Made A Mistake--Need Suggestions

In My Humble Opinion
1

First, I am not looking for legal advice–just ways I might ethically handle either this particular situation, or other ones, as I’m sure they will arise within the next year.

My new landlord is a psycho, and I haven’t even moved into the house yet. (Move is scheduled on March 28.) When I first looked at the rental house, I made it clear that I had a cat and was looking for a place in which it would be okay to have a cat. She said pets were okay, not a problem. When I went to look at it again, she again clarified that my cat was okay after I asked her point blank. I went to sign the lease, which said no pets, so her husband (who at this point had come over), crossed out the no pets clause and wrote in “one cat allowed” and initialled it. I asked about small pets, like fish or hamsters, and she said that was okay (but didn’t clarify it in writing), and went on to tell about a guy who called about the house who had snakes and said, “Pets are okay, but no snakes. I’m glad you don’t have snakes!” Today I called to see what time would be good with her for me to pick up the key and a copy of the lease. During the conversation she said that they (she and her husband) had talked about it and when my cat died, they didn’t want me to get another one because, (and I quote) “Kittens go to the bathroom”. (This is after our initial meeting when I explained that my cat was and always had been litter box trained.) She said how they really wanted someone without pets, but really wanted me to have the house, so they “made an exception”. Had I know that she definately did not want a tenant with pets, I would not have taken the house, nor would I have signed the (one year) lease. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons (all of them personal and related to how freaked out I was at the time), I didn’t get a copy of the lease when I signed it (I know, big mistake), so I clarified with her that the lease (which I’m supposed to pick up a copy when I get the key on Monday), hasn’t been altered since I signed it. She assured me that the only thing on the lease was the exception of one cat.

She’s already proven to be a complete nut case (no offense to those diagnosed with any mental illnesses). I don’t want to say that I made a huge mistake by taking this place, but if I had a choice, I’d be unpacking boxes right now in my OLD house and staying right where I am…

I have a strong suspicion that this will not be the end of it. (The rental property is a semi-detached house, or a duplex, and she and her husband and kids live on the other side.) I suspect that soon it will be something else…the way I’ve hung the curtains, or parked my car, or something, ANYTHING. What I do know is already she’s changing things and going back on what she initially told me (and even what’s written in the lease–which says NOTHING about which cat I can have, or how long, or what I can or can’t do if the one I have currently dies). I’d like to tell her to f*ck off, but I’d rather not have to spend a year living next to someone who has it out for me. I’ve half made up my mind that I’ll live until the lease expires, then move (and I haven’t even moved in yet!!!) :eek: , but until the year is up, I’m sure I’ll have to deal with her over and over again.

Suggestions? (They must be legal…)

2

Well they know you have a cat and are allowing you to move in, which means they like you but not your cat, so it may not be a problem, but their mention of no more cats after this one dies seems odd, unless your cat is really old- I may be concerned about them killing your cat to be honest.

3

Landlord/tenant law tends to be very location specific, so it’s hard to know what rights you have. There are usually fair housing advocacy groups that can help renters get info on their rights. You might want to at least give a call.

My gut instinct is to not move in if you can afford not to. Crazy landlord = bad. If all you will be losing is your security deposit, you might want to consider your odds of getting it back at the end from a crazy landlord.

4

!. Pick up copy of your lease. Make sure the cat exception is still there, put it back in if it isn’t.

  1. Move in if the cat exception stays.

  2. Do not get social with your landlords. Keep everything extremely business-like - they stay on their side, and you stay on yours.

  3. Ignore the way your landlady has waffled. If she signs the lease saying you can have one cat, you can have one cat. Pay the rent on time every month, be a good tenant, and just ignore her. She hasn’t sounded that bad so far, from what you’ve written.

5

If/when you move in, photograph everything and make detailed notes on the condition of the premises. Give the landlady a hard copy of the photos (you can be nice about it; just say "a friend of mine once had a problem with apartment damage that the landlord wanted to repair using the security deposit; I figured a good way to avoid that would be if we both had photos of the condition of the place at the time I move in).

She sounds EXACTLY like a landlady I used to have in Ithaca, NY. Luckily it was only for a summer so there wasn’t much time for disaster to occur. But, I didn’t get my security deposit back (she insisted my cats had made the apartment smell bad) and on at least one occasion she let herself into my apartment without informing me when I wasn’t home. So steel yourself.

6

Another thing, from what you’re telling us, the lease says (or is supposed to say), that you may have ONE cat. It doesn’t say anything about a specific cat. As far as I can tell, if your current cat should die, you should be well within your rights to get another.

Oh, and if your’re going to do the picture thing, make three copies of the pictures. Give her one copy, keep one copy for yourself, and then mail a third copy to yourself registered/certified/etc*… This will help to prove when you took the pictures. I know, it’s not 100% foolproof, but it certainly helps your case at least a little should the need arise.

*DON’T open the envalope. This is something that you would open in front of a lawyer or judge.

7

All good information. I’ll take pictures immediately, as there is a broken pane of the double pane window in one of the bedrooms that she pointed out. “I didn’t want you to think you’d broken it,” she said at the time. However, there were a few other places, which I’d assumed they’d fix prior to me moving in, but may not have. I certainly do not want her to come back when I move out and say, “Here’s a list of the damage you did” when it was present prior to me moving in.

She also said (AFTER I’D SIGNED THE LEASE) that she’d have to use some money out of the security deposit to have the carpet cleaned because of the cat. I thought that property owners were to have the place repainted and the carpets cleaned prior to having new tenants move in???

I’m absolutely going to have to check with my local Fair Housing Advocacy group.

This is NOT the way I’d anticipated starting this new move… :mad:

8

Sorry for the double post, but this whole situation has my stomach in knots.

She’s specifically stated on at least three occassions I can immediately recall that they wanted ME as the tenant (even though they didn’t check with my employer to see that I was gainfully employed, call either personal reference listed, or do a credit check!). This makes me wonder what her expectations are of me moving in. Does she think I’ll be her next best bud? That we’ll have cocktails on the front porch?

My home is my oasis. I talk to people and solve problems all day. When I go home at night, I’m quiet, low key, and want to hide in my home cave, which is my way of recouping and regrouping. The thoughts of having that invaded makes on the verge of…well, I don’t know, but it’s not happy and comforting thoughts that run through me. :dubious:

9

This is a Whoosh right?

Your landlady isn’t happy about animals living in her property(Like many if not most people who rent out property) but she’s made an exception for you and that makes her a psycho?
She’s made one concession to you but instead of thinking that was nice of her you start asking for further concessions.
What next ?having gone from NO pets to a cat,fish,hamsters etc do you broach the subject of a small puppy"Oh look hes so adorable"etc.etc.

OK you assured her that your cat is house trained but quite honestly do you think that there has ever been a tenant in the history of the world whos turned round and said oh yes I’ve got a pet but it ISN’T house trained ?

No doubt shes been burned in the past,even if there aren’t cat hairs everywhere and it DOES’NT piss and crap on the carpet or furniture or yowl or cause a nuisance in neighbours gardens which no doubt shes been assured by previous pet owners that THEIR animals never did’ she has been honest with you and fair to you.

I’ve owned nurerous cats and a dog in the past so I’m not looking through rose coloured glasses here.
I suggest that you live somewhere else for her sake.
Describing her as a psycho seems to be bizarre to say the least.

I’ll just make my declaration here that I am not nor have ever been a landlord though I have been a tenant several times in the past.
I just KNOW that I’ve been wooshed here.

10

Sorry, Lust4Life, this isn’t a whoosh.

My concern is that she keeps changing the conditions. First, pets were okay. Then, it was a cat and small pets were okay. Then it was my cat only. Then it was when my cat dies (keep in mind, I signed a years lease), I cannot get another, essencially telling me that I cannot have a cat other than the one I have currently.

Based on the behavior she’s exhibited thus far, I’m wondering what’s next.

Listen, I understand that maybe she’s been burned by past tenants, but all I want is for her to make a decision and stick with it.

11

I still don’t see psycho, but she does sound kind of high-maintenance. Maybe she meant that she would take part of your security deposit for cleaning after you move out, because no, she doesn’t get to make you pay for the cleaning she has to do before you move in.

12

I really don’t see how any of this makes her psycho, and I think you’re really working yourself up over what seems – to me – to be good intentions on her part.

She likes you. Therefore she wants you as a tenant. No doubt she’s had hellish tenants in the past and you give off the vibe of being a reasonable, responsible person. Every landlord I’ve ever met has had at least one shitbag renter, and the good tenants become more and more precious over time.

She’s willing to make an exception for you. Because she likes you.

She pointed out a problem with the window specifically so that it wouldn’t worry you. Because she likes you.

She was up-front about her intentions regarding your deposit. In places that routinely rent to pet owners, they make you put down more money as security specifically to pay for cleaning the place when you move out. She clearly does NOT routinely rent to pet owners, so she’s letting you know now that you shouldn’t anticipate getting your entire deposit back. She’s being nice. Again.

It’s also worth noting that she’ll have to have the carpets cleaned, etc. to be able to rent the place again even if your cat is as tidy as possible. The next tenant could be allergic to cats. Carpet cleaners charge more and (I assume) clean in specific ways for pet-inhabited places. That’s just the way it is. And I agree that she meant AFTER you’d moved out, not before you moved in.

By all means, get a copy of your lease and make sure the cat exception is noted. Then enjoy having a landlord who’s honest and forthright.

13

As a former tenant and landlord’s live-in super, I agree completely with every one of Beadalin’s points. I’m betting you have no frickin’ idea just how disgustingly filthy smelly trashed an apartment can be by pets. One apartment in the building I used to be super for not only had to be completely repainted and recarpeted, but also left untenanted with windows open for over a month till it was rentable again.

14

You’re absolutely correct. I have no idea how tenants can trash rental properties. I am a very responsible person, as well as responsible pet owner and cannot imagine living in a house of filth–trash or pet or any other form. My friends tell me I am the exception, rather than the rule, and I forget that just because I treat the house in which I am living as a home, that for me includes repairs, maintenance and keeping it clean and presentable (afterall, I have to live there), not everyone does–both renters and homeowners.

15

You may also want to investigate whether a landlord can enforce a “no pets” clause on a lease in your area.

Here in Ontario, the Tenant Protection Act says that a landlord cannot evict of the basis of pet ownership, and cannot refuse a new tenant on that basis either - there are exceptions made if the landlord can provide proof that the pet is dangerous to others or to the property, or if it causes problems for the landlord or other tenants (ie. allergies). Cite

Since your location field isn’t specific, I’m not sure if a similar law applies to you, but it’s would be worth looking into for the sake of peace of mind.

16

That was your best post ever. By a mile.

To the OP - I think you’re overreacting a bit, other than ensuring that the “cat exception” is still on the lease. And taking pictures of move-in damage is ALWAYS a good idea.

17

I don’t think she sounds crazy based on what you’ve said here. I wouldn’t necessarily anticipate a problem. As others have pointed out, she seems to just be making an exception for you and so doesn’t have hard and fast rules already in place for this kind of scenario, so she probably is making it up as she goes a little bit.

My mother in law lives in a condo where cats were allowed, then after she moved in the association voted not to allow pets. So she is allowed to keep her cat until it dies, but not get another one. Since the cat stays inside the whole time, I don’t know how they would enforce it, but there you go. We joke that she can get another cat, as long as it looks like her current one :slight_smile: (Note: I am not saying you can / should do this.)

Requiring a little extra to have the place cleaned after seems reasonable to me. Lots of rental places I have seen allow pets but charge an extra fee for them.

18

I’ve got a story. My uncle has some rental properties. His philosophy is that if a tenant pays on time and doesn’t call for repairs, he doesn’t raise the rent or check up. He very much shrugs off clean-ups, preferring to have long term tenants.

One family moved out after 20 years. They had four cats and a pot-bellied pig. Uncle had to rent a machine and chip the carpet off of the floor.

19

I think you’re overreacting. Unless you’re thinking your cat might die in the next year, there should be no problem. Your landlady was worried about kittens not being housebroken, not your cat. Doesn’t seem unreasonable to me.

As a landlord, I’d be okay with a pet, in the right circumstances, but only if I knew what pet it was. All dogs and cats are not interchangeable.

20

You have more than one cat, don’t you?