A.D. Cantelmo Property Management
Our Business is Property Management in Orange County California
Allowing Tenants some independence
On my post yesterday, "Making a Rental Property Eatable" I received quite a bit of feedback
from my opinion that a rental property can be more attractive if you make it
eatable by planting fruit trees. Most of the feedback was positive, but one of
the themes that some of the questions had been about, is allowing Tenants to do
some planting on their own. That is a great question and I understand the concern.
Tenant Autonomy
I try to make Tenants feel like they are living in their own
home and not a rental property and part of that is allowing them some autonomy
when it comes to decorating the property, but it is a fine line and it also
depends on the Tenant. To me, the easy way to allow Tenants to feel independent
is to allow them to have a garden, whether it is to plant flowers or vegetables.
I recommended to Landlords to leave a small section of the
yard for Tenants to do some gardening. It does not have to be a big section,
and you can have rules as far as what can be planted. For instance, nothing
should be planted that is not easily removed. The garden should be for small
plants not trees and I would also not allow any wild vines that grow uncontrollably
around the property. The most important part for the Property Manager is that if
the garden does well and there is an abundance of food, the Property Manager
should get to do some picking.
Making a Property hard to leave
There are so many things that can come between a Tenant and
a Landlord, so allowing them to have a garden is an easy way to make a Tenant
feel independent and again you want long term Tenants, so make your Tenants
feel like they belong. You want to make it hard for good tenants to leave,
especially when you have a rent increase.
The concern over what a Tenant may plant is easy to overcome
and in all honesty, many Landlords pay little attention to the landscaping, so
allowing a garden is no issue. But if you do have a meticulous landscape and
you are not open to a garden, no problem. I doubt if anyone will not rent your
property if they can’t have a garden. I just want to make a property more
appealing to a wide variety of prospective Tenants.
A.D. Cantelmo Property
Management Specializes in Property Management in Orange County
Ca.