Plants are great, aren't they? Tending to them can help you reduce stress, and having them around can boost the air quality in your home. That's not to mention the fact they can effortlessly brighten up a space.
Since not everyone is lucky enough to have a substantial yard to make the most of any green-fingered intentions, house plants or pots on the balcony are solutions to embrace the many benefits that flora can bring.
But one Florida tenant was dismayed that their landlord had implemented a penalty for having plants on their balcony, warning of a $100 fine per item per month for "non allowed items on balcony or patio."
The tenant took to the r/legaladvice subreddit for some guidance, noting the warning had been left at multiple homes and that they have "multiple large (and rare) well-tended plants in pots" in their space.
After observing that there was no such stipulation in the original terms of the lease, the Redditor asked a few questions. Did the landlord have the power to change the rules of a lease without tenant agreement? Did they have the power to enforce fines? And since the tenant was shown the apartment by the property manager under the requirement that their new home had space for plants, could they then argue against these punishments?
"Should I tell them to pound sand now, or when they try to fine me?" was the final query.
"Pound sand, imo," was the response from one sympathetic commenter. "This is what leases are for. Be prepared to have them ask you to leave when your lease is up though."
Thankfully, it seems the tenant will not have to give up their prized plants, as the owner's request was not going to be enforced by the property management team.
"I would consider getting that statement in a non-verbal way," another Redditor advised. "Probably just email the office asking for clarification and include your statement that it isn't included in the lease you signed. Just in case."
This isn't the only case of landlords introducing needless rules about houseplants, but it's another frustrating example of not being allowed to make beneficial changes where you live.
People under HOAs often experience the same baffling bylaws, whether it's being denied the installation of a native plant garden rather than a monoculture lawn or being told solar panels are not allowed on a property.
But there are ways to work with landlords or HOAs to make them see why such changes can be beneficial not only to the happiness of tenants but also to the planet.
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