To expect to find a short term let with a dog and three cats?

[blackkitty1234]

Help! We sold our house but it looks like our new house may fall through due to seller pulling out. It looks like we may have to find temporary a accommodation while we look for a new house. I am in my third trimester of pregnancy, we have a dog and three cats. I feel like we are screwed. Any advice or suggestions welcome?

Perhaps try some local facebook groups for private landlords? Someone did this where I live because they had a huge dog and several cats, they found somewhere!

@blackkitty1234

Tempted to just rent somewhere and not say anything. What’s the worst that could happen if they find out?

If you didn't mention the pets they could charge you for damages once you left. That being said, even if they agreed to pets, they'd still charge if something was damaged. I've rented with pets and they've never caused any issues though, toddlers are a different story. I have a cat and the only thing she damages is my own sofa but I'm in my own house now anyway. Also a bad reference but this wouldn't be an issue if you were buying.

They can't just cancel your rental contract though as per a previous comment, you still have to be evicted legally and in the current Covid crisis it's taking 9 months+

Tempted to just rent somewhere and not say anything. What’s the worst that could happen if they find out?

No one is going to suggest it on mumsnet - but that’s exactly what I would do.

@UsernameSpoosername

Tempted to just rent somewhere and not say anything. What’s the worst that could happen if they find out?

No one is going to suggest it on mumsnet - but that’s exactly what I would do.

In real life I know loads of people who just didn't mention their pets. I'm new to MumsNet but what's said on here and what people actually do IRL seem to be very different!

My landlord friend had someone sneak in 4 pets, she evicted the tenant due to non payment of rent, it still took a year to get her out!

OP all rentals in Scotland can now be left with 28 days notice by the tenant.

Don’t focus only on what are advertising as short term.

@KatieGGGG

OP all rentals in Scotland can now be left with 28 days notice by the tenant.

Don’t focus only on what are advertising as short term.

Good to know. Thank you

@HotSince63 are you allowed in Scotland? You can't ask extra deposit in England its illegal.

I think it's pretty ridiculous that landlords are now not allowed to charge a higher deposit for pets. It has meant I no longer accept tenants with pets in my one rental place:

Tempted to just rent somewhere and not say anything

Please don't do that

Landlords are not allowed to charge a higher deposit for pets. Where have you seen this ? The recent legislation outlaws just that.

what has been done with some LL & you can suggest this to rental agent is that you pay a higher monthly rent to cover your pets

Such a shame that I'm at the opposite end of the country from you, OP, I'd love to look after a dog for a few weeks. (I actually got my first dog because I looked after him for a few weeks, which turned into more than 16 years).

I bet if you asked around locally there'd be someone who would help you out with the dog.

I don't know if cats would be happy to live temporarily with someone else though.

The only place I could find was a holiday chalet, it cost 1k a month which was really steep but that's all there was and I'm not giving my old cat up.
It was a place rented out by workers at the nearby power plant. I lived there for 6 months while I bought my new place.

is it worth contacting the person that does holiday care for your dog, explaining the situation and asking if she can take a lower rate for a longer term arrangement?

With people travelling less, she is unlikely to be inundated with bookings, and a long stay gives her security of income for three months, no gaps between bookings, etc.
She may say no - but surely worth asking.

Does still leave what to do with cats.
If she only has one dog at a time, maybe another negotiation tactic would be she could care of the cats too for the normal dog rate?

Poor babies - sure that they'll miss you.

@mumwon yup pet deposit fine in Scotland, TFA applies to England only.

If pet deposits are legal in Scotland, I stand corrected.

Elsewhere they are not

seeing @madcatladyforever post - you could also try negotiating with someone that has a holiday let for a longer term rental at a lower rate.
They are unlikely to be busy in low season, they won't need to employ cleaners/change linen every week....

I wouldn't mention that I had pets tbh. It'll take months to evict, and that's only if they found out.

Ugh

Decent landlords get tarred with the brush of bad ones

Then you get this....

Yeah. Get in there. Don't be honest with the landlord. Might as well stop paying rent too, it'll take months to get you out.

What's not to like ? You can doss down with your pets until you get sorted on someone else's coin. Easy street, innit.

FWIW, I am a landlord and if you were upfront I would rent to you, subject to satisfactory credit checks. As it happens, I have a property becoming free just before Christmas. Pet friendly, too.

We were in this situation a couple of years ago. We could not find a standard rental - ended up renting for 3 months from someone else in the chain (who had a vested interested in it proceeding). Try and find a scruffy property, empty student property, holiday let , static caravan, friends/family house, Facebook local. Possibly because of Covid some holiday lets might be available?

Our back up was to negotiate temporary homes/kennels for the animals - pricy but gives you more options. Your dog boarder might give you a better rate for longer term.

From now on, before I rent a place, I want a signed statement saying my new landlady/lord is NOT AnyFucker off MN.

You could do a LOT worse

You're not desperate though OP, you just don't want to pay the costs of a kennel and a cattery, who could solve your problem instantly.