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What rights do we have as a tenant if a landlord wants to make alterations we do not approve of? Our landlord wants to replace our grass yard with gravel instead of fixing an irrigation system.
A bit more detail:
We are a military family and carefully chose a house to rent once we found out we were being reassigned (we are only in Las Vegas for 3 years so didn't buy). We specifically wanted a home that had a grass backyard, not just for it's aesthetic value but also because we have dogs that would get dusty in an all gravel yard. We knew we would have higher water bills, but it was something that we prioritized. After a long search we finally found the rental home that was a perfect fit. Recently the drip system has needed some repairs as the home is 17 years old and the rubber hosing is cracking. The grass is also dying in spots due to a lack of pressure from the sprinkler system. We have patched the broken drip systems and seeded and sodded our yard repeatedly but finally asked the management company to ask the landlord to fix the irrigation system. Today we found out that instead doing the quoted $500 fix on the system they are going to rip out the beautiful grass and bring in gravel. We will then have an all gravel yard, front and back! We purposefully didn't even look at homes with all gravel and we carefully selected this home due to its wonderful yard. Our lease agreement is for 2 more years and it does discuss restrictions to tenants making alterations, but there is nothing about landlord initiated alterations. We signed a lease on a home with a lush, beautiful yard and may end up with rocks; it doesn't seem like it is allowed to make those changes but I don't know the legalities of it. Any help on how to address this matter with the management company or landlord would be appreciated.
What rights do we have as a tenant if a landlord wants to make alterations we do not approve of?
Our landlord wants to replace our grass yard with gravel instead of fixing an irrigation system.
Outside of the house you have ZERO say in anything.
You should be able to use this as a reason to break the lease early...
(so you can move somewhere that still has grass) but that's about the limit of your options.
zero you can do to stop and i do not think it brakes the lease for it dose not effect habitability not like a ac unit that was listed in lease or stove
Habitability is not the issue, however, generally the landlord is required to maintain the property in the condition it was when you signed your lease. For instance if the DW died and he said "heck no I'm not buying a new one" is not acceptable.
Could you persuade him to leave it as is, and maybe help out on the irrigation repair, then he can switch to the ugly dusty hot rocks after you depart? (I'm totally with you on this!)
building i take care of owner had a tenant try to brake lease because 1 they did not like color we painted the house. and they did not like the new porch design. and konakat that is how i used a stove or central ac. in my example
Color of house and design of porch are not the same as changing grass to rocks, imo.
It's certainly worth discussing it with the LL - either of the options KonaKat mentioned. You could also suggest he not fix the sprinkler system at all, with you assuming the watering of the lawn until you are reassigned.
Las Vegas is in a drought situation. Lake Mead is drying up because of the growth. One of the measures the city is doing is resterictiong lawns. Maybe that is the issue. The city ordinance may be requiring the change to rock. Less water use. Check with the LL to see if that is the reason for the change.
Outside of discussing with the LL and hoping you can persuade him/her to keep the grass, your out of luck.
If you are planning to stay for 2 more years, and keeping the yard is that important to you, maybe it is worth it for you to pay the $500 for the repair. That is an option to discuss also. Maybe you could negotiate paying $25 less rent per month for the next year, or something to reimburse you for part of it.
Open a discussion with the owner, and see if you can work something out. Let them know if the yard goes, you would like out of the lease, as that was a deal breaker for you.
But also be aware that if the city is cracking down on grassy yards due to a water shortage, this could happen to you again at your next place.
I doubt there is a city ordinance demanding that people change the grass in their backyards to rocks. There are some xeriscape requirements on new construction/developments I believe but not existing backyards.
Plus, the LL never said a city or county ordinance was his reason! He just doesn't want to maintain the sprinkler system, sounds like to me.
Not your property, not your choice the landlord can do anything they want with the property they own and they do not need the approval of their renter. The choice you have is to continue to rent from him or move.
PS -- Thank you for your Military Service and the sacrifice you all make for my being able to live my life the way I have grown to love. I and my Husband appreciate all that you do. Also, I'm in the same rental boat as you, my landlord whom I love dearly have chosen to do somethings but not other things that I think would make the home more practical. Nothing I can do about it though, I'm not moving yet and it is their property. Thankfully we have come to a few compromises on other things so it has overall balanced out and with us having an acre to mow right now with all the heat and humidity I would rather have your rocks (LOL).
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