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  1. #1
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    Sep 2010
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    Default What Does it Mean When a Lease Makes a Tenant Responsible for the Grounds

    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Michigan

    Looking over my lease, it says tenant is responsible for "grounds." This seems incredibly vague... I've been mowing the lawn, but what exactly should I expect to be responsible for? Landscaping? Watering plants? Removing dead bushes? Hypothetically, how might a judge interpret this?

  2. #2
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    Oct 2016
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    Default Re: If My Lease Says I'm Responsible for "Grounds," What Exactly Does That Mean

    Unless otherwise listed it would mean the land outside your home should be as good or better than you started with and it is all your responsibility. If something major happens, like tree dying, you should talk to your landlord.

  3. #3
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    Mar 2013
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    Default Re: If My Lease Says I'm Responsible for "Grounds," What Exactly Does That Mean

    Quote Quoting bluecollaraddict
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    Landscaping?
    Yes. Whatever it takes to keep the landscaping in the condition it was when you first moved in.
    Quote Quoting bluecollaraddict
    View Post
    Watering plants?
    Yes. Whatever it takes to keep the plants in the condition they were when you first moved in.
    Quote Quoting bluecollaraddict
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    Removing dead bushes?
    Yes. That comes under landscaping.
    Quote Quoting bluecollaraddict
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    Hypothetically, how might a judge interpret this?
    The way I just did.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: If My Lease Says I'm Responsible for "Grounds," What Exactly Does That Mean

    So, if when I moved in, there were 2 large dead hydrangea bushes in front of the house, I'm not responsible for removing them?

  5. #5
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    Sep 2005
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    Default Re: If My Lease Says I'm Responsible for "Grounds," What Exactly Does That Mean

    Quote Quoting bluecollaraddict
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    So, if when I moved in, there were 2 large dead hydrangea bushes in front of the house, I'm not responsible for removing them?
    You may or may not be, depending on the language of the lease and how it is interpreted by the landlord and the court.

    Has your landlord indicated that you need to remove the dead bushes?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    16,474

    Default Re: What Does it Mean When a Lease Makes a Tenant Responsible for the Grounds

    Quote Quoting bluecollaraddict
    View Post
    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Michigan

    Looking over my lease, it says tenant is responsible for "grounds." This seems incredibly vague... I've been mowing the lawn, but what exactly should I expect to be responsible for? Landscaping? Watering plants? Removing dead bushes? Hypothetically, how might a judge interpret this?
    I would discuss removing dead bushes with the landlord. Most likely he would want to make sure they were dead and would probably want something to replace them.

  7. #7
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    Sep 2010
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    Grand Rapids
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    Default Re: If My Lease Says I'm Responsible for "Grounds," What Exactly Does That Mean

    They've said nothing about the bushes, but a couple of weeks ago, someone came over and pulled a bunch of weeds out of the yard and left them in a pile in our driveway. They weren't very big, 4-6 inches high. I felt it was sort of a passive aggressive message.

    Quote Quoting oldfartWbeard
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    Does your lease say you are to maintain the landscaping or does it say something else, See if your lease says you are to maintain the landscaping then it would be reasonable of you to mow, weed, trim hedges-bushes ( LL could give directions on what height - width they would like hedges -bushes to be at) and maintaining whats there shouldn't include replacements of things dead at the start of your tenancy or say trees that die during tenancy ) Also I have to ask, does your lease specifically exclude you from using any part of the yard ?
    In the lease, there is just a list of things--water, electric, gas, snow removal, etc. there are 2 columns, one for "tenant" and one for "owner." the columns have an "X" in one or the other, indicating who is responsible. One of the lines just says "Grounds" with the X under tenant. That is the only mention anywhere of any kind of yard maintenance.
    There is nothing excluding me from using any part of the yard.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    Default Re: If My Lease Says I'm Responsible for "Grounds," What Exactly Does That Mean

    Quote Quoting bluecollaraddict
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    One of the lines just says "Grounds" with the X under tenant. That is the only mention anywhere of any kind of yard maintenance.
    There is nothing excluding me from using any part of the yard.
    You live there. Don't you want your place to look nice? How tough can it be to remove a couple of dead bushes and pull weeds?

    I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    Grand Rapids
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    Default Re: What Does it Mean When a Lease Makes a Tenant Responsible for the Grounds

    Quote Quoting adjusterjack
    View Post
    You live there. Don't you want your place to look nice? How tough can it be to remove a couple of dead bushes and pull weeds?

    I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill.
    Thanks for you opinion. But I'm not the type to provide free landscaping services. Especially after spending about 12 hours and $150 cleaning the place for these people when I moved in.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2014
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    211

    Default Re: What Does it Mean When a Lease Makes a Tenant Responsible for the Grounds

    It is within your rights to ask the landlord to expressly describe what they mean. This is a very vague clause in the lease and poor contract language. It could mean "cut the grass" or it could mean cut, fertilize, seed once a year or more.

    I would not assume anything.

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