how can I say this and not get my block knocked off?

[Makipuppy]

I rent out my flat which is on the third floor a mansion block. It has a back door that leads to a sort of small bridge, a couple of feet wide and about 12 foot long, with the neighbours back door at the other side. It's a fire escape but it only leads to our neighbours flat.

They have just got a dog and let it poo on this bridge causing a bit of a stink.

They are a little bit strange and perhaps aggressive - I'd like to offer a solution rather than just threaten to call the council (they are council tenants, I think, but mine is leasehold). So what can be done about dogs in flats? Apart from looking after them properly and taking them out for walks of course .

I might be being dumb but if it only goes to the neighbours flats do you use the walkway at all?

Well, they leave the door open, stick a pot plant out there, that sort of thing. I think it's mainly the smell.

Apparently sometimes when they have a friend round they will smoke there. I don't think this bothers the neighbours, at least they've never said anything (i never did this when I lived there).

I think you, for the sake of neighbourly harmony, you should try to go and see them before you talk to the council/management company/housing. They might not know the poo is causing you any offence and just haven't got round to picking it up yet(pretty rank I agree but lets give the benefit of the doubt here).

Could you try going round there(being very smiley and friendly and pleasant) and saying something along the lines of-

"I've noticed your lovely new dog has done a couple of poos on the fire escape, another neighbour got in trouble for allowing his dog to poo and I wouldn't want you to get in trouble and risk losing your dog"

Then if they don't clear it up or allow it to happen again call all of the above and the RSPCA. You will have warned them.

Gross!

Are they picking the poo up periodically or is it being allowed to accumulate?

What about suggesting a poo bin?

They're probably just letting the dog onto the fire escape because they don't want to walk him in this snow and ice which means it's probably just a short term problem. However, that doesn't mean it's ok to leave it there.

As it's a shared walkway they should pick the poop up straight away just as they would if the dog pooped on the pavement.

If it continues and they're not cleaning it up then you should say something. You could say that you hate to make a fuss but the sight of poo makes you feel ill and would they mind picking it up. I can't imagine they'd be offended or say no.

It's accumulating.

Pineapple, that's a really great suggestion, thanks - I'll email it to them as a suggestion.

Also, a poo bin is a good idea. Perhaps with a nice shovel...

I've offered to go round there but my tenants have said they want to handle it (also I live in a different city now).

And Amandoh, thanks. I think it predates the snow though, they just don't take the poor thing for many walks.

Oops, sorry. I didn't read the first post properly. I thought it was you sharing the walkway with them.

Ok, in your position I'd let your tenants have a word with them and if that doesn't help then maybe your letting agent could write to them and ask them to clean it up or they'd have no alternative but to contact the council.

Are they allowed to keep a dog? The landlord might have allowed it but if the flat is leasehold the Superior Lease might say that no pets are allowed.

The majority of Superior Leases do.

I suggest you just ask the tenants to also go round and politely ask for it to be picked up and disposed of appropriately before any other outside agencies.

I've just found out its an airdale, so a really big dog. And apparently the woman stands there while it's on the balcony and shouts Marmite, go to the bathroom now!

Actually, I bet she says something else, that's just what my tenant wrote in her mail, I expect she's being coy...

THe dog gets less than one walk per day - only when the daughter is there. The parents never walk it (they are both absolutely enormous).

I think they rent directly off the council. There must be a rule about having a big dog on the third floor..I'll check that out.

I know nothing about this, but... Is it actually your responsibility? I may have misread your post, but couldn't the tenants approach them?

I rent, and any disputes with neighbours about common areas etc, I have dealt with without involving the landlord.

Well, I'll give my tenants any support they need, if they ask for it as they have here. Other than that I leave them to their own devices. I'll certainly let them deal with it as far as they want to, they have to live with the situation after all!

Well if your tennants want to deal with it, then let them I guess, but if they get nowhere I would find out whether they are allowed a dog, if not ring the council, they wouldnt tell them who had reported it.
Its unfair on your tenants to have to put up with dog poo smells, and unfair on a dog to be kept in a flat all day.

I rang the council, they're allowed to keep a dog but there is a dept that deals with dog-related anti-social behaviour. They will send a letter of the 'it has come to our attention..' variety. I've passed the number on to my tenants.

I was just concerned that if I left it to the tenants and it escalated, I would have to declare a problem with the neighbours when I come to sell the flat, which I may well do in the near future.

Ridiculous that their allowed to keep a dog in a flat. I suppose all you can do is tell your tennants that if they aproach them direct and they start mouthing off, to just walk away, I wouldt of thought one altercation could class as a dispute?? and then you should maybe just sell it, if they turn out to be "bad" neighbours it will be hard to keep it rented.

Can I ask TheDogsGottaGo why you think it's ridiculous that they're allowed to keep a dog in a flat?

Surely if a dog gets two or three walks a day it doesn't matter whether it lives in a house or a flat.

Personally I think it's ridiculous to get a dog, especially a large breed, and not exercise it daily. Ooh, I feel all cross with those neighbours now.

Amandoh, me too!

I'm livid. We had an irish terrier, which is like a small airdale, and he had three walks a day, plus we had a garden.

Don't fret, I'm on the case..