My landlord was having a bad day so he destroyed my garden – he offered to pay to replace it but it’s beyond fixing
A RENTER revealed how her landlord completely destroyed her flowerbeds after having a bad day.
She shared pictures of the mess he created in her garden after letting himself in.
In her Reddit post, user Revolutionary-Exit97 explained how her landlord went from lending her a trimmer to “destroying my garden.”
The Reddit user said she had been planning to tackle a gardening job that she had been putting off.
“I asked to borrow his hedge cutter to cut back a huge overgrown clemantis that I’ve left to its own devices for years,” she wrote.
Experts recommend pruning the plant type once a year to prevent overgrowth.
Due to her procrastination, the plant had grown quite large and began to overtake her garden.
The Redditor’s pictures show the large hedge on the fence before and after her landlord tackled it.
Despite his renter only asking for the loan of the his trimmer, the man took it upon himself to take care of the clemantis.
However, he not only trimmed back the plant but also destroyed his tenants flower beds.
The landlord said he wasn’t in the right head space when he carried out the job.
“Apparently he was having a bad day at home with his wife, that’s his actual excuse,” the Reddit user revealed.
“So he lets himself into my garden with a STRIMMER and destroys the whole plant as well as everything that I was growing in the bed underneath.”
Her pictures showed the significant damage done to her flowerbeds and garden.
“He offered to pay me to replace everything as well as drop round bags of compost to help.”
While she didn’t think most of the plants could be saved, the Reddit user said she was grateful for her landlord’s sincere apology.
Gardening mistakes that could get you fined
Gardening experts over at Toolstation have revealed the garden laws you need to be aware of not breaking.
While some of these laws could land you with a fine of up to £20,000 in extreme cases, a friendly chat with your neighbours can usually resolve any issues.
Tree removal and pruning: If you have a tree in your garden you want to get rid of you better think twice and do your research.
The gardening experts reveal: “If one neighbour wishes to remove or heavily prune a tree that the other neighbour values, disputes can arise over the impact on the view, shade, or privacy. “
While it might cause a row, if it is in your property boundary it is ultimately your choice, unless it has a Tree Protection Order on it.
“But, some trees may be protected by a Tree Protection Order which makes it an offence to uproot, top or destroy them, the experts warn.
The maximum fine for breaking this law is £20,000, so make sure you double check if it does have a TPO.
You can find out by contacting your local council for a map that shows this information. Alternatively, you can ask to speak with your local tree officer.
Property boundaries and fences: One of the main causes of neighbours falling out is through arguing over property boundaries and fencing.
To avoid this situation, the gardening pros recommend checking the deeds of your property to determine the correct boundaries
“Most of the time, it’s easy to determine who owns the fence as the fence posts will usually be on the owners side,” they add.
“Additionally, the height of fences or hedges can cause disputes between neighbours if one party feels the height has exceeded the two metre guidance.
“Hedges and fences should be no more than two metres high, and you could be asked by the council to take them down if a neighbour complains about the height.
“Luckily, standard fence sizes are less than two metres tall so you shouldn’t have a problem.”
Garden structures and additions: A pergola is the perfect addition to a garden if you want somewhere to relax in the shade.
But if it obstructs your neighbour’s view or violates local building regulations it could cause a dispute, as can sheds and other garden structures.
“If you’re not sure, have a chat with your neighbours to let them know what you’re planning and, if there’s an issue, get in touch with your local council who can give you more guidance,” advise the gardening experts.
Overhanging branches and plants: “When branches, vines, or roots from one neighbour’s tree or plant extend into the neighbouring property, it can lead to disagreements over potential damage to structures, blocked views, or the burden of maintenance,” reveal the pros.
However, it’s important to note you can only trim overhanging branches up to the boundary of your property otherwise, it could be seen as trespassing.
You can climb into the tree to carry out the work if needed, but only on your property and make sure to stay on your side of the fence if you don’t have permission to enter your neighbours garden.
She added that he also is charging her a reduced rent rate while she works to fix her flowerbeds.
Reddit users shared their thoughts on the situation in the comments section.
“I say take the money and the compost he is offering! That clematis is well established and will recover, probably quicker than you think,” advised one reader.
“I don’t know if it can be saved but I just wanted to offer sympathy,” said another gardening enthusiast.
“It’s such a pain when landlords pull stunts like this,” commented a third person.