Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Tenants want a small puppy in small 2nd floor flat

70 replies

Koete · 10/08/2022 22:53

I've come across some threads on this before, but my case is slightly different and I would really value people's thoughts on the situation.

I have very reliable tenants who have been in my partly furnished flat for a year. This flat has been decorated by me to the nth degree and is my pride and joy (think bespoke cupboard doors, etc).

Signed tenancy agreement says "no pets". Tenants recently ask permission to get a small puppy. I take time to weigh up pros and cons, whilst also bear in mind that these same tenants (who because they are reliable, are getting the flat at a below market rate), asked a few months ago for the tenancy agreement to be amended so that it would include break clauses.

I grew up with dogs, but they were mostly outdoor with lots of space to roam around in. I don't think urban flats (esp 2nd floor) are suitable for dogs. Plus there's the unknown risk of how much damage they do. I really don't want there to be a dog in the flat.

Is it unreasonable to refuse their request?

Thoughts pls!

OP posts:
FlorencePennnywell · 10/08/2022 22:54

No. You'd be mad to allow this

Creepymanonagoatfarm · 10/08/2022 22:56

For the sake of a dpuppy say no.

Foronenightonly01 · 10/08/2022 22:58

The tenants have been with you only a year - imho that is not in any way a significant amount of time for you to trust that they are ‘reliable’. When they’ve been with you 3 then probably…. Absolutely no to a dog of whatever size in a flat with no garden. A dog is a luxury not at right and they should be treated accordingly (as should your flat!).

Foronenightonly01 · 10/08/2022 22:58

Not a right, not at🙄

Grimchmas · 10/08/2022 23:00

I'm a massive dog fan but no way. A 2nd floor flat is not the right environment for a dog.

CrotchetyQuaver · 10/08/2022 23:00

I wouldn't agree to this, and it's kind of in their interests too as it's so hard to find a rental that will allow animals. I love dogs dearly but puppies chew furniture and have accidents.

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 10/08/2022 23:05

Does your lease or shared freehold allow animals? When the puppy starts barking, you may be very unpopular with the other residents.

mrsfoof · 10/08/2022 23:07

No, it's not the right home for a puppy. They need to be taken out umpteen times a day to toilet train. I can't see how they'll manage that in a 2nd floor flat, therefore I'd expect a lot of accidents. Do you want that in your carpet?

SavingsThreads · 10/08/2022 23:09

How can you police it? What's to stop them getting one anyway and then there being bad feeling?

You're not going to be able to refuse pets for long with the new legislation, so I think better to do it with tenants you know first

fernz · 10/08/2022 23:10

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 10/08/2022 23:05

Does your lease or shared freehold allow animals? When the puppy starts barking, you may be very unpopular with the other residents.

Yes, this, usually pets are not allowed in the master lease and while I would personally allow an indoor cat or a smaller pet in most cases, a dog is different.

FlorencePennnywell · 10/08/2022 23:11

What's to stop them? Well, a tenancy agreement, signed by themselves, agreeing they won't get one

And if they go against this and get one anyway? They've broken their contract

ClocksGoingBackwards · 10/08/2022 23:11

No chance would I allow this.

00100001 · 10/08/2022 23:12

Not a chance!

Suprima · 10/08/2022 23:12

I would allow them an indoor cat, but not a puppy in these circumstances as there is not a sufficient or easy way to toilet the puppy, and there is potential for barking.

SewingBees · 10/08/2022 23:13

I allowed former tenants of mine to have a small dog. After they moved out a new tenant moved in a few weeks later and turned the heating on and it became evident the place was riddled with fleas. Too late for me to claim for the extermination costs against their deposit and I nearly lost my new tenant because of it.

Stickmansmum · 10/08/2022 23:14

No bloody way. Unless you want chewed door frames to go with the decor.

SavingsThreads · 10/08/2022 23:14

FlorencePennnywell · 10/08/2022 23:11

What's to stop them? Well, a tenancy agreement, signed by themselves, agreeing they won't get one

And if they go against this and get one anyway? They've broken their contract

But how would OP know? And then what though? A lengthy eviction process?

SemperIdem · 10/08/2022 23:15

It isn’t your job as landlord to parent your tenant’s but they are quite clearly extremely stupid if they think having a dog (regardless of size) in a second floor flat is reasonable, so realistically you have to step in and refuse.

The reality is they will go ahead and get the puppy anyway, and then do absolutely everything humanly possible to hide it.

LovelyDaaling · 10/08/2022 23:16

You'd be mad to allow it. Highly likely to cause annoyance to other residents

Muststopeating · 10/08/2022 23:16

I let my last tenants move in with a cat... I felt bad because I've had had friends/family who couldn't get rentals because of animals.

They have just moved out.

The flat is trashed... nine tenths of which have been cat. Shredded the carpets, walls and sofa. The deposit doesn't cover a fraction of the damage.

We've literally just finished renovating our house with 3 kids under 5 and are knackered. Need it like a hole in the head.

Trying to be nice did not go our way.

dreamingbohemian · 10/08/2022 23:18

I'm sorry but how reliable can they be after only one year, to the extent of getting below market rent! I'm a tenant myself btw.

They should be happy with the cheap rent and not get a puppy, that's madness. Don't do it.

AnnieMay55 · 10/08/2022 23:22

I think there are far too many landlords that have a blanket ban on no pets which I think is very sad particularly for single people who can't afford a mortgage. Pets can be so good for people's wellbeing particularly if now working from home.
However I would have thought a 2nd floor flat was not ideal but I have had two family members in a similar position although they did own their flats. Nevertheless one got a puppy and managed to house train with puppy pads and taking them downstairs regularly (they also had a balcony). The other managed fine taking them out to walk several times a day. They have had a camera to watch what it does when left and it only barks at the postman. Obviously all dogs are different and so are people's situations and working life styles. Having a garden may be better for a dog but so it is for children but you can adapt and go for good walks.
People often talk of the damage a dog could do but really that is surely a very small minority and as a landlord surely you could have an extra pet deposit just in case.

caringcarer · 10/08/2022 23:23

I have allowed my tenants in a 3 bedroom house to have a dog but I have stipulated it is not to go upstairs as carpets. Downstairs has laminate which is more easily cleaned. No way would I allow a dog in a second floor flat. New legislation will allow LL to turn down request for pets if unreasonable. I would allow a cat.

WhereYouLeftIt · 10/08/2022 23:25

I would say no.

Small puppies often grow into quite large dogs, for a start. A puppy needs toilet-trained, there will be lots of 'accidents' in the flat AND in the communal areas as they try to rush him outside. It's really not great from the dog's point of view.

Puppies chew, they teeth just like children. Your bespoke doors and everything else are just going to be pain-relief to a teething puppy.

They moved to a flat which was 'no pets'. They made that choice. I think they need to stick to it.

Side question - "because they are reliable, are getting the flat at a below market rate". Really? When did that start? Because you couldn't have known from the start that they would be reliable, and they've only rented your flat for a year anyway. Is that long enough to establish reliability? And why does that qualify for a discount on the rent, surely it should be the least you'd expect?

There is a reason I'm asking about this. It has put into my mind the possibility that you are a pushover. And therefore, the possibility that you are being manipulated / pushed into a corner so that you will comply with your tenants demands.

londonlass71 · 10/08/2022 23:25

Does anyone else in the building have a dog? If they do it may be tricky to say the leasehold agreement for the building says no pets. You can always just say no you aren't comfortable as it isn't a garden flat.