High costs of HMO garden maintenance

Managing HMO properties with large gardens can present unique challenges, especially during the summer season. At Prime Property Care, we have encountered these issues and found some innovative solutions to ensure well-maintained gardens while keeping costs reasonable for landlords.

During the summer, HMO property gardens require frequent maintenance, which can significantly increase expenses for landlords. This can be cutting and clearing the garden even two times a month during the summer and for large gardens that a bill of £100 to £160 for each time. Those are significant costs, especially with all the interest rates rising and costs increasing.

Here are some solutions we have implemented at Prime Property Care:

1. Engaging Enthusiastic Tenants

We proactively reached out to all our tenants and inquired about their interest in gardening. By identifying enthusiastic tenants who love gardening, we were able to establish a partnership to take on the responsibility of maintaining the gardens in the HMO properties. This clearly showed that we chose the right tenants in the referencing process.

2. Providing Tools and Support

To facilitate the tenants’ involvement in garden maintenance, we provided them with the necessary tools and equipment. This included gardening tools, seeds for herbs and vegetables, and flower plants to inspire creativity and enhance the garden’s aesthetics.

3. Collaboration and Idea Sharing

Working directly with the enthusiastic tenants, we encouraged them to share their ideas on how to make the garden an inspiring place. This collaborative approach fostered a sense of ownership and allowed tenants to contribute their unique perspectives, ultimately creating vibrant and inviting outdoor spaces.

4. Involving Enthusiastic Tenants Who Live Nearby

In cases where some properties did not have tenants with a passion for gardening, we extended an offer to nearby enthusiastic tenants. These tenants were given the opportunity to look after the gardens for a symbolic monthly cost during the summer season. This not only ensured proper garden maintenance but also fostered a sense of community among tenants.

5. Implementing Low-Maintenance Solutions

For larger gardens that required extensive maintenance, we implemented the use of wildflower seeds. By planting wildflowers, we minimized the need for tenants to spend significant time mowing large areas of grass. The wildflowers provided a beautiful meadow-like appearance, attracting butterflies and bees, enhancing biodiversity, and reducing maintenance efforts.

6. Cost-Effective and Inspiring Results

Through our proactive approach and collaboration with tenants, we successfully resolved common garden challenges in HMO properties during the summer. This strategy not only reduced maintenance costs for landlords but also created vibrant, inspiring gardens that tenants could enjoy and take pride in.

Managing gardens in HMO properties during the summer season can be demanding and costly. However, by engaging enthusiastic tenants, providing support and resources, fostering collaboration, and implementing low-maintenance solutions, Prime Property Care has successfully overcome these challenges. By adopting similar strategies, landlords and property managers can maintain beautiful gardens while minimizing costs and enhancing tenant satisfaction in their HMO properties.