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Tenant 'livid' over landlord's heavy-handed approach to lawn care: 'They … chopped [it] down to the dirt'

"While at work today, I got a text from my landlord."

"While at work today, I got a text from my landlord."

Photo Credit: iStock

One Toronto, Canada, tenant was out for revenge after they claimed their landlord had killed their vegetable harvest.

According to the Redditor, they received permission to plant a garden when they first signed the lease to the home. "I have a vegetable garden in the lawn with a wooden divider to separate it from the rest of the lawn, and all the plants have labels in front of them, very clearly a garden," they said.

However, others seemed to have trouble with the distinction. "While at work today I got a text from my landlord that she had hired someone to cut the front lawn today," the gardener said. "I came home to find that in addition to cutting the grass, they had also chopped the entire garden down to the dirt."

The tenant speculated that the landlord had ordered it to be done on purpose because she didn't like the vegetable garden's weeds. "I'm assuming she considered it an eyesore as we are moving out soonish and she's looking for new tenants, but not once did she tell me to take care of it," said the Redditor.

Other tenants have also struggled with landlords who went out of their way to destroy healthy gardens.

After all the care the original poster put in, spending time and money, they didn't even get to enjoy the vegetables. "Now, when everything was nearly ripe enough to harvest, she kills it. I am livid," they said.

Not only did the move deprive them of their veggies, it also created unnecessary waste and ensured the original poster would have to buy more food from the store — a small but frustrating contribution to the waste and pollution that is damaging the planet.

After this experience, the tenant wanted to retaliate. "I noticed in our lease it says we are allowed to paint, but it doesn't specify that I must only paint the walls solid colors. So my question is, can I legally spray paint all over this s***** apartment out of spite?" they asked.

While the idea was satisfying, cooler heads prevailed in the comment section. "As angry/petty as you feel, I think it's best to let your landlord know they damaged your personal property and find out what they plan to do to make amends," said one user.

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