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Original poster

Dog not allowed in apartment

53 replies

Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 10:38

My son is a massive animal lover and a couple of years ago he rescued a dog from Greece. The dog is absolutely adorable, he is very placid and as good as gold. Recently my son has been unwell so to help him out I have sometimes been looking after the dog in my apartment.The apartment is leasehold and I bought it about 10 years ago and up to now I have had no issues.
Last month I got an email from the management company saying someone had reported that I had a pet dog in my apartment and they are not allowed according to the lease. I replied and told them the Dog just visited from time to time which is the truth. I thought I would hear no more but unfortunately I have received another email saying that dogs aren’t even allowed to visit. I think this is unfair and a very Draconian rule and I just wonder if anyone knows if this is even enforceable. I will be grateful for anyone input.
Just to add a few more details, I never leave the dog alone in the flat so there is no noise and nuisance to anyone. I never walk the dog anywhere near the flats so there is no dog fouling issues. The dog doesn’t moult so there are no dog hairs left in communal areas. The Property management company. manage two other block of flats adjacent to mine and I know there are dogs living within the other apartment blocks. One has lived there for about three years with seemingly no issues or complaints. Unfortunately in my block there is a couple who generally complain about lots of different things, from washing being seen in the windows, parking etc etc. I feel I’m very unfortunate to be living in the block with this couple. Can anyone suggest any way forward with this issue? I really want to continue helping my son out and I love having his dog staying in my apartment. I am retired and the dog gives me such joy and I do not have it on a permanent everyday basis.

OP posts:
Pissenlit · 05/09/2025 10:40

I think you need to move if you want to continue having the dog to stay.

purplecorkheart · 05/09/2025 10:42

Look after the dog at your son's place. I am amazed that you thought the no dog rule doesn't apply because the dog is visiting.

Audiwannabe · 05/09/2025 10:44

If the rule is no dogs in the building then I don't see you can do anything really, I'm a dog lover but I can see that expecting the rule to be overlooked is unreasonable.
Can you look after him and walk him from your son's place?

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bitterexwife · 05/09/2025 10:46

Having also lived in a leasehold with (wankers) ‘management’…. Ignore. Enjoy dog visiting.

Original poster
Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 10:46

@Audiwannabe yes that’s what I’ll have to do. Thank you for everybody’s input.

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 05/09/2025 10:47

If the Head lease states no pets/dogs then you can't have one in the flat
End Of

Original poster
Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 10:48

@bitterexwife thank you. I just feel like it’s unfair as many other people have dog visitors and people also have cats although cats aren’t allowed either. I’m just unlucky that I’ve got the complaining couple in my block

OP posts:
bitterexwife · 05/09/2025 10:50

Tell them the dog keeps your snake in its cage.

Original poster
Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 10:54

@bitterexwife ha ha I love that! I have lived in apartments all my life and most apartments have no dog rule but wherever I’ve lived people just ignore it. I know that a new renters right bill is going through Parliament at the moment which is meant to relax rules on animals in apartment as more people are having to live in flats as families as people can’t afford houses cost of living.

OP posts:
Mrsttcno1 · 05/09/2025 10:54

It’s unlucky that someone has complained but it’s also the rules you agreed to when moving into the flat, it would of course apply to visiting pets as well as resident pets.

VenusClapTrap · 05/09/2025 10:56

This is quite common but it is hard to enforce. I lived in a block with a no animals rule some years ago. I looked after a pair of cats in there, temporarily, and my neighbour complained. He said he disliked animals and rules are rules. In the interests of neighbourly harmony I accepted this. He did agree to give me time to sort out alternative arrangements for them at least.

Then a few years later he moved out and got a tenant. The tenant got a dog. It was very yappy, and I could hear it through the floor, so I let my former neighbour know that his tenant was breaking the animal rule. It turned out that he now had a dog himself, had decided he liked animals and wasn’t going to stop his tenant having one. There was no means to enforce it so I was stuck with the yapping until the tenant eventually moved out.

Original poster
Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 10:58

@Mrsttcno1 thank you for your response. I’m very law abiding and looked into the lease when I moved in. It states you are not allowed to own a pet but it doesn’t state you are not allowed any visitors with a pet.. As there are dogs and numerous cats living here and other people that have dog visitors I feel like I’m being discriminated against purely because I have fussy neighbours in my block

OP posts:
Original poster
Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 11:02

@VenusClapTrap thank you for your reply. I’m sorry you were stuck with a yapping dog. That’s what I was interested in…. how would they reinforce it? Are they going to have someone monitoring the comings and goings from my apartment for example?

OP posts:
LuckyNumberFive · 05/09/2025 11:04

What does the leasehold actually say?
Does it say you are not allowed to own a dog, a dog is not allowed to live in the block, or the block is entirely animal-free?

Hoppinggreen · 05/09/2025 11:04

Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 10:54

@bitterexwife ha ha I love that! I have lived in apartments all my life and most apartments have no dog rule but wherever I’ve lived people just ignore it. I know that a new renters right bill is going through Parliament at the moment which is meant to relax rules on animals in apartment as more people are having to live in flats as families as people can’t afford houses cost of living.

You are correct but landlords will still be able to refuse people with pets, they just won't give that as the reason. Plus if the building is no pets it won't matter as a Landlord can't over rule that

BoredZelda · 05/09/2025 11:07

LuckyNumberFive · 05/09/2025 11:04

What does the leasehold actually say?
Does it say you are not allowed to own a dog, a dog is not allowed to live in the block, or the block is entirely animal-free?

This would be my question too.

Surely they can’t have a clause that says dogs are not allowed in the apartments at all? Usually it says you can’t own a dog, doesn’t it?

MissMoneyFairy · 05/09/2025 11:08

The dog hasn't just visited from time to time, it stays with you, that's why it's been reported. If you have proof that there are cats and dogs in your block then ask the management company why is that allowed but not for you. Do you have a residents association and residents meetings where this can be discussed.

Original poster
Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 11:09

@LuckyNumberFive it says you’re not allowed to own a dog or cat
Interestingly , when I first moved in I spoke to one of the management company about a separate matter. The issue of pets came into conversation as he was a dog lover was talking about his pet. I said it’s a shame you can’t have pets here and he said well you can no one’s going to bother. He said the management team haven’t got the resources to police everyone’s movements.

OP posts:
Mrsttcno1 · 05/09/2025 11:12

Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 10:58

@Mrsttcno1 thank you for your response. I’m very law abiding and looked into the lease when I moved in. It states you are not allowed to own a pet but it doesn’t state you are not allowed any visitors with a pet.. As there are dogs and numerous cats living here and other people that have dog visitors I feel like I’m being discriminated against purely because I have fussy neighbours in my block

Surely you realise that having a dog visit is the same as having one live there, it’s still in the building which is not allowed. Also- this is not discrimination.

Original poster
Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 11:14

@MissMoneyFairy thank you, I’ll look into residents meetings. I don’t tend to attend them as I keep my head down and I don’t have any complaints about the apartment set up

OP posts:
Original poster
Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 11:16

@Mrsttcno1 yes you’re right, I meant unlucky ( as other people in flats have dogs and are not complained about) not discriminated against

OP posts:
SirChenjins · 05/09/2025 11:17

If it just says you can't own a dog then you're not breaking the rules, surely - as you don't own a dog. I'd also be kicking up a fuss about the laws not being applied consistently across the apartments - and then dig in. The rules must apply to everyone and be enforced 100% of the time - otherwise they stop being rules.

OverlyFragrant · 05/09/2025 11:17

Having a dog visit is not the same as having a dog.
Your lease and its wording are very important here. What does it say exactly?

LuckyNumberFive · 05/09/2025 11:17

Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 11:09

@LuckyNumberFive it says you’re not allowed to own a dog or cat
Interestingly , when I first moved in I spoke to one of the management company about a separate matter. The issue of pets came into conversation as he was a dog lover was talking about his pet. I said it’s a shame you can’t have pets here and he said well you can no one’s going to bother. He said the management team haven’t got the resources to police everyone’s movements.

Well in that case I don't see the issue. I'd explain you're abiding fully with the terms of the leasehold agreement. You do not, and will not, own a dog. Ownership of the dog can be proven by breeders invoice, vet records, microchip paperwork etc.

It doesn't say the building is a pet free zone and can't cross the threshold.

Original poster
Woollygreymittens · 05/09/2025 11:18

@SirChenjins i don’t want to kick up a fuss if it causes problems for the other residents that have cats. My friends on the ground floor all have cats

OP posts:
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