State Specific Question About: MINNESOTA (MN)

Hello,

Please can someone help me out? I am a new Landlord and I have a question I cannot find an answer to. Should I make the tenant cut the grass, or cut the grass myself??? I obviously would like to make it my tenant’s job, but the reason why I don't know what to do is because of the possibility of a tenant taking me to the cleaners with a lawsuit when they cut their toe off. I have been told I would have to pay them workmen’s comp. If anyone else has this problem or anyone with the answer I would really appreciate the info.

Thanks

We're a small operation so we do it ourselves. Over the years we had some tenants do lawn care-most were sloppy and didn't pay attention to weeds, etc.

Hello,

I was not sure if I could add on to my first question, but I do have something to add to my first question. I would like to know what to do with snow removal. In MN it would be impossible to go shovel every time it snows. Can anyone give me some advice on this subject?

Thank you again or the great responses!

On SFH tenants do it. On multi I have it done.

Dominic, I've been working on 18 units in 7 buildings for 14 years.

I move snow to make sure it gets done because we have ordinances that it has to be off the walks in 24 hours. I bought a large snowblower to put at each property and some of my propertys are adjoining so one goes for three, or two sometimes.

Tenants have to dig their cars out. That's in the lease. I go as soon as possible and clear walks. You can hire a snow removal company to come out. They don't come first thing. They go to essential places like hospitals and dr. offices first but they will get to your place hopefully before it freezes up at night. Since you are so far north you probably don't have the wet snows we have here. I have to get there before afternoon or it will freeze up and become impossible.

I have hired lawn services to cut the properties every two weeks and I cut on the off week at least in the front of the place to make it look nice from the road. I put a riding mower at one location for three properties and I carry an electric in a van that I can plug into the landlord electric service. It's light and starts right away.

If you have a day job and can't do this then a lawn service is good every ten days to two weeks but you may have to cut a couple times inbetween in the spring.

I don't think a tenant would be considered an employee if they just mow the lawn as part of the rental agreement. You are not paying them. Aren't they supposed to vaccum the house? What if they get their finger caught in the whirring brush head of the vaccum? Couldn't they sue you because you didn't provide maid service?

I have never had to deal with this issue since I only have several units on each property. But how about putting it in lease that tenant is responsible for paying for lawn service. If they don't live up to responsibilities, they can be evicted. Personally, I would not want to rent to someone that made an agreement to do something and then refused to honor the agreement. Yhat would be a good indicator of future problems to come on other issues from that tenant. And most importantly, that could never be interpreted as making them your employee unless someone bribed the judge.

They could also cut thier finger off when cooking. Or fall when mopping the floor.

On the issue of cutting grass, I have to disagree with post that says not to worry. It is true that it is unlikely you will ever have a problem, but the potential liability is too great of a risk given the fact that the solution is so easy. If there was a huge cost required to avoid the liabilty, you might want to consider not worrying about it but I would never accept that potential liabilty if you can so easily get rid of it.

On snow issues, I have too little knowledge of the details concerning equipment and procedures to contribute.

Maybe I am more paranoid from dealing with hostile rent control type tenants but I would either pay for lawn service myself and put it in lease that I am providing that service so tenant could not refuse vendor access, or I would put it in lease that tenant reimburses me for providing lawn service at rate of whatever it is.

Search the archives here for this issue of the lawn care and the snow removal and you will read where things went sour and what LL's were faced with. Not pretty.

I don't have the snow issue since I am in Long Beach CA. The lawn care issue I solved. I have multi's. I re-landscaped my properties with low to no upkeep required. See my picture pages for a visual. Josh (CA). I do what little is required.

Get Dolittle to do it, he has time.

To add to Josh's good point. I have scene lawns where they are covered with liriope grass.