Maintaining Trees as a Tenant in Victoria, is it your Responsibility?
Moving into a new rental property is an exciting time that comes with a laundry list of tasks and to do’s. As a tenant, it’s your responsibility to know or find out what your responsibilities are, and what falls on the landlord to take care of, including home maintenance issues. When we think of home maintenance, it’s often just the inside of the home that’s considered, but the outside areas are equally important.
Having a garden is an attractive feature for many renters looking for a new place, and can be a deal breaker on whether or not to apply. The benefits of having your own garden are numerous, but it’s also important to remember that if you do choose to move to a property with a yard or trees, you’ll also be responsible for some of the upkeep.
But what is a tenant’s legal responsibility for tree maintenance, and is the landlord or tenant responsible for tree trimming and other chores?
Minor Garden Maintenance
Minor yard maintenance includes duties like lawn mowing, edging, and looking after flower beds. It also includes low-risk tree tasks like trimming and pruning parts of the tree that can easily be reached without risking harm to anyone.
These types of chores are the tenants responsibility to handle, as they can be done relatively easily and safely, and are considered to be part of the general household maintenance. This means that if you see that a low-lying branch is about to break off, it’s your job to remove it, or if leaves and growth are becoming unruly, you’ll need to trim them back. The same goes for removing fallen branches and keeping things generally tidy and in good repair.
A good guideline to follow is; if it’s within your reach, it’s your responsibility.
Major Garden Maintenance
In this case, ‘major’ tasks cover anything that requires professional attention, like tree lopping, and more thorough pruning and hedging. These are works that are usually not carried out regularly, and need specialist attention. As such, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to arrange for these types of maintenance tasks to be completed. If a tree is dying, diseased, or threatening to cause harm or damage to buildings or individuals, the landlord needs to arrange for tree removal.
Although the landlord is responsible for these, as a tenant, you should report any need for works to your landlord or rental agency to ensure they’re aware of the issue.
Why is Tree Maintenance Important?
Regardless of who is reasonably responsible for what in a rental home, maintaining trees on a property is incredibly important, and for more than just aesthetic reasons. When trees aren’t properly cared for, they have the potential to cause damage to properties, and harm to people.
Weak branches and diseased extremities can fall at any time, injuring anyone who may come in their path, while tree diseases can spread rapidly if left untreated, impacting surrounding vegetation and wildlife. Not only that, but when tree roots aren’t maintained adequately, they can interfere with underground plumbing and drainage systems.
Get Expert Help
Whether you’re a landlord needing professional assistance tending to trees on your property, or you’re a tenant in need of some tips on tree pruning, Jim’s can help you out. Contact Jim’s Trees today to find out more about our services, or have a look online at our handy garden guides.
