenance help with routine inspections?
Nobody wants to discover the afternoon before a routine inspection that the garden has turned into a jungle.
A little regular attention throughout spring makes preparing for an inspection much easier.
Before your inspection, walk around the outdoor areas and check that the lawns, weeds and general garden areas you’re responsible for have been maintained.
Clear away unnecessary rubbish or debris and make sure outdoor areas are reasonably tidy.
But also use the inspection as an opportunity to raise maintenance concerns.
If you’ve noticed a damaged fence, problem with a tree, blocked gutter or another issue that needs attention, let your property manager know.
Routine inspections aren’t only about checking how you’re looking after the property. They also provide an opportunity to identify maintenance and safety issues that may need action.
How can you stay on top of the garden during spring?
The easiest approach is little and often.
Rather than waiting until the garden needs several hours of work, spend a small amount of time regularly checking the outdoor areas.
Mow before the lawn becomes overgrown. Pull weeds while they’re still manageable. Clear fallen leaves and branches before they accumulate.
And every now and then, look beyond the jobs on your usual list.
Is something broken? Does a tree look unsafe? Are the gutters filling up? Is water pooling somewhere it shouldn’t?
Good rental garden maintenance isn’t just about keeping the property looking nice.
It’s also about noticing when something has changed.
A little spring maintenance can make a big difference
Spring is the ideal time to get outdoor areas back under control after winter and prepare the property for the warmer months ahead.
Keep up with the everyday garden tasks you’re responsible for, take notice of potential safety and maintenance issues and report anything that needs further attention.
It will make your next routine inspection easier, help keep the property well cared for and, most importantly, help ensure maintenance issues aren’t left unnoticed.
If you’re renting a property managed by AMKAR Real Estate and notice something that may require repair or maintenance, contact our property management team so we can advise you on the next step.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information only. Maintenance responsibilities can vary depending on the property and tenancy agreement. Tenants should refer to their tenancy agreement and contact their property manager if they are unsure about their responsibilities. For current South Australian tenancy information, refer to SA.GOV.AU or Consumer and Business Services