'As we discussed, you’re paying': Renters casually suggest a lawn upgrade, landlord plants grass and hits them with a surprise $4.2K invoice

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Oct 17, 2024 10:00 AM EDT

When you're renting, you never expect to be stuck footing the bill for long-term upgrades on someone else's property—especially when it comes with a hefty price tag. That's exactly what happened to one couple who casually mentioned to their property manager that it would be nice to have grass in their front yard instead of dirt. When they moved in, they were told the dirt yard was due to pipe maintenance and thought that was the end of it. But soon after their impromptu conversation with the landlord, the gardener showed up and planted grass. Excited about their unexpected lawn upgrade, the couple's happiness quickly turned to shock when they got hit with a $4.2K invoice. They had never agreed to pay for the new lawn or even been told it was happening.

People in the comments were quick to point out that the landlord doesn't have much ground to stand on (pun intended) but the couple should prepare to find a new place once their lease is up. Because after this whole debacle, there's a slim chance that their lease will get renewed.

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  • 01
    r/Renters 6 days ago oatmilkisgood We told our property manager how nice it would be to have grass and a nice front lawn and she took it as us agreeing to pay invoice
    via u/oatmilkisgood
  • 02
    Told our property manager it would be really nice to have grass in our place and a nicer front lawn since it was just dirt. This was when we were viewing the place and after we moved in cus she was telling us the front lawn looks like this because the
    via u/oatmilkisgood
  • 03
    maintenance guy is fixing some pipes. One day the gardener just installed grass and upgraded the front lawn. No one spoke to us about what we would want, we didn't see a
    via u/oatmilkisgood
  • 04
    quote/invoice, we didn't agree to paying for anything. Then we get a text saying, "as we discussed you're paying for the invoice" the invoice is 4.2k... that's a significant amount of money....
    via u/oatmilkisgood
  • 05
    She's saying that i said i wanted a nicer backyard and I admitted I said it. Just because i verbally say it would be nice to have a nicer area doesn't indicate im agreeing to pay for something?!? Don't know what to do... we
    via u/oatmilkisgood
  • 06
    would've done it ourselves or looked for a more affordable option if we knew this was gonna happen. Also nothing in our lease/contract says anything about paying for lawn or backyard landscaping. Just that we have to pay for gardener
    via u/oatmilkisgood
  • 07
    which we have been paying for. Any tips or kind words would help Edit: we didn't ask for any work to be done. We just plainly said how nice it would be if the dirt was grass lol
    via u/oatmilkisgood
  • 08
    ChampagneKitty666 • 6d ago Tell them to get 1 but also prepare for them not to renew when the time comes. If you didn't sign or agree in writing what can they do?
    via u/ChampagneKitty666
  • 09
    MachineOverall1759 • 6d ago Reply back with. "We did not discuss this. We will not be paying this invoice" Don't elaborate don't extend explanations to try and help them understand their point of view.
    via u/MachineOverall1759
  • 10
    Keep to the facts. You didn't agree to this, and you're not paying for it. They don't have a leg to stand on or a paper trail of its verbal. Just decline.
    via u/MachineOverall1759
  • 11
    TheSensiblePrepper • 6d ago No, you're not responsible for paying. However, they can always come and remove it all.
    via u/TheSensiblePrepper
  • 12
    Beautiful-Report58 . 6d ago Did you tell them about the pony and magic carpet you thought would be amazing too? They can get bent. Unless you signed some strange agreement to pay for these random things out of pocket, you owe nothing.
    via u/Beautiful-Report58
  • 13
    PdxPhoenixActual • 6d ago. "If I pay for it, I'm taking it with me when I leave." Also, NEVER spend your money to make someone else's property "nicer".
    via u/PdxPhoenixActual
  • 14
    StarfishStabber • 6d ago Next time you talk say oh it would be so nice if you would cut my rent in half. Then when they don't, send them an invoice for half the rent because you discussed it..
    via u/StarfishStabber
  • 15
    Maleficent-Set5461 • 6d ago • LL can't charge you for an improvement to their property! You didn't sign any kind of agreement. Not sure why you agreed to pay a gardener when there was no lawn. Let LL take you to court...no way they will win.
    via u/Maleficent-Set5461
  • 16
    • ChattyWick 6d ago Was it part of your rental agreement? I'm guessing no, so you can ignore it and not pay it. But at the end of the year when your lease is up, they won't renew. So plan on moving.
    via u/ChattyWick
  • 17
    Old Turkey Tail • 6d ago • Your property manager's behavior was totally inexplicable until: Just that we have to pay for gardener which we have been paying for. But over 4k is way too much for someone to expect you to pay - after just a casual comment.
    via u/OldTurkeyTail
  • 18
    And it's really hard to find any kind of silver lining here - unless the lawn is really really nice, and you can spend afternoons out there with a kiddy pool and a bbq. (and maybe you can make some of the money back by charging admission.)
    via u/OldTurkeyTail
  • 19
    Little_Thought_8911 • 5d ago As a landlord I can say absolutely this landlord is out of their mind. Never charged a tennant for an upgrade that benefits the house long term. 4k is insane on top of that.
    via u/Little_Thought_8911
  • 20
    steel02001 • 3d ago • Don't text anything back about the grass. Wait a day or two then text, would be really nice to have a brand new kitchen. Keep exploiting this loophole.
    via u/steel02001
  • 21
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    via Unsplash (Getty Images)

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landlord lawn drama yard property manager petty landscape renting Reddit Renters
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