Tenants require cut palm trees in the property

Discussion in 'Repairs & Maintenance' started by PropertyInsight, 20th Apr, 2018.

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  1. PropertyInsight

    PropertyInsight Well-Known Member

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    The tenants who have newly moved in require me to cut 6 palm trees at the back yard and they are worried that palm fronds may drop into their head. I am wondering if the request is reasonable in Queensland. I have no palm trees issue with the previous tenants who lived there during the last 6 years.

    The cost of cutting palm trees seem to be expensive. Do you thinks any other options?

    Many thanks
     
  2. babyboomer1

    babyboomer1 Well-Known Member

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    Tell them to get health insurance as the palms were there before the tenants . But seriously I dont think that is a reasonable request, was it mentioned prior to signing lease.
     
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  3. D.T.

    D.T. Specialist Property Manager Business Member

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    Are they asking to cut them down or to prune them? I think asking to prune them is a reasonable request. Cutting them down obviously isn't.
     
  4. skater

    skater Well-Known Member

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    They don't REQUIRE you to do it. They WANT you to do it. Two completely different things.

    Now, I'm not going to pretend that I know anything about your palm trees and how dangerous they are/aren't, but whenever I have pesky tenants that want something as soon as they move in, my response is that they have rented the property 'as is'. If you want anything extra done to the place, they you will have to pay extra. Of course, if it is a maintenance issue, that is completely different. You have an obligation to keep the place well maintained, not to make improvements at the tenants request. It is up to you to determine if those trees NEED to be trimmed, or if the tenants are just being a pain in the you know where.
     
  5. skater

    skater Well-Known Member

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    I think this depends on how large the trees are. If they are great big trees, then yes, they may well need pruning. If it were me, I'd probably look at getting rid of them altogether, but I particularly hate palm trees.
     
  6. TheRayTracer

    TheRayTracer Well-Known Member

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    Most new tenants like to test the waters upon moving into a new place to call home. Common requests lately have been regarding Solar panel, installing Foxtel, and Sheds. To me, depending on the size of the trees, isn't this a tenant responsibility to maintain the garden by cutting dead palms? Next they'll ask you to mow their lawn as tall grass is dangerous.
     
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  7. neK

    neK Well-Known Member

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    Classic case of "showing who's the boss".

    I would kick these renters out to be honest. They saw the place, rented it. Then make demands.
    Nope, not happening.
    If anything it's part of their maintenance. If they don't want to maintain it, you can include a gardener, however it will be added to their rent if they would like to agree.
     
  8. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I would say not to this, except if they are huge palms that do drop large fronds then this really could be a bit of a risk, especially as they've now raised it with you.

    I once saw a woman having a cuppa nearly be whacked with a huge palm frond at a shopping centre. Had it hit her, she would have been very badly hurt.

    Perhaps a photo would help?
     
  9. Perthguy

    Perthguy Well-Known Member

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    Saying "no" is easier than kicking them out in the first instance. Of course they may be building a case against the owner.

    I had a tenant try this. They asked for many ridiculous things in writing, such as a pest controller to spray environmentally friendly bug spray, a new oven even though they didn't bake and to have the outside of the house painted because it looked shabby? :eek:

    Anyway, tenant caused a lot of damage so I put in a claim for the bond. Tenant used their ridiculous list of requests as evidence against me and I used the tenants own emails as evidence against them. I ended up being awarded half the bond, which is pretty good for Melbourne.
     
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  10. Xenia

    Xenia Well-Known Member

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    Request denied
    NO
     
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  11. Propertunity

    Propertunity Well-Known Member

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    If they are the fruiting kind of palm tree you may have to get a 'palm clean-out' to avoid the fruit causing a slip hazard if they drop fruit on pathways etc. But otherwise - NO, they inspected & rented 'as is'.
     
  12. Stoffo

    Stoffo Well-Known Member

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    I get this all the time doing garden maintenance.
    My reply, would you like the whole frond to fall (being a larger area and spreading the impact)
    Or, sure I can trim it, but when the heavy bit at the trunk falls off "we" are not liable for the damage/injury......
    (Cabbage palms are ok to trim, but date palms leave a large chunk to fall...)
     
  13. PropertyInsight

    PropertyInsight Well-Known Member

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    Thanks all for your replies. You have a lot of helpful advice.

    The trees are high. I thinks if I should cut the palm pronds or cut the whole palm trees. As 6 trees, the cost of cutting the palm pronds are also expensive if they have to be cut every 3 months for 6 trees.
     
  14. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

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    Why do you think they have to be trimmed every 3 months? Most guides recommend only trimming dead fronds and not over trimming.
     
    Last edited: 21st Apr, 2018
  15. WattleIdo

    WattleIdo midas touch

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    I'd get the trees trimmed and cleaned by someone who knows what they're doing. Then you don't have to worry and you have happy tenants. Sometimes there are issues that new tenants see that no-one noticed before. Property managers are not always aware of what needs doing. On the plus side, the place gets brought up-to-date without you having to do the work and it becomes more tenant friendly.
    If the requests go on and on, they either have to leave or you have to say no.
    Maintaining trees is the landlord's responsibility and in my view it's not fair to make a new tenant pay for the trimming of your trees.
     
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  16. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

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    At least they didn't use Facebook for their frond request.
     
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  17. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    Sometimes palm trees go all year without dropping any fronds. This year, they molt continuously, due to the unusually wet weather. Mine at home here are compact and I take care of them myself, every week. There are some across the road from us up to 10 metres high. A tenant cant be expected to cut off the dying fronds themselves before they drop from that height. If yours are this second group, maybe it's time to call in a professional gardener with a chainsaw. I would ask the PM for photos.

    BTW there are a few varieties of Qld palms that dont drop any fronds. They should never have been planted, but were quite popular at one time.
     
  18. Marg4000

    Marg4000 Well-Known Member

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    Palms of this size are your responsibility. You certainly do not want a tenant being told to deal with this, then facing the consequences of a tenant falling from a high ladder.

    Send in the professionals to trim the dead fronds and seed brackets. This will probably have to be repeated at least annually.

    Or have the palms removed. You can’t prune them.
    Marg
     
  19. Paul@PAS

    Paul@PAS Tax, Accounting + SMSF + All things Property Tax Business Plus Member

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    If the palms have seed pods you may also have issues if their dog or a neighbours dog eats one of the seeds. They get stuck internally in stomach etc and its very costly surgery if the animal survives. Palm Seed Trees - Paddington Pups

    These seeds also attract bats - and they drop tar like *****

    Trimming trees if they drop fronds or fruit / pods is a issue for the landlord.
     
  20. 738

    738 Well-Known Member

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    Lol at the comments having a dig at the tenant. What a joke. If they need pruning then do it.

    I would have thought it better having a tenant that advises of reasonable maintenance issues than a tenant that lets these issues and other slide to a point where they cost more money or
    become a bigger liability/risk.