At present, my plowing contractor plows all the residents driveways. I do not charge the residents. My thinking is I’d rather have one guy who is careful, knows where things like curbstops are and is insured rather than just anybody with plow on a pickup that a resident wants to hire. Residents really appreciate the driveway plowing included in the rent. It helps justify the high rent. Plus, the previous owner included it but he had his own truck with plow.
This is getting expensive!! We no longer seem to have “normal” amounts of snowfall. I’m on track for another $6000 plowing bill this season. I was planning on $2500. Driveways are a 40% of the cost.
I’m thinking of discontinuing the “driveway plowing included in the rent” but am concerned about having half a dozen plow guys I don’t know in the park, residents plowing their own drives and their neighbors etc. Concerns range from who ripped up a lawn, to who pushed snow and dislodged an oil tank and liability issues.
On the other hand, if I no longer including driveway plowing in the lot rent, it doesn’t seem right to tell residents they can’t hire who they want to plow their drive. Or that a resident can’t plow his elderly neighbor’s drive for free. I’m not sure of the legalities of telling residents they have to use my plow contractor. Another issue is that currently if their car isn’t moved by the time the plow comes, my plow guy doesn’t come back later. If they pay, residents will feel the plow is obligated to come back if they didn’t move the car in time.
I’m thinking of providing a subsidized rate. Residents sign up for my guy, prepay the park for the service. But no one else can plow anybody else’s drive except relatives and their own for insurance purposes. Sounds hard to enforce.
Anyone else dealt with these plowing issues?
Andy