Forum Topic

Front Gardens on my street. AGHHH !!!

I live in a house at the Acton Lane end of Bollo Bridge Road and i try to keep my front garden tidy and clean but the street as a whole is a shambles. Mostly because the houses are let out by landlords who probably live in ignorant bliss 100 miles away and tenants who dont care. But it massively drags a street down, you only have to go under the bridge into Chiswick to see what decent front gardens do.Any ideas? Shame them? (but how) Guerrilla tidy them? Or am i being a grumpy old man? - im 40 in 3 week so perhaps that is it !

antony obrien ● 5860d15 Comments

i am 40 in 1 week you are not being grumpy!!!!

Emma Daniels ● 5860d

Yes blame landlords, plenty of tenants don't care but plenty do. However sky high rents don't leave much cash for improving the appearance of someone else's property, and in the end for their benefit. Getting many landlords to do much is a mission impossible and gardens come pretty low down on things that need mending, fixing etc. If I paint, fix, generally do up and improve one more rented property I will emigrate to sunnier climes. And as for buying my own place so that I feel like I am doing the improvements for my long term enjoyment - fingers crossed for the Euro millions!!!

Guy Campbell ● 5860d

Yes blame landlords, plenty of tenants don't care but plenty do. However sky high rents don't leave much cash for improving the appearance of someone else's property, and in the end for their benefit. Getting many landlords to do much is a mission impossible and gardens come pretty low down on things that need mending, fixing etc. If I paint, fix, generally do up and improve one more rented property I will emigrate to sunnier climes. And as for buying my own place so that I feel like I am doing the improvements for my long term enjoyment - fingers crossed for the Euro millions!!!

Guy Campbell ● 5860d

But surely it's the tenants responsibility to keep the front garden litter free and tidy at least even if not sparkling and newly painted. And a few seeds or a windowbox work wonders if maintained even on a slightly rundown property.

Sara Nathan ● 5860d

In my opinion. If the property is leased to a single occupying tenant where the tenant has sole right of use of the front garden then I do agree that it should be the tenant's responsibility to keep it clean.But it the property is leased to more then one tenant even if it's only two tenants then the property should be considered as multi-occupying and therefore it should be the sole responsibility of the landlord to keep common areas clean. You can't expect properties with multi occupants to be taken care by the tenants because there will always be someone who does not care. You can't expect some tenant to keep common areas clean and not others.Leasing/renting multi-tenant properties is a business. It should be landlords responsibility to keep maintain properties and that includes keeping the property clean.

Peter Kenneth ● 5859d

In my opinion. If the property is leased to a single occupying tenant where the tenant has sole right of use of the front garden then I do agree that it should be the tenant's responsibility to keep it clean.But it the property is leased to more then one tenant even if it's only two tenants then the property should be considered as multi-occupying and therefore it should be the sole responsibility of the landlord to keep common areas clean. You can't expect properties with multi occupants to be taken care by the tenants because there will always be someone who does not care. You can't expect some tenant to keep common areas clean and not others.Leasing/renting multi-tenant properties is a business. It should be landlords responsibility to keep maintain properties and that includes keeping the property clean.

Peter Kenneth ● 5859d

In my opinion. If the property is leased to a single occupying tenant where the tenant has sole right of use of the front garden then I do agree that it should be the tenant's responsibility to keep it clean.But it the property is leased to more then one tenant even if it's only two tenants then the property should be considered as multi-occupying and therefore it should be the sole responsibility of the landlord to keep common areas clean. You can't expect properties with multi occupants to be taken care by the tenants because there will always be someone who does not care. You can't expect some tenant to keep common areas clean and not others.Leasing/renting multi-tenant properties is a business. It should be landlords responsibility to keep maintain properties and that includes keeping the property clean.

Peter Kenneth ● 5859d

In my opinion. If the property is leased to a single occupying tenant where the tenant has sole right of use of the front garden then I do agree that it should be the tenant's responsibility to keep it clean.But it the property is leased to more then one tenant even if it's only two tenants then the property should be considered as multi-occupying and therefore it should be the sole responsibility of the landlord to keep common areas clean. You can't expect properties with multi occupants to be taken care by the tenants because there will always be someone who does not care. You can't expect some tenant to keep common areas clean and not others.Leasing/renting multi-tenant properties is a business. It should be landlords responsibility to keep maintain properties and that includes keeping the property clean.

Peter Kenneth ● 5859d

Antony, I sympathise.  We have Housing Association properties in our road, the front gardens of which are a disgrace.  You give people nice homes and they abuse them.  So what to do?1.  Is this just one property or a number of properties?2.  Who owns the properties?  The only way to find out is by way of a Land Registry search which will cost you money, but may solve the problem.3.  Is this a Council Enviromental Health issue?  ie, is the waste in the gardens of a food/rotting nature which could be construed as causing a health problem to neighbours?If you could answer questions 1 and 2  I will try and point you in the right direction.

Dee Cook ● 5859d

Its a number of property's but when i counted them yesterday on my way home, it wasnt quite as many as i thought. Maybe 10 or so out of 30 - i guess you notice the messy ones.And i doubt its any issue the council could legitimately follow up. Its just untidyness really, recycling boxes scattered around, some rubbish, tall weeds. its just frustrating, i cycle thru Bedford Park and its lovely, ok the houses are nicer but in the main its cared for front gardens that does it.Id far rather get the street to take responsibility for itself.

antony obrien ● 5859d

It is funny, that when you start counting the problem, it is not as large as you first thought!But experience shows that many such properties are full of transient people, just trying to make ends meet. Keeping their gardens tidy and their curtains/windows clean fall very low down on their agendas.So there are things that can be done, but you need to find out who the owners of the properties are - often this is very revealing indeed.If you strike lucky and they are owned by Housing Associations or even Ealing Council you can do something.Else, you could call a residents meeting to discuss ---- not much hope here, but you never know.I'd spend some cash and find out who the owners are.But you could of course (as I do sometimes) pick up the litter and put it in the nearest dustbin.

Dee Cook ● 5859d

My all means expect householders/tenants to do their bit, but the main problem is with the scumbags who drop their litter into nearest garden or onto pavement from where it will blow into people's gardens.

Paul Grady ● 5859d

Paul, if that is happening on a regular basis, it could be something that your local Litter Enforcement Officer could deal with.  The issuing of a few Fixed Penality Tickets for littering could stop this unsocial behaviour.Report it to customers@ealing.gov.uk for passing on to the appropriate Council Department.

Dee Cook ● 5856d

could be worse.. !http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-11211538

antony obrien ● 5855d

The properties with squatters have already been mentioned on the forum a while ago.One is on the corner of Summerlands Avenue/Horn Lane, the end house facing Springfield Dentist.The other is in Lynton Road, a large corner plot, I think it is on he corner of Lynton Rad & Pierpoint Road. That has been empty for years, then the front garden was cleaned up. Now squatters are there again.I heard the owners of these properties live overseas! I have no further details.As for the neighbour with broken gutters - obviously not bothered - the owner lives at the property. Strange to let one's home and gardens become so neglected.

Jean F Fernandez ● 5855d