If you own a rental property or a commercial building in Reno, you’ve probably handed off a lot of day-to-day tasks to a property management company. That arrangement works well for tenant communication, rent collection, and maintenance calls — but tree care is where things get murky. Knowing who is actually responsible for the trees on your property can save you from a costly dispute or a liability claim down the road.
Does a Property Management Company Handle Tree Service in Reno?
Sometimes, but not reliably. Property management companies in Reno typically coordinate routine maintenance — fixing leaky faucets, scheduling carpet cleaning, handling HVAC inspections. Tree care is a different matter. Most property managers act as middlemen: they’ll call a vendor when a branch falls on a fence or a tenant complains, but they rarely keep a licensed arborist on staff or include proactive tree trimming in their standard service agreements.
Whether tree service is included in your contract depends entirely on the language in that agreement. Some contracts specify “grounds maintenance,” which may or may not include tree trimming services or stump removal services. Others explicitly exclude anything above a certain height or involving climbing equipment. Read the contract carefully. If it doesn’t mention tree pruning services or emergency tree removal by name, assume it isn’t covered.
Nevada doesn’t have a state statute that forces property managers to maintain trees as part of a standard management agreement, so this is purely a contractual issue. The Nevada Real Estate Division regulates property management licensing but leaves the scope of services to the individual contract. That means the burden falls on property owners to close the gap.
What Gets Left Out Most Often?
The gaps show up in three places.
First, proactive trimming. Most property managers respond to problems rather than preventing them. A tree with overgrown limbs touching a roofline or growing toward power lines needs attention before it becomes an emergency — not after. Property managers rarely schedule tree trimming services on a seasonal basis unless a property owner specifically asks and pays for it.
Second, emergency tree removal. After a windstorm — and Reno gets serious wind events, particularly in late fall and winter — a downed or severely damaged tree needs to come out fast. The International Society of Arboriculture defines hazard trees as any tree with structural defects that could cause injury or property damage. If your property manager doesn’t have a 24-hour emergency tree removal contact on speed dial, you may be the one getting the 2 a.m. call.
Third, stump removal services and cleanup. Even when a property manager does arrange tree removal, they sometimes stop at the cut. The stump stays, and so does the debris. Leftover stumps create trip hazards, attract pests, and look bad to prospective tenants. A complete job should include the stump.
What Property Owners Should Do?
Get specific in writing. If you want your property manager to oversee tree care services, add it to the contract with clear parameters — what qualifies as routine trimming, what dollar amount triggers owner approval, and who handles emergencies.
Get your own professional arborist services lined up regardless. A certified arborist can assess the trees on your property annually, flag hazards before they become insurance claims, and give you documentation that shows due diligence. The USDA Forest Service recommends routine inspection of urban trees precisely because structural failures are largely preventable with early identification.
For commercial properties, this matters even more. A commercial maintenance landscaping plan that includes scheduled tree care protects your tenants, limits liability, and keeps the property appealing. For single-family rentals, a residential maintenance landscaping arrangement with defined tree care responsibilities does the same thing.
Also consider pairing tree care with your seasonal property prep. Spring and fall cleanup services are a natural time to have a tree professional on site — they can clear debris, check root health, and identify any winter damage while the cleanup crew is already working.
How to Fill the Gap?
If your property manager isn’t covering tree care — or you’re not confident they have the right vendor relationships — go directly to a qualified local company. American Lawn and Landscaping LLC provides residential tree service, commercial tree service, tree trimming services, tree pruning services, emergency tree removal, and stump removal services throughout the Reno, Nevada area. The team brings hands-on experience with the species and conditions specific to northern Nevada — including the Ponderosa pines, cottonwoods, and elms common to this region.
See what property owners in the area have said by reading Reno client testimonials. You can also check our work in the gallery to get a sense of the scope and quality of completed projects.
The Arbor Day Foundation puts it plainly: the right pruning at the right time extends tree life and reduces structural risk. That’s not something to leave to chance or a vague contract clause.
Stop guessing what your property manager covers. Get in touch with American Lawn and Landscaping LLC, or call us directly at (775) 618-6801. You can also stop by our Reno office to talk through what your property needs. Taking ownership of your trees — literally and figuratively — is one of the better decisions you can make as a property owner in Reno.