A Reddit user shared their frustration after their landlord's decision to adjust the sprinklers left them with a high water bill. The post raises questions about the challenges of maintaining resource-heavy lawns.
In the post, the tenant explained they already pay "top dollar" for rent and cover all utilities. To offset the cost of keeping the yard watered, the landlord had been providing a small stipend.
That arrangement seemed fair enough — until the landlord adjusted the sprinklers to use four times more water. Unsurprisingly, the tenant's water bill got higher, but the stipend stayed the same.
When they brought up the issue and asked for an increased stipend, the landlord dismissed their concerns and told them to "be grateful to have a home with a yard."
Not willing to drop the issue, the tenant timed the sprinklers, measured how much water was being used, and calculated the actual cost of watering the yard. Even after showing the numbers, the landlord "flipped out" and dismissed their concerns.
Unfortunately, it's not unusual for landlords to shut down simple, sustainable options like rain catching systems or letting lawns brown naturally in dry months, which can make it harder for renters who want to make eco-friendly changes.
Others may prevent tenants from implementing water-saving measures like installing rain barrels or adopting xeriscaping practices, which is a natural, eco-friendly way to reduce the need to water lawns.
For tenants hoping to start these conversations with their landlords, a solutions-focused approach to renegotiating existing agreements is a great first step.
"Grass will almost always just go dormant. NBD. Next time it rains, poof—green again," one user said. "If vegetation can't survive as-is, it doesn't belong there."
Others questioned why tenants are often expected to maintain lawns that require excessive water, especially in climates where grass doesn't thrive naturally. Â
Another commenter wrote, "Our landlord doesn't want the lawn to die so they take care of the water bill for us, and also any garden maintenance."
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