Tenant chopped down exotic tree!

That sounds very clever !! She bought the house from you, paid you for it, but if you knew she was going to cut down a tree you wouldn't of bothered. I wonder what colour toilet paper she placed in the bathroom. Another good reason.
 
mercman said:
That sounds very clever !! She bought the house from you, paid you for it, but if you knew she was going to cut down a tree you wouldn't of bothered. I wonder what colour toilet paper she placed in the bathroom. Another good reason.
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I stand by what I said, I would not have sold the house to her if I'd known she was going to have the tree felled.
 
I would be hopping mad if this happened on my leased property. They had some cheek to do that. All mature trees are precious, especially if it is an unusual one. They just put their own needs (parking their very ordinary camper van) in that spot. God, some people really bring out the worst in me :mad:. Certainly make them pay for a replacement tree, on the same spot, and don't allow them gravel up any part of your garden.
 
But which is more important ? Having a mature couple in a rural property, paying rent in the investment and generally looking after it or have younger persons wrecking the joint. I am not disputing that it is maddening for others to destroy your garden, but you are holding their deposit and time will tell all. One thing certain is that the tree cannot now be replaced.
 
mercman said:
That sounds very clever !! She bought the house from you, paid you for it, but if you knew she was going to cut down a tree you wouldn't of bothered. I wonder what colour toilet paper she placed in the bathroom. Another good reason.
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So you're comparing a 100 year old tree that Rois obviously cared alot about to the colour of toilet paper. Yeah that sounds very clever.
 
mercman said:
But which is more important ? Having a mature couple in a rural property, paying rent in the investment and generally looking after it or have younger persons wrecking the joint.
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For some removing a mature tree isn't particularly far off wrecking the joint. It's making a significant and unwanted change to the property without permission. I'd question how green their fingers really are if the think it's sensible to remove a precious mature tree to make way for their van.

But as Mercman says there isn't much that can be done now. If the rental situation is tight in your area and you must keep them on, then make it very clear to them that any future changes to the house or garden need to be approved by you first.
 
To my mind its the same as if they knocked down a wall . I'd be mad about this.
 
The tree is gone, this you cannot rectify. If they are otherwise good tenants you'll have to bite the bullet and forgive them, but explain that they are not to cut anything else unless they speak to you first. They are obviously very silly people and you'll have to put it down to this.
 
SPC100 said:
I suggest you amend your lease to specify pruning and lawn mowing. And permissions for projects beyond that.
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I think that's what I'm going to have to do. As the lease is already signed can I make an amendment now or wait until the lease expires in 12 months?
 
You have to be somewhat detached when it comes to rental property. It's not like it's your home, it's an investment that has to pay for itself.
It's annoying when someone does something like this, but what's done is done. Is it worth losing a good tenant over this, given the fact that you still won't have the tree? Forget about it and move on, and be more carful in future when issuing a lease.
For now, I'd get another tree of the same variety and plant it where the camper van doesn't interfere with it. Get as mature a tree as posible and it will make it's presence felt in a couple of years. If you buy one bare rooted from a good nursery and not in a pot from a garden shop it will take well and will help to balance the loss of the other one. Charge them for it as well, but in a nice way.
I'd look at all this another way altogether. If I had a property that I was preparing to let, and the market needed a driveway or a parking space, I'd consider removing a tree to provide that facility. I'd just plant another one somewhere else on the property to make up for it.
As I said, it doesn't pay to get emotionally involved in a property that you are renting out.
 
MissThing said:
I have rented an older property to retired tenants recently. This property located in the country, is surrounded by a huge lawn and mature hedges and tress - lovely and private. The tenants have cut down a very exotic mature tree which would have been about 25+ years old. I'm absolutely livid!!!! I would have no problem with them trimming hedges, making flower beds, planting etc. they indicated that they were green fingered when they came to view.

To my mind this is damage and as they had no permission, does this negate their damage deposit?

I've had an apologetic letter but I'm too fuming to respond. What are my options?

MT
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Get them to replace the tree and all expenses paid by them. Simple as. Otherwise you could sue them if the contract states that they cannot do such things.
 
MissThing said:
I have rented an older property to retired tenants recently. This property located in the country, is surrounded by a huge lawn and mature hedges and tress - lovely and private. The tenants have cut down a very exotic mature tree which would have been about 25+ years old. I'm absolutely livid!!!! I would have no problem with them trimming hedges, making flower beds, planting etc. they indicated that they were green fingered when they came to view.

To my mind this is damage and as they had no permission, does this negate their damage deposit?

I've had an apologetic letter but I'm too fuming to respond. What are my options?

MT
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My concern would be what else would they have the cheek or stupidity to remove without asking!
 
simon44 said:
Get them to replace the tree and all expenses paid by them. Simple as. Otherwise you could sue them if the contract states that they cannot do such things.
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Good man Simon, Risk losing a tenant in a property in a Rural area and the decent rent being paid for the sake of a tree now, rather than waiting until the tenancy is over. Sue them ??? Tell me what Planet are you on ??
 
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