Page 5 | Lease holder says no pets

Beanbateman · 2025-03-18T15:28:59+00:00

Hi there - I think this might come across as an annoying and silly post but I genuinely want some advice and see if anyone else has ever been in a similar situation. I have been renting since December, the other day me and my boyfriend found a beautiful 7 month old Dashund online for sale. We went to go see him and both agreed we would love to take him on. I emailed my estate agent as I cannot contact my landlord directly to ask very politely if we would be able to do this and assured them no damage would occur to the property and we would maintain it to a high standard. The woman came back and told me that it isn’t anything to do with the landlords wishes but the “ head lease “ and that they strictly prohibit pets in the apartment. I’ve got myself in a real pickle as I have already agreed to take him, we have a bunch of his stuff ( he is an hour and 10 minutes drive away ) and have both fallen totally in love with him. as you can imagine this feels like a huge blow but I really don’t know what to do. what are the odds of them finding out? Has anyone ever kept a pet a “ secret “ in their rented home?

Daisymay2 · 18/03/2025 18:42

Sorry OP but you would be foolish to have your dog in your flat. I know from a friend who is a managing agent that other residents do report pets in flats, she often has to wonder around developments to find barking dogs whose owner has left them at home .People have been evicted

YappyIsDoingMyHeadIn · 18/03/2025 21:05

We have a mini Dachshund (10 months old) and live in a rental. We asked the landlord whether we could get him and she agreed and sometimes I wish she hadn't.

If anyone walks on the pavement past our home - he barks, leave him in the house for a little while - he barks non-stop, have someone in to fit new meters and he barks for almost the whole two hours they're here, a butterfly lets out a silent fart two streets away - he barks.

I think anyone in a three-street radius knows we have a dog. He's lovely but zero chance of keeping him a secret 😂

Icanttakethisanymore · 18/03/2025 22:19

We rent our flat out and the lease says no pets. We advertised it as no pets (despite a couple of people having cats and one having a dog). Our tenant contacted us a while after moving in to ask if he could get a cat and we said go ahead, as long as you are aware that technically someone could kick off about it (although obviously very unlikely given other people having pets and no-one taking any notice.

Hoppinggreen · 19/03/2025 08:18

Where the "someone who could kick off about it" is her Landlord its a bit more serious.
By getting a pet in these circumstances OP would put the Landlord in breach of HIS contract witht he building owner, its a bit different to a situation where the landlord can say yes or no.

chocorabbit · 19/03/2025 08:58

gingercat02 · 18/03/2025 15:52

My mums new neighbour brought her cat to her new flat, no pets allowed in their lease.
Someone told on her and she was told to get rid of the cat. She sold the flat, after only about 6 weeks.
I wouldn't risk it, especially with a dog that might bark and people will see you taking it for walks.

Why would anybody tell on a cat?! In our old flat where pets were not allowed we used to know of one family who had a cat and it never bothered us. After we moved away we discovered that other tenants had cats including one of DD's school friend who had many!!

However we sadly did complain about the puppies next door. She would go to work, the poor puppies were alone and would cry all day 😔 I remember when they came to ask her about it her abusive and controlling boyfriend came out to deny it only for the dogs to start barking as usual.

lightnesspixie · 19/03/2025 09:02

If it were a kitten you could hide it but a dog and especially one that barks a lot .. you’d be asking for trouble

Msmoonpie · 19/03/2025 09:07

So this went about as it often does

OP asks for advice on incredibly stupid idea

OP is told it’s stupid and why.

OP why am I being attached you’re all meeeannnn

🙄

TryForSpring · 19/03/2025 09:10

You yourself said this "might come across as an annoying and silly post but...".

And yes, people are baffled by you agreeing to buy a dog without checking if you can house it first, and by your naivety in buying a tricky breed online.

Anothercookieday · 19/03/2025 09:13

chocorabbit · 19/03/2025 08:58

Why would anybody tell on a cat?! In our old flat where pets were not allowed we used to know of one family who had a cat and it never bothered us. After we moved away we discovered that other tenants had cats including one of DD's school friend who had many!!

However we sadly did complain about the puppies next door. She would go to work, the poor puppies were alone and would cry all day 😔 I remember when they came to ask her about it her abusive and controlling boyfriend came out to deny it only for the dogs to start barking as usual.

Edited

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I was thinking I'm my previous post that people with allergies may be attracted to properties with these terms. So they may have an issue with a cat in communal areas as it could make them ill.

gingercat02 · 19/03/2025 09:14

chocorabbit · 19/03/2025 08:58

Why would anybody tell on a cat?! In our old flat where pets were not allowed we used to know of one family who had a cat and it never bothered us. After we moved away we discovered that other tenants had cats including one of DD's school friend who had many!!

However we sadly did complain about the puppies next door. She would go to work, the poor puppies were alone and would cry all day 😔 I remember when they came to ask her about it her abusive and controlling boyfriend came out to deny it only for the dogs to start barking as usual.

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Because some people are just mean. Or perhaps they had been denied a pet previously.
No one knows who it was

BobbyBiscuits · 19/03/2025 09:19

How can you guarantee no damage? Have you ever owned a dog before? Doesn't sound like it. And at 8 months it will be mental and need loads of training and attention and they bark those little bastards. You're foolish in the extreme and you'll lose your deposit and get kicked out. The poor dog. It's not a toy.

Flossflower · 19/03/2025 09:29

chocorabbit · 19/03/2025 08:58

Why would anybody tell on a cat?! In our old flat where pets were not allowed we used to know of one family who had a cat and it never bothered us. After we moved away we discovered that other tenants had cats including one of DD's school friend who had many!!

However we sadly did complain about the puppies next door. She would go to work, the poor puppies were alone and would cry all day 😔 I remember when they came to ask her about it her abusive and controlling boyfriend came out to deny it only for the dogs to start barking as usual.

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Because cats smell.

Hoppinggreen · 19/03/2025 09:35

gingercat02 · 19/03/2025 09:14

Because some people are just mean. Or perhaps they had been denied a pet previously.
No one knows who it was

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I look for rental properties for clients and some do prefer a no pets building.
Its their right to have a preference and if the building Head lease is no pets then there shouldn't be any there. Equally I have to look for propeties that do allow pets so I have no strong feelings about it either way on a personal level.
I love animals and would be happy to see pets in a building I lived in but people should be able to be 100% confident that a building with a no pets Head Lease has no pets in it if they have chosen that
The reason is irrelevant.
Its been said many many times before but people really do need to read Tenancy agreements (and all contracts properly) and if they aren't sure about something in then then check.

Potatosaladsalsa · 19/03/2025 12:35

Msmoonpie · 19/03/2025 09:07

So this went about as it often does

OP asks for advice on incredibly stupid idea

OP is told it’s stupid and why.

OP why am I being attached you’re all meeeannnn

🙄

Literally! “I was told I can’t do this, and I asked to do it anyway, and I was told really firmly no, but I still want to do the thing!”
“Don’t do the thing ”
“oh my god so mean!”

Hoppinggreen · 19/03/2025 12:37

Potatosaladsalsa · 19/03/2025 12:35

Literally! “I was told I can’t do this, and I asked to do it anyway, and I was told really firmly no, but I still want to do the thing!”
“Don’t do the thing ”
“oh my god so mean!”

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People have even gone to great lengths to explain WHY OP shouldn't do this and she is still stamping her foot like a 5 year old
I get a sneaky feeling she is going to do it whatever anyone says

Goldusty · 19/03/2025 12:51

Beanbateman · 18/03/2025 17:51

appalling is a bit much …. I haven’t committed mass murder, Jesus people!!?

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I think it's a case of respecting the rules of the lease which you presumably agreed to do.
Oh, and I find your language blasphemous btw.

Gizlotsmum · 19/03/2025 13:04

Beanbateman · 18/03/2025 15:56

The thing is the flat next door has a tiny little yappy thing that always sits out on the balcony. Downstairs has a bigger dog too.

Are they also renting? If you do get this dog make sure you have enough funds to cope if you do get evicted. I assume you have done sensible research into the breed and potential issues

Hoppinggreen · 19/03/2025 13:15

Gizlotsmum · 19/03/2025 13:04

Are they also renting? If you do get this dog make sure you have enough funds to cope if you do get evicted. I assume you have done sensible research into the breed and potential issues

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It doesn't actually matter if anyone else in the building owns or rents. Everyone who lives there is subject to the Head Lease, which according to OP says no pets. It means that the landlord CANNOT give permission and are a lot more likely to evict than if it was their choice. It would be the landlord who could face action and possible penalties (depending on his lease) so its much more likely that they would take action against OP
As for sensible research into the breed I suspect that would be a no

babyproblems · 19/03/2025 13:18

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 18/03/2025 15:33

You found a dog online is your biggest problem

Agree. It’s obviously not gone well for him in life already.. tell seller to contact a reputable dog charity

Gizlotsmum · 19/03/2025 13:24

Hoppinggreen · 19/03/2025 13:15

It doesn't actually matter if anyone else in the building owns or rents. Everyone who lives there is subject to the Head Lease, which according to OP says no pets. It means that the landlord CANNOT give permission and are a lot more likely to evict than if it was their choice. It would be the landlord who could face action and possible penalties (depending on his lease) so its much more likely that they would take action against OP
As for sensible research into the breed I suspect that would be a no

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No but I suspect it is easier to evict a tenant than an owner…

Hoppinggreen · 19/03/2025 13:32

Gizlotsmum · 19/03/2025 13:24

No but I suspect it is easier to evict a tenant than an owner…

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Possibly, but what I am saying is that a Landlord may find a pet in the property and decide that while its not ideal the Tenant is generally good and so put up with it BUT if the pet means HE has broken his lease he may be a bit stricter about it.
I have no idea what this Head lease says and what action could be taken against the Landlord but in some leases it could actually lead to forfeiture of the property so its not a case of a LL "turning a blind eye" as was suggested by a PP.
This Landlord can't do that and in theory could face having the property seized.
Few Landlords would want that hassle and I imagine would be very motivated to evict OP

Gizlotsmum · 19/03/2025 14:33

Hoppinggreen · 19/03/2025 13:32

Possibly, but what I am saying is that a Landlord may find a pet in the property and decide that while its not ideal the Tenant is generally good and so put up with it BUT if the pet means HE has broken his lease he may be a bit stricter about it.
I have no idea what this Head lease says and what action could be taken against the Landlord but in some leases it could actually lead to forfeiture of the property so its not a case of a LL "turning a blind eye" as was suggested by a PP.
This Landlord can't do that and in theory could face having the property seized.
Few Landlords would want that hassle and I imagine would be very motivated to evict OP

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I think we are making the same point in different ways :) not worth the risk of getting the dog despite neighbours having them

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 19/03/2025 21:42

Of course there is a freeholder somewhere, could even potentially live in a flat...
might even have a dog.

whatever, the Op is the very bottom of the list of people that would be ,allowed to keep a dog.

and now she has alerted the agent to this request, the agent will look out for any signs of a dog during routine inspections

and the agent may have other flats in that property that is managed and yet again will keep an eye / ear out for a dog...

chocorabbit · 20/03/2025 07:49

Anothercookieday · 19/03/2025 09:13

I was thinking I'm my previous post that people with allergies may be attracted to properties with these terms. So they may have an issue with a cat in communal areas as it could make them ill.

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You are right. We only saw the cat on the balcony/corridor once. None of the residents ever took their cats outside apart from that single day.

I know what the OP is doing. Making sure to do everything she can and create a de facto situation that nobody in (her mind!) could refuse so if they do they are horrible and cruel but guess what? Poeple can still see through and refuse. I really feel sorry for her neighbours.

BitOutOfPractice · 20/03/2025 09:46

I have reported a dog in my flats. I was already annoyed at it jumping up at me as we waited for the lift. The final straw was the dog shit that had only barely been cleaned up that meant the carpet had to be replaced.

why would you have a dog in a flat anyway? What floor do you live on?