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?

@Oliversmumsarmy and how do you know the current ones won't wreck it? They maybe already have, op can't see into it. They've shown a disregard for what op has asked them. Why would they care about anything else? You are assuming they are good people and won't do anything bad to the house. You can't assume that.

Property business is a tricky one, and a loss can happen, just as in any business. If you're dependent on it, you're making a mistake.

As I said, I would continue it if they accept they have lost their deposit, plus I suppose 6 monthly checks of the property. If they don't, they are evicted.

Oh yes, I’m sure threatening the tenants with the loss of their deposit before any inspection has been formally carried out will go down a treat with the deposit protection scheme hmm

That might not matter wherever op is. She's not saying where, but it's possibly not the UK. Might not even have a deposit protection scheme.

Your allergy will only be an issue if you plan to live in the house again. Even then, wouldn't you want to have it deep cleaned anyway before moving in again? Almost all properties have had a pet living in them at some point in the past...

I agree it's not great they've not asked for permission for pets and the TV on the wall.

But if they are otherwise good tenants and likely to stay a while, then it's probably in your interest to let them stay. Even one month's void period between tenants and all the associated costs when getting new tenants in is not really worth it unless they are otherwise nightmare tenants not paying on time or wrecking the property...

That might not matter wherever op is. And the OP isn't coming back as doing so might identify her in real life!!!

So lots of angst about nothing... and a flat out waste of time for those posters, like myself, who started off wanting to be helpful.

I think most peoples opinions are based on what they have experienced themselves or are aware of and that knowledge is very often UK specific. The rental laws wherever the property is could heavily influence opinion and the way people think and answer YABU or YANBU.

Context changes the narrative but ultimately it’s not good to have tenants living in your property who break rules. What you do about it moving forward is in my opinion heavily influenced by local laws and norms and how they are as tenants aside from these issues. Without more information no one can really give you much direction or valid opinion.

I can't live without cats so when I had to rent recently while buying a new home I got a more expensive tenancy that allowed me to keep my cat there, my son's the same, he pays an additional fee to his landlord to have two cats in his flat.
Your tenants have blatantly ignored their contract and they don't have the right to do so and I'd be keeping their deposit to have the place deep cleaned.
They are taking the piss.

oh my god both those things are a major no no

Cats can be so dirty spraying, hair everywhere etc, and how many people want a massive 60inch tv or would use the brackets after...? NOT ME! Hopefully they havent put it up crappily and ruined your wall also!

They sound like they are taking liberties, so unless they are otherwise the perfect tenants, I would be raising the terms of their lease with them and don't renew. I doubt they want to give up their cats or their TV!

On a similar note my tenant text me last month to ask if he could get a Chihuahuah. I said no as it is a rental property now. I fully expect to see signs of a small dog next time I'm over....sigh.

I think you should contact them and say something about the cats. Remind them about no pets and say the tenancy will only be renewed if they can prove they don't have pets.

If she's in Scotland then she cannot do that! Pets are NOT grounds for eviction unless it can be shown that they have caused damage

scotland.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/advice_topics/eviction/eviction_of_private_tenants/grounds_for_eviction_-_assured_and_short_assured_tenants?gclid=CjwKCAiAmNbwBRBOEiwAqcwwpdzaEVtfS3FgIlCF5oFEtCAXBJwGA6rNCtFskfKuk0BXzI2uPPgHORoC2nEQAvD_BwE

That's precisly why she has been asked to tell us where the property is!

Cats aren't automatically damage risks & your allergy is only an issue if you are moving back in. Just add a proviso that any cat impact is rectified before any move out. I'm renting & I've never had a cat damage anything, in 25years of owning one: theyre either outside or in & sleeping like the dead. The TV fixing will be gladly used by any new tenants as it gives you more space if a TV is wall mounted. If they're purely indoor cats which seems a new thing, then I'd worry about smelly litter trays & spills from that tho.

Why post here wanting opinions when you refuse to say where you are? As it is, you just seem ignorant of the legalities around being a landlord, as people are assuming you are in the UK 🙄

I’ve had 2 cats, my current cat wouldn’t and hasn’t ever damaged anything but my last cat tore up the carpets, scratched one of my walls upstairs and knocked a vase onto my toilet which smashed the toilet bowl and caused water damage to the floor and also obviously I needed a new toilet.
Cats can cause damage @CSIblonde - some cats are complete arseholes 😅.

Youre within your legal right to not renew tenancy over a cat, but I think its rather cunty and a bit stupid if they are otherwise good reliable hassle free tenants

Seriously..

Cunty is breaking the agreement they willingly signed knowing that pets weren’t allowed and bringing them in anyway without even talking to OP. They could have talked to OP beforehand, but didn’t. Why? If they’re such good tenants, they could have discussed it with OP instead of her finding out.

Ok we are landlords we do it as poa so not actually our property's but we do allow pets
I understand you are allergic but the way I look at it I want them to be happy as then they pay on time they stay in the house you don't have to keep finding new Tennants ( some are horrendous)
Maybe just speak to them and tell them to keep the cats you need something signed so they have to pay for a real deep clean before they leave ?
We look at is as the house will probably need carpeting and painting anyway before it's ready rented or sold on so we want them to be happy ! So far our tenants haven't changed in 3/4 years of renting and I believe that's because they are happy and feel at home

Yeah I'm not seeing how the landlord specifying rules and the tenant breaking them is cunty on the landlords side.

I'm sure if any landlord on here wasn't being paid, they'd be so generous and not care that the tenant paid. It's the same principle, rules are there, you don't get to pick and choose what you follow. If it doesn't suit you, find somewhere else. We couldn't have a cat when we rented, did we get one anyway? No. We ended up buying our own house. We could have asked her and because we were good tenants I think she would have let us, but didn't see the need to bother since we were moving.

@Jellybeansincognito

..but my last cat tore up the carpets, scratched one of my walls upstairs and knocked a vase onto my toilet which smashed the toilet bowl and caused water damage to the floor and also obviously I needed a new toilet.
Cats can cause damage@CSIblonde- some cats are complete arseholes.

I've scratched walls moving furniture, my DHs office chair scratched up a carpet, and my ds broke a sink knocking a heavy candle into it. All the damage you've listed done by cats can be done by humans too. Cats are arseholes though, that I agree with!

FWIW Section 21 no fault evictions are hopefully being outlawed soon, and that day can't come soon enough IMO

Only if they are accompanied by quicker eviction procedures, as promised.

Neither tenant nor landlord are well protected at the moment.

@BelfastNonBlonde

Cats can be so dirty spraying, hair everywhere etc.

What a load of utter drivel.

I bet you have dogs don't you, and think the sun shines out of their arse, and your house doesn't smell of dog one SINGLE bit.

I am guessing you have, as it's always dog-owners who come out with tripe like this about cats.

@TigerOnATrain

What a load of utter drivel

Quite. I've got 5 cats and 1 child. The child makes for more mess than the cats, and I moult more than they do.

@TigerOnATrain
@Shmithecat2

I'm sorry, are you high? How on earth is what I said "utter drivel"?!

Of course cats can be messy and dirty. I have a cat and a dog. I simply stated factual reasons why a landlord would not want cats in a rental property. Why would I mention dogs (or children) when the OP has unwanted cats in the house - not a dog or child..?

Cats CAN spray and moult. Both dirty and smelly. I didn't say ALL cats spray and moult, but that they CAN. Whether or not the OP's unwanted cats do, we don't know, but the risk they do is a perfectly valid reason for not allowing them into a rental property.

How is that utter drivel? Its 100% fact.

Get over yourselves.

cats can be messy and dirty

well they can, but it's unusual unless a cat is ill or old.

It is not however unusual for a dog of any age.

Getting on your high horse and getting rid of perfectly good rent paying tenants is going to cost money.

They aren't perfectly good. They got cats. They deserve to be out on their ears.

@BelfastNonBlonde

Well done on outdoing your other post, (from 13.40) and talking even more ridiculous drivel.

And I am not the only one who thinks it.

Are you OK? Serious question... You sound angry ... has your dog been wrecking stuff in your house, and causing a dog-piss smell? Some dogs do that. Bet you wish you only had a cat eh? Much easier pets to look after, and make FAR less mess.

@BlaueLagune

belfastnonblonde

cats can be messy and dirty....

well they can, but it's unusual unless a cat is ill or old.

It is not however unusual for a dog of any age.

Exactly. It's utter bollocks that cats cause a lot of smell and damage. And yeah, dogs are FAR worse. Not ALL dogs of course, but dogs are far more likely to cause damage, (and smell) in the house than cats... Weird how 'belfastnonblonde' is emphatically denying it... Some dog owners are a bit like this.

@Tigeronatrain

Ok, lol, you clearly are high then..