[Rwirish]

Why would this be an issue? If asked and you don’t want to do something just say no.

Florida’s Friendliest Home Town

[llmcdaniel]

Thank God for our dear neighbors. We had one text us that a sprinkler head was broken and water was running down the street. Another took pictures of our yard out of control with weeds and sent them to us. In both cases, we were paying Massey almost $200/month for lawn care, weed spraying, shrub trimming, bug spraying. Needless to say, they admitted to accidentally ruining the sprinkler head and fixed it. As for the weed issue, at first they said they had been spraying but changed their tune when we sent pics. I’m very thankful our neighbors letting us know what was not getting done.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

We don't "maintain" our neighbor's property exactly - but when they're out of town for a few weeks we're happy to go in and switch the lights every day so it looks like someone's still there, water a plant if it needs watering, bring in the mail for them, flush a toilet every week, little stuff like that. I'm grateful they'd do the same for us.

I would prefer a neighbor hire a company to do those maintenance functions. When hubby and I were seasonal, we never asked a neighbor to take of these things. We hired a company to maintain and check our home. The company was insured in case there was any sort of problem.

What if a neighbor forgot to turn off the main water and there was a leak in the water line of the fridge which wasn't discovered for a week or so? That happened to a neighbor of ours in NJ after they sold their home and the new owners weren't going to move in right away. In one week that water made so much damage, the floor nearly caved in. It was a two story home. It can happen.

I would not want to be responsible to check anyone's home in their absence. There is too much that can go wrong. Another one......the A/C malfunctions and mold grows in the home. Who is responsible for that? The home owner or the person responsible for "watching" the home?

[rjn5656]

My neighbor only uses his house about 4 weeks a year. When he asks about mtc, I usually give him names he can call. I do have a key and occasionally go in and check his ac.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by llmcdaniel

Thank God for our dear neighbors. We had one text us that a sprinkler head was broken and water was running down the street. Another took pictures of our yard out of control with weeds and sent them to us. In both cases, we were paying Massey almost $200/month for lawn care, weed spraying, shrub trimming, bug spraying. Needless to say, they admitted to accidentally ruining the sprinkler head and fixed it. As for the weed issue, at first they said they had been spraying but changed their tune when we sent pics. I’m very thankful our neighbors letting us know what was not getting done.

Those things, I would expect a neighbor to do and I would do in return. It doesn't take much to take a photo and send to the person who is not there to see that their property is not being maintained by a landscape company. The catch is that the neighbor was not RESPONSIBLE for noticing these things.

Once, when we were seasonal, our Crepe Myrtle trees were bursting with blooms. My neighbor sent us photos just so we could see how pretty the trees were. That was a nice gesture but I surely wasn't expecting those photos.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by rjn5656

My neighbor only uses his house about 4 weeks a year. When he asks about mtc, I usually give him names he can call. I do have a key and occasionally go in and check his ac.

I would not set one foot in that home unless there was water running down the street from inside the home. (That happened to another neighbor on my NJ street. The water line to the washing machine burst which caused a flood while she was at work).

Anyone who is not in their home for 11 months a year should have a property management company and let that company be responsible for checking and maintaining it.

What is mtc?

[greenflash245]

don't do it. you are taking on more legal responsibility than you can imagine, by taking care of surplice while we are gone. ask them to hire appropriate service people plus home watch. if in doubt, ask a lawyer about your involvement

[GaryKoca]

I think it is a terrible idea, and very selfish on the part of your neighbor unless they have a monetary arrangement worked out. We are in The Villages roughly half time, and I have a guy whose business is mowing lawns, cut the grass and trim the bushes when necessary. I have a housewatch person look over the house periodically, and I have Massey do the fertilization and spraying when necessary.

[greenflash245]

hire home watch. by accepting key, you place their property in your care, custody and control. thereby becoming liable if some bad ju ju happens

[Anne17]

I have often done this for neighbors and have absolutely no problem in doing so. ; that's the meaning of neighbor in my opinion.

[Rosebud1949]

The Villages have or "had" an Empty Nest Process. Where for so many $$$ a day they would check your property in your absence. Please say no, you would be held liable for something if there were problems.

[raney3099]

Definitely not. The house next door to me is a rental, so what I do is when I see the trees or shrubs need trimming and maintenance, I text him to remind him and the person who does mine will do his when they come. That’s the extent of that. I’m not down here to work for others. Minor issues of course I’ll just let him know . If you want more than that, hire someone. That’s definitely a neighbor I would stay away from. Think it’s nervy you ask.

[toeser]

Originally Posted by Rite2jamie

Does anyone else have the issue with neighbors in your community who live in Canada or other parts of the country during the summer asking you to help maintain the property while they are away just because you live her full-time?

We are people who leave for several months each summer. We pay our neighbors to take of some things while we are gone.

[Strongel]

Originally Posted by Rite2jamie

Does anyone else have the issue with neighbors in your community who live in Canada or other parts of the country during the summer asking you to help maintain the property while they are away just because you live her full-time?

This is normal good neighbour thing in Canada especially if you live away from the city. Don’t be offended. A polite no will suffice and you will get a polite okay back.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

If it was a snowbird, I'd say no to actual maintenance, and give him the number of some local companies that offer the service for a fee. I would STILL keep an eye on the place, from the distance. And let him know if anything weird happened. Like if their hot water heater blows up, or the lawn guy mows over the sprinkler head and breaks it, or if I see people I don't recognize wandering around inside his house at 10PM.

And yes if that hot water heater blew up, you can bet your bippie I would be out there turning the valve off so that they don't use up thousands of gallons of water every day, ruining their *and my* property line by flooding it. I wouldn't refuse to do that just because they "have a guy" local who gets paid for it.

I'd do it, and then call "the guy" and have them fix the problem.