Tenant's rights advice

[mr-mcfeely.livejournal.com]

Here's the skinny:
We live in an apt in Somerville (upstairs in a two-family). We have a rather large yard and a rather absent landlord. A working lawnmower is present and the "nice guy" in me has been mowing the lawn since we moved in, even though there is no mention of lawn care in the lease. Prior tenants downstairs have helped out, but the new tenants want nothing to do with it. Google searches have turned up little in terms of who's ultimately responsible. I'm debating whether to approach her and request a monthly rent reduction ($100?) for the months in which lawn-care is necessary. Before I have the conversation with the landlord, does anyone have any insight on tenant's rights regarding lawn care/maintenance? I'm looking for a leg to stand on. If not, anyone aware of the going rate for simple mowing? Thanks!

Comments

[ringrose.livejournal.com]

I'm not a lawyer, but as I recall if lawn care and snow shoveling isn't in the lease it is the landlord's responsibility.
I did once live in an apartment where the lease included our shoveling the sidewalk and mowing the lawn. This was holdover from when the previous tenants needed to avoid a rent increase - they volunteered to shovel the walk instead. Legal or not, both sides were happy with the arrangement so it never actually mattered.

$100/month seems pretty steep to me, but the landlord might decide it is worth it not to have to find someone else to deal with it.

[davelew.livejournal.com]

I'm not a lawyer, but as far as I know the landlord's only landscaping responisbility is to keep the fire exits clear.

Other than that, I think lawn care is optional-- the landlord could just let the lawn go to weeds (many do), as long as there were still two exits from every unit.

[mr-mcfeely.livejournal.com]

I found things online that hinted at this as well. I'm stuck between letting the lawn go to weeds and staying somewhat friendly with the neighborhood. They are all owners and already don't like the fact that the landlord doesn't look after the property.

[jodi.livejournal.com]

the landlord letting the lawn go to weeds may be unneighborly but it may also be illegal. in the last city in which i lived vengeful neighbors in a particular neighborhood would sic the city inspectors on a house whose owner they didn't like when the grass grew for a week, when wind blew some branches into the yard...anything.
its your landlords responsibility and it may also be his obligation, too.

[turil.livejournal.com]

Rather than fearing "weeds" why not play in them and eat them (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oL49PBsCP0)?

[stargazer.livejournal.com]

When I had a tenants' rights question recently, I called Daniel Hauck at the Somerville Housing Department (http://www.somervillema.gov/section.cfm?org=housing&page=662) and he was very helpful. I encourage you to check out the resources on that page (the handbook has a wealth of information) and maybe do the same.

[mr-mcfeely.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the comment. I just may call him to get an opinion. Did he charge you for his time?

[stargazer.livejournal.com]

He didn't know the answer to my question directly, so I can't really say; he just referred me to people who would know. But I don't think there would be a charge for a basic question like this, since he's employed by the city.

[mr-mcfeely.livejournal.com]

Emailed him, thanks! I'll report back what I hear.

[masswich.livejournal.com]

My understanding is that if it ain't specifically in the lease, the tenants don't HAVE to do it. But the landlord doesn't have to do much except make sure no tree branches fall down, you can get out of the house, etc. And if it becomes too much of a cost burden to mow and trim a lawn, some landlords might just decide to pave it all or let it get really overgrown.

So I think the short answer would be to talk to the landlord about it but don't assume you'll get a big cut in rent. If you like having grass, mowing the lawn is a good way to make sure the landlord doesn't put in asphalt. OTOH, it is a pain. So maybe you could talk $25 a month or so off your rent?

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

If you're willing, I second offering to maintain the property for a cut in rent. In our last place, we negotiated a $50 reduction in rent for maintaining the grounds. Otherwise the landlord didn't do much more than masswich noted above.

[turil.livejournal.com]

I like meadows! And there aren't enough in Somerville, as far as I'm concerned. Why not let the grass grow all pretty and tall? The kids who I live with love to play in the neighbor's yard where the grass is allowed to grow the way it wants to.

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

Bugs, that's why. I don't miss buggy NH summers with the risk of lyme disease.