To say that no pets mean no pets?

[Aprilcherry04]

I currently have lodgers in a 3 bedroom semi. They seem nice enough and the neighbours say they are well behaved. However their contract says no pets and I found out they have 2 cats living in the property. I was visiting a friend and saw a cat sitting on the window ( inside) as I passed. They contacted me a couple of months back to ask if I was likely to renew contract and I said yes - subject to a house inspection. They have also mounted a 60 inch tv on the living room wall without permission. I have a strict no pets no smoking clause on the tenancy agreement. I have a cat allergy. Contract needs renewed in a month. Aibu not to renew?

Reading mn posts from landlord never leaves them looking good, does it?

I used to rent and always had lovely landlords so I am guessing they are out there but don't tend to post on here.

good tenants must be hard to find- I'd keep them in, as long as you can deep clean the whole place when they go.

Maybe mention it and say no more pets, in case they are cat hoarders.

Just end the contract. It's clearly an issue you are unhappy with.

The likelihood is that I was going to renew the contract anyway. I just posted on here to get opinions.

If they are otherwise good tenants who pay their rent on time and don’t provoke complaints from the neighbours I would probably renew. However I would speak to them and be absolutely clear that they are in breach of contact and any further breaches won’t be tolerated. I’d also warn them that a deep clean and any damage will have to be paid for.

I say this on the grounds that all tenants have uncertainty attached to them and also the cost of ending and starting new tenancies is high. So if this is a business enterprise it’s cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Do the inspection.

So what's the problem?

The OP has clearly stated its the cats because of her cat allergy!

The problem I always had with landlords that were renting out a house they planned to move back into at some point is they continued to see it as their "home". Its not. Once you become a landlord it becomes your tenants home and your business.
As you wont say where you are no one can advise you on the legalities of what you're planning on doing but if you evict these tenants and get new ones the new tenants will also treat your property as their home and you need to come to terms with that.

Yanbu if they have broken contract.

Good tenants would have ASKED beforehand, regardless if it is their pets or not due to the agreement. What’s the point of an agreement then?

OP should inspect the property.

She is ALLERGIC to cats. What kind of logic is that? Go into a property that has the thing you are allergic to despite your tenants agreeing not to have the thing you are allergic to.

I’m a former Landlord and tenant with a cat allergy, I would be very cross if I were in your position. Option 1 if they are good tenants I would talk to the letting agents about the legal side of things but tell them that when they leave they need to cover a full anti allergy clean. My MIL had specialist cleaners when she bought a house that’d previously had cats in, so they do exist. Or option 2 is regardless of them being good tenants I’d not renew their contract, to be honest I’d probably do this.

They have knowingly broken the contract, it’s your home, your choice.

I just posted on here to get opinions. But we can't give you any that will help if you won't tell us WHERE IN THE WORLD the property is!

Well meaning as comments such as I’d also warn them that a deep clean and any damage will have to be paid for. (sorry Matilda, yours was the nearest) there are valid reasons why this won't be taken well.

a) all damage is paid for by tenants;

b) cleaning is the most cited cause of dispute at the end of a tenancy and any request has to be done with care... but simply "as you found it" is the measure. So "deep cleaned" may not be appropriate. But, as permission was not sought a landlord can then request that "all traces of the cats removed"

Had permission been sought and given the it could be deemed that the landlord will accept a higher level of wear and tear etc. So the tenants not having asked could be good for the OP... should there be an issue at the end of the tenancy!

They have knowingly broken the contract, it’s your home, your choice. Nope! It is OPs property. It is the tenant's home! And she can't just not renew... or maybe she can!

But until we know where the property is we can't know that! So any advice on that remains redundant!

The cats would be a deal breaker. Tell them you aren't renewing. CFs.

My tenants have done similar this year.

I'm annoyed about the TV bracket as the room is wallpapered. Not that bothered about their pet, but they should have asked.

I am getting a thorough inspection done before renewal; they have paid on time & keep it clean as far as I can see from the quarterly inspections, so will 'take a view' .... but then I guess that's what they have bet on.

I would personally leave it if they’re good all round tenants.

Why does it matter if you’re allergic to cats? You’re not living there?

If you're in Australia, PropertyChat website might be helpful to you.

Can't be Australia... there are so many more variations there, more tenant oriented, and I don't think cats counts as a 14-day breach.

@wink1970 did you get an independent inventory done at the start of the tenancy? If so try and get the same clerk to do the Check Out. Arbitrators like that consistency!

Yes photographic inventory was carried out by the letting agent

I am getting a thorough inspection done before renewal; they have paid on time & keep it clean as far as I can see from the quarterly inspections, so will 'take a view' .... but then I guess that's what they have bet on.*

This. Why else would they not disclose having cats in the property despite the agreement they chose to sign?

@Aprilcherry04 I'd love to comment more but without knowing where you are it would be useless.

If you are int he UK then I would be telling you that photographs only are not enough. Year on year all of the deposit schemes say they don't rely on pictures. They rely on the written word, the impression of a human being looking at a property. They look at pictures to clarify the extent of damage.

So a picture or video only inventory is, in the UK, mainly useless!

And she can't just not renew... or maybe she can!

Why couldn’t she just not renew? It’s her property.

It's not picture only. It's a full inventory and description of the house and contents including photographic evidence. It was carried out by an experienced letting agent.

Also I have chosen not to disclose the lo action of the house as it may out me. I was not asking g about legalities . I was asking in most people's opinions am I being unreasonable ?

I'm a cat lover. I have two myself. But you can't stop a cat from scratching. It's in their nature. I have scratching posts in my house but the little fingers have scratched the side of my bedroom door and the big newel post at the bottom of my loft stairs. I think every cat owner can point you to somewhere in their home that their cat has ruined or is in the process of ruining.

The difference is, it's MY cat in MY home. I would be pretty pissed if someone else's animal damaged my home.

And let's talk about fur balls and cat vomit.

Luckily my cats have both been neutered and don't spray but some cats do. And you can't get rid of cat pee smell.

I wouldn't be renewing if it was my property.
No pets mean no pets.

The tv wall mount wouldn't bother me though.

I'd give them notice. No pets means no pets. The tv isn't an issue as long as they made good the wall when they leave otherwise you could, and quite within your rights, use some if your deposit to repair it.