Is my landlord responsible for trimming trees?

Gardening is a common cause of disputes between landlords and tenants.

So, who’s responsible for maintaining a rental garden? And most importantly, is your landlord responsible for trimming trees?

Here, we’ll cover all you need to know so you can confidently enjoy that lovely garden.

Are landlords responsible for garden maintenance?

In general, landlords are responsible for repairing a rental property, while tenants are responsible for maintaining it. The same applies to the garden.

As a tenant, you have a responsibility to ‘maintain’ the garden’s appearance. This term is pretty vague, but maintenance generally refers to tasks that should be completed regularly – like cleaning, weeding and lawn mowing.

As a guide, you should leave the garden in the same condition as it was in at the start of your tenancy.

On the other hand, landlords are responsible for larger tasks that it would be unreasonable to expect a tenant to deal with.

For instance, tasks that require specialist skills can’t be considered maintenance and should usually be left to the landlord to sort. These include things like hedge trimming, pruning large shrubs and tree maintenance.

That said, garden maintenance responsibilities should usually be set out in your tenancy agreement. If you’re uncertain, it’s always best to refer back to this.

Your landlord might include specific garden maintenance jobs for you to carry out as a condition of your tenancy. In this case, they should provide you with the tools or equipment you need to carry out these tasks.

If the responsibilities set out in your contract aren’t met, then it’s possible that your landlord could impose fines.

So, is my landlord responsible for trimming trees?

Unless your tenancy agreement suggests otherwise, yes! Your landlord should be responsible for tree maintenance tasks like trimming.

Tree trimming usually involves working at height. It’s also a specialist job that is best left to tree surgeons.

With all that in mind, it’s unreasonable to expect a tenant to carry out this job as a routine maintenance task.

Landlords are generally responsible for hedge trimming, pruning large shrubs, and maintaining climbing plants. However, it’s always best to check your tenancy agreement to be sure.

Can landlords cut a tree without my permission?

Yes. If a landlord decides to cut a tree on their property, whether for aesthetic or functional purposes, then there’s little you can do about it.

However, landlords only have the right to cut back or prune trees on their property.

Sometimes, the regulations around trimming trees are set out in the initial tenancy agreement, so check this to find out what your landlord can and can’t do.

Is my landlord responsible for a fallen tree?

Typically, if a tree has fallen, then it’s the landlord’s responsibility to have it removed – so long as you did not cause the damage.

So, will your landlord pay for the removal of fallen trees?

Unfortunately, although it is their responsibility, some landlords will try and avoid the charge. That’s why we’d always recommend having a protocol for these situations added to the initial tenancy agreement.

Key takeaways

• As a tenant, you’ll be responsible for general garden maintenance like lawn mowing and weeding
• Aim to leave the garden in the same condition as how you found it
• Your landlord should carry out larger maintenance and repair tasks like tree trimming and pruning large shrubs
• Check your tenancy agreement to find out what your garden maintenance responsibilities are

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