Take for instance my last tenants, she decided that she was allergic to grass, so rather than just avoid it, she sprayed out all the grass. I'm talking ALL, including the Nature Strip out the front. I think that they actually forgot that they didn't own the place, there were lots of little additions or removals we're discovering as we start to do some work on the house. Quirky things that make you wonder 'why would you put that there?'
We camped out in the house on the weekend, with all the Muddy Kids, they kept calling it our 'holiday house' (not my idea of a beachy holiday house at all). Muddy Bubby got the best sleep in the port-a-cot, the rest of us were on the floor or thin mattresses, but it was an adventure and we all came home smiling! We planted lots of grass and dug up lots of weeds and herbs that had overgrown the garden being left unloved for so long. We had a picnic rug on the floor and takeaway for dinner (my favourite part), we worked together to help try and restore some order to the garden.
The whole time though I had this feeling of disappointment, disappointment that what was once a lovely garden was not loved at all over the last few years. Muddy Hubby tells me I have to stop having such an emotional attachment to the house, that 'the next tenants will probably do the same, so don't worry about it'. For me though I'm disappointed that people haven't cared for something enough to give it a water or a weed, or worry about their bond. I guess I thought people would take pride in their home (even though they don't own it), to have a place that is nice and welcoming and that they can enjoy and entertain visitors and they can enjoy it too. I know I would have taken care of it as a tenant, so why couldn't they?
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| 3 Cheeky Monkeys Swinging on the rail! |
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| Happy to be outside |
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| Overseeing the hard work |
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| Unloading Grass and Dirt |
Am I expecting too much?
Did you care for the garden when you rented?
Do you take pride in your rental place and call it home?
Oh Nat, you poor thing. I would have been horrified. As tenants, we always cared for the places as our own. We sold our rental before I saw what the tenants had done to it, thankfully! Loving those chubby legs on Muddy Bubby ☺. J x
ReplyDeleteIt can be really difficult to understand the thinking of some people.
ReplyDeleteBoth my landlords were super appreciative of my work when I rented.
One claimed the place had never looked better and that I had helped him with resale!!
Like you, I'm quite house/home/garden proud.
We're not flashy but I love to take care of my place.
I'm sorry your tenants didn't.
Cute pics!
:-)
I thought it was generally part of most lease agreements that the tennant keep the garden neat and tidy at all times and aren't allowed to make it worse, but can do minor improvements on it? When we rented we would get breech of contract notices from the real estate if we didn't keep our grass short and the weeds at bay! Did you take their bond for killing off the lawn? That is so not ok on any level! If she's so badly allergic to grass than maybe she should rent somewhere that doesn't have any rather than killing all of yours!
ReplyDeleteSadly we own now and our house is not as well kept as it was when we rented. Our yard is in a state of constant change and at the moment the weeds are starting to take over because we currently don't have the time or money to rent/buy the equipement we need to get the job done. We are making slow progress though, just got 6 palm trees removed that have annoyed me for the last 6yrs. Was NOT sad to see those little buggers go!