A renter has sparked debate after revealing they were handed a 10-day notice to vacate their home unless they agreed to fix what many are calling a ‘ridiculous’ problem immediately.
The American tenant took to Reddit to vent their frustration after receiving the warning from a new leasing manager, claiming their backyard was ‘too cluttered with plants.’
In a post that has since divided thousands of commenters, the renter explained they had lived in the same apartment complex for years, gradually building what they described as a thriving garden filled with cactus varieties and desert-friendly plants.
But following a recent inspection, everything changed.
‘I got a ten-day notice because my backyard was too cluttered with plants,’ they wrote.
‘The lease has no mention of such a rule, and as I’ve lived here through about five different ownership companies, I told them to f*** off unless they want me to file for intimidation.’
According to the tenant, the notice made no reference to safety concerns, access issues or hazards – only that the space appeared ‘too cluttered’.
‘The lease just says our patio space must only have plants and patio furniture and nothing more, which is what we have,’ they added.
A tenant took to Reddit to vent their frustration after receiving the warning from a new leasing manager, claiming their backyard was ‘too cluttered with plants’
The situation appears to hinge on interpretation rather than any clear breach of rules, and that’s exactly what has fuelled the fiery online reaction.
Some readers were quick to question whether there was more to the story.
‘I’d be curious to read the complaint,’ one said.
‘If it is a trip and fall hazard, they may have a case. you may need to rearrange your garden,’ one person commented.’
Another echoed a similar sentiment, suggesting the wording may have been off.
‘Too cluttered’ is bad communication for tripping hazard. Move the plants to the fences and you should be fine.’
But the renter insisted that wasn’t the case as the leasing manager hadn’t mentioned it being too cluttered, and that there are clear walking paths wide enough to walk through.
They also claimed neighbours had never raised any concerns, which they believed to be quite the opposite.
‘Our neighbours like our yard as it’s the best in the alley,’ they wrote. ‘Plus, nobody walks through the back alley.’
Still, not everyone was on their side with some comments agreeing with the leasing manager that the space wasn’t up to par.
‘Can we all just be honest that it looks bad lol?’ one wrote.
‘Not to be a d*ck but it seems like that’s obviously the reason here. They’re saying cluttered because it looks like clutter. There’s a way to have plants and furniture without it looking like a mess,’ they added.
‘Your patio is a disaster,’ another agreed.
‘Dead plants all over. Pots tipped over. Clean it up.’
The renter hit back, defending the state of their garden and insisting appearances were misleading
The renter hit back, defending the state of their garden and insisting appearances were misleading.
‘There are two dead plants and one dead cactus, the empty pot you see has cactus arms laying in it to callous,’ they replied.
Others rallied behind them, arguing the space had personality and questioned whether landlords should be policing aesthetics at all.
‘I only see plants and patio furniture, what a bunch of scrooges,’ one supporter commented.
‘Especially knowing how much careful work goes into those plants.’
‘There is absolutely nothing wrong with your garden, someone just doesn’t like it and tries to make trouble. What case do they have? Nothing that makes sense,’ another chimed in.
And for some, the debate went beyond one backyard entirely.
‘Totally disagree. The neighbours have nothing on their porches and balconies and those spaces look creepy and un-lived in,’ a third debated.
‘Do they seriously just want empty slabs of concrete instead of plants? It’s so weird.’
‘Disagree, it has character and looks welcoming,’ one said, agreeing.
‘Plus my front porch and yard area is filled with random potted plants just like this (as well as a hammock and chairs), and a lot of our neighbours have told us how cool our porch looks.’
In the end, the renter revealed they had attempted to reach a compromise by emailing agreeing that they’d straighten up the space and replace some plants.
But the incident has left many questioning where the line should be drawn between maintaining a property and controlling how tenants choose to live in it.
