Without a doubt, autumn brings a long list of exterior property maintenance items with it. To make sure that your South Burlington rental property’s yard and exterior ready for winter, you examine the lawn to check if it would need to be dethatched, leaves cleaned up, and trees and plants made ready to weather the cold temperatures; even though tenants are obviously a big part of making sure that a rental property is kept clean and in perfect condition, when it comes to seasonal yard maintenance there are few tasks that ought to not be a tenant’s responsibility. Regardless if you only wish to make sure that the job is done correctly, or the situation would put your tenant’s safety at risk, these types of maintenance activities are better off done and performed by those who have vast knowledge in doing them safely and the right way.
A rental property’s lawn is a primary aspect of the total appeal and value of the home. Regular lawn maintenance must be on the top of the list of priorities for both you and your tenant, as should other seasonal lawn maintenance tasks such as aerating and dethatching. Eventually, the soil underneath a lawn will end up being compacted with dead grass and other debris. This collected material is called thatch. Though a healthy lawn will benefit from a little bit of organic material, when thatch builds up too much, it can prevent water and essential nutrients from penetrating the ground and reaching the roots of your grass. This can cause the lawn to turn brown and stop growing, thereby ending in a landscaping monstrosity.
There are two ways to address this problem: dethatching or power raking and aerating. For small lawn areas, it is doable to remove thatch with a dethatching rake. The tines of the rake are meant to pull the thatch upward, loosening it and separating it from the soil. To dethatch a lawn by hand, the lawn should be mowed to half of its normal height and then raked thoroughly. The loosened thatch can then be removed with your next mowing. To aerate a small lawn, you can rent an aerator machine which will remove small plugs of soil.
If you have plans of doing this on your own, you’ve got to be sure that you clearly mark all sprinkler heads or utility lines so that you don’t run over and damage them. You’ll have to also follow the directions meticulously to confirm that the aerator doesn’t damage your lawn in the process. Some professionals render these services that you may want to confer with.
Obviously, if your rental property has a larger yard, these methods will be extremely difficult and time-consuming to do yourself. You could rent a dethatching or power raking machine to help with that task, but as with aerating, you’ll want to be cautious not to damage your irrigation system or other areas of the yard. Lawns that have been aerated or dethatched must also be cared for cautiously afterward, or risk additional damage. Proper watering and fertilizing are steps that should be taken after a dethatching or aeration, to both protect your lawn and encourage the roots to grow.
Even though your tenant may give the impression that they are capable, it is not a good idea to expect them to perform dethatching or aeration on your property’s lawn. If they don’t do the job the right way or don’t have an inkling of what they are doing, they could even cause extensive damage to your rental home’s yard, irrigation system, even septic or other utility lines. The equipment required to perform these maintenance tasks is not something most tenants own or will have utilized before, significantly doubling the chances that something will slip up and that they could even hurt themselves in the process.
Putting your tenant’s safety at risk is never a good idea, as it could result in your being held liable for their pain and suffering. You could perform lawn maintenance on your property yourself, but depending on the size of your rental home’s lawn, you might consider hiring a professional company to come in and accomplish these important lawn maintenance tasks for you.
Rather than spend your time on seasonal maintenance tasks, consider the benefits of hiring Real Property Management Sterling to take care of them for you. As a real estate investor, your time is as good as money. Free up your time by having us take care of your rental property for you. Our property maintenance services will ensure that important seasonal tasks are being done regularly and properly, keeping your South Burlington rental property in good shape year-round. To learn more, contact us online or call us at 802-861-6468 today.
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