Question:
I leased a detached home recently. The Landlord put a couple sentences in one of the schedules about the Tenant cutting the grass and shoveling the snow.
I now discover that this is contrary to the provisions of Ontario’s new standard Lease Form.
Answer:
If the Tenant is going to cut the lawn, this has to be handled outside of the Lease by separate agreement. There should not be a clause in the Lease saying that it’s the Tenant’s responsibility. That clause would be unenforceable under the Residential Tenancies Act.
So, the Landlord is now looking for someone to cut the lawn for $50 per week. Maybe the Tenant offers or one of the teenagers in the house could use some extra cash? That arrangement is fine.
By the way, Municipalities really didn’t like Owners saying that upkeep was the Tenant’s responsibility.
Brian Madigan LL.B., Broker