Hello.

Got bad news. Apparently after "much consideration" (ie. 2 months or so) our landlord has finally made a decision about whether I can get a greyhound or not. And it was no. So a little bit miffed. I thought the consideration time meant we might be in with a chance because we didn't get a flat out "no". So it looks like I'll have to move. I thought I was being all noble by asking nicely before doing anything which I'm sure is more than what most people would do. We've been model tenants. No parties. No late night music. Neither of us smokes. The flat is clean and tidy. And no offence to people with kids but if I became pregnant, not only would I be more of a nuisance once I gave birth (baby crying all night) but it would be much harder for them to evict me! So a dog might pee on the floor until it settled. I'm fairly sure a toddler might manage that once or twice (I know I did when I was potty training and someone forgot to put the bowl in the potty! Hmm.. too much information! It's funny what you remember from childhood!). And then there's chewing the furniture... the equivalent of a child drawing on the walls? All these things can be remedied. But no pets. And by no pets they mean no dogs or cats. I could keep snakes and one of them could get loose before I leave (it happened to a mate of mine) and then it might turn up 6 months later... or a tarantula!

So now it's flat hunting time. I might sound a bit like a kevin the teenager by saying this but I'm sick of not having any control. I can't afford to buy my own place, I'm not eligible for a council house- and besides there wouldn't be one in the right area. Of the very few places that allow pets, most of them are dumps. I was never allowed anything bigger than a pet mouse of my own when I was younger because both parents worked full time. Most of my family hate cats which meant I couldn't get one of those. And now my flatmate says no cats so I'm a bit annoyed about that too (and yes I know greyhound and a cat might be a bit dodgy together but I've been told it is possible depending on the prey drive of the dog). Why does everybody I know hate cats? My mum is afraid of them, her mum was afraid of them. My dad doesn't like them, his mum doesn't like them. My uncle is afraid of them. What's so terrifying about a little siamese sitting on the windowsill? And now my flatmate has said categorically no cats. I'd understand if she was afraid of them but it's just that she's not keen on them. Grrrrr! We mostly get on about everything else. So I have no idea what to do. The flat we're in now is lovely but it's very expensive and incredibly expensive to heat (no double glazing, high ceilings etc). I don't suppose there are any lovely animal friendly people who live in Edinburgh who happen to have a spare double glazed mansion to rent for 20 quid a week? No? Didn't think so.

What's so terrifying about a little siamese sitting on the windowsill?  Ah spoken by someone who's never owned a siamese obviously :D  Ours was a terror, she knew if people didn't like her and would stalk them, wait for them to lift a coffee cup up and then pounce. That and peeing on a plate on the coffee table in front of guests were her specialities :rolleyes:

Edinburgh who happen to have a spare double glazed mansion to rent for 20 quid a week?  can't help you there but I'm looking for a lodger. OK, it's 15 miles away from Edinburgh but with reasonable public transport links and free borzoi cuddles! Actually, I think it's the borzoi cuddles that are putting people off :D

Well you know if I had passed my driving test and had a car I would be there in an instant! I keep kicking myself that I didn't sit it a year ago. Borzois are my favourites! Probably a no-no for cats I'm guessing though! Wish you luck finding a lodger. Just like I wish myself luck in finding a dog friendly flat!

the boys are very partial to cats.......

don't need to be cooked either



:D

Awww... bless their (probably very big and thoroughly impractical) cotton socks. I'm guessing your siamese was pre-borzoi days then?

Yes, she was our cat as I grew up. I'd love another one - siamese are such characters, vocal, wicked, demanding attention, great cats. Ours used to climb out a bedroom window onto the roof and shout to be rescued. when some poor soul got a ladder to rescue her she would lash out at them then pop back in the window, the neighbours on either side fell for it :D

>Well you know if I had passed my driving test and had a car I would be there in an instant!

Get a bus! ;) LOL

M.

Chaumsong said the public transport's reasonable. ;) :)

Our Siamese played a good game of fetch! :-D
Karen

Mine too :D She could be delightfully evil too though

It has just occurred to me that this might be in the wrong category so I apologise for that. My blind rage must have made me post in the wrong place!

salukipuppup

If I were you I'd not look a gift horse in the mouth by way of Chaumsong's offer - a doggy household etc. ok, it's 15 miles from work but you are better for bus & train connections in the central belt than I am nearer the east coast and it gives you some breathing time to look for something else if you wanted/perservere with driving lessons.  Sometimes we have to make a few compromises to get a better deal!  

British shorthairs are wonderful too & not so plaintive in their meows!  That's why I have 2!

Ditto that!  What's 15 miles if it's within budget and - vitally - allows you to enjoy your own dog (and Chaumsong's too :D )  Heck, I might even apply myself for a short term tenancy to escape the Christmas period :P

If it's really not an option to move that far, could you perhaps offer your services as a dog walker at weekends etc to a local animal sanctuary?  Might give you an opportunity to provide a worthwhile and much needed service while getting your own furry fix ;)  A win-win situation in the absence of an unwilling landlord.

Teri 

I thought I was being all noble by asking nicely before doing anything which I'm sure is more than what most people would do.

If you were to get a dog against your lease, then you'd be out on your ear! :(

As a ladylady ;) even as a dog lover I say no pets after one 'model tenant' left the house stinking and running with fleas! :(  OK, the deposit was withheld to pay for it to be sorted but it meant that the house was empty for a week before the new tenant could move in.  And that was after the 'it's not a puppy and will be no trouble' dog had been interviewed too. :)   So I wouldn't consider an unkown dog that you haven't got yet. 

And all the things that you say make you a 'model tenant' I consider to be normal, expected behaviour from all tenants - those who didn't behave reasonably would be given notice.

but I'm sick of not having any control
If you rent, then by definition you will have no control - it's not your house!  I understand how difficult it is to rent as when my daughter graduated the first thing that she wanted was to have her dog back living with her.  She tried 22 landlords/landladies before one would let her have her dog, and it was a tiny house with a high rent - and an extra deposit for the dog!

If having a dog while you're in rented property is a priority for you, then something else will have to give, and if that means travelling 15 miles to work, then maybe that's it! :)

There was a time when it was reasonable to say that if you chose to live in rented accommodation then you simply had to put up with the restrictions imposed by landlords. However, those were the days when anyone in even a halfway decent job had the choice of renting or buying. Nowadays that luxury of choice has been removed.

I owned a house from the age of 21 but for sure, none of our grown up offspring who are all in their mid-20's and all working, can see how they'll ever afford a house (other than by inheritance!) given the gap between earnings and prices in this neck of the woods.

So I do feel very much for anyone who'd just like the pleasure of dog ownership but is denied things some of us take for granted simply because they are destined to stay in rented accommodation.

> So I do feel very much for anyone who'd just like the pleasure of dog ownership but is denied things some of us take for granted simply because they are destined to stay in rented accommodation

But there are many other things in life that are denied to us through no fault of our own. Dog ownership isn't a right nor is the lack of a dog a terminal illness. I waited until I was in my early forties before having a dog of my own. Yes - we did own our own home, but other circumstances were against what was best for the dog. I didn't feel upset by it - just accepted that that was how things were. It's NOT the end of the world not having a dog and I think that the OP is a youngish person, so has the rest of her life in front of her.

Daisy

I wouldn't disagree, Daisy! But I was mainly suggesting that choosing to be in rented accommodation isn't necessarily the choice it used to be.

But of things you have to get over not having, there are many and neither wailing nor gnashing of teeth makes a whole lot of difference in reality. It can be quite therapeutic though ;)

BUT I always wanted dogs since I was a very young girl and was never allowed one :rolleyes:

But I gots Mars my first Lab and was very young 20 But I knew come hell or high water I would have dogs and make it work :) There have been times when my girls have been left longer than I would ever had wanted when I chucked my ex out and was living on my own BUT they were my saviour and they got me through some very bad times

I think if you do genuinely love your dogs and treat them as part of the family as I do you can make it work one way or the other :)

Ditto - Lucy,

I had circumstances similar to your's and all I can wish is I never exposed my dogs to the 'black period' in my life all due to another human.

My girls saw me in some horrible situations but if they weren't there I wouldn't be now

That is why they did and my current girls mean so much to me :)

I didn't feel upset by it - just accepted that that was how things were. It's NOT the end of the world not having a dog

I think that's a bit like saying it's not the end of the world not having a partner or children - it depends on who you are as to how important these things are to you, I am quite content living my life without a boyfriend or a husband, but my life would be pretty empty without animals in it - they are the love of my life! Each to their own :-) I'm sure if it's that important to the poster she'll make it work one way or another or take the other poster up on their very kind offer.

Karen

But, as I said before, the OP is very young. I didn't have my own home until I was 24 - it was a studio flat and I was just grateful to have somewhere to live, let alone have a dog - which was totally out of the question anyway (even if the landlord had allowed it) because I worked in London and was out of the house for 11 hours a day.

As the saying goes 'the best things in life are worth waiting for' :)

Daisy

My dogs have kept me sane so I would recomend trying to find a landlord that will let you keep one unfortunatley I found it easier already having a CKCS who I could take to meet the landlord one look at his big brown eyes and who could say no

Another landlord view.

We have twice now had to remove carpets and beds because they have been badly soiled by pets.  Having lots of cuddly four legged friends myself I feel for people with pets so I have said okay but this time after huge costs yet again I have insisted that I educate the tenants in how to care for their pets properly.  I have cut huge knots out of their cat and sorted its coat out, given them a rota for its feeding toileting and exercise (it was kept mostly in the house even though there is an enclosed garden) and shown them how easy it is to keep a litter tray clean.  There were food trays all over the house and cat food etc. on the carpets and up the walls.  I cried during the whole week I spent cleaning it out, while they were away, replacing carpets again and repainting walls.  When people get into that state they just cant see were to go next or how to clean up.

I was all for re-homing the cat but after a week of living with it I just couldn't do it so close to Christmas as I feel the rescues will be overflowing soon.  This has cost me thousands of pounds over the last couple of years and there is no profit in my rental property yet.  If it doesn't work out in the next 6 months I will be asking them to leave and will be labeled an uncaring landlord.  Well I know I have done the best I can.

Friends of mine with two dogs rent a property locally.  One of the dogs has never been  properly house trained and pees and poos on the carpet.  You can smell the urine when you go in even though they are very clean in themselves.  I think they will be in for a wake up call when the landlord does and inspection.

Please don't put all landlords down because they don't take pets, they may have good reason not to.

I think you have gone over and above what could be asked of any landlord (or lady :)) echo.  Although I have a dog and allow close friends to stay with their dogs I would never let my cottage to a stranger with a dog or cat, particularly cats I'm afraid.

Good Grief echo.  I would love to be able to invest in property but quite frankly I would not allow pets and would probably think carefully about children too and I have had 3 of my own.  My own dog is very clean (so are the children come to that) but I can remember a relative who allowed her dog to have big meat bones on the carpets (flies and all ) and when you stroked the dog you could see the fleas clearly in his coat.  A friend I grew up with was a real life Cinderella and I used to help her clean up after her family and dogs who used to poo in the house.  It's not the dogs per se that are the problem, as I am sure most on here would agree, it's people and their varying standards.  Unfortunately, you just don't know what they are until you witness them.

Surely when you rent out there has to be some sort of contract about how you maintain the property.  There will be fair wear and tear but anything above that should be paid for by the tenant.  My ex SIL is about to leave a rented property and is busy painting the walls back to the neutral colours they were when she first moved in.

Unfortunately not everyone is brought up to respect their own property, let alone someone else's :( :( Friends have several rented properties and the tenants in one took two months to report that the shower was leaking

Daisy

Regrettably if your tenants have help from the council with the rent a housing officer has to come and visit to check that it is fair.  In view of this the place had to be cleaned up again.  After all it is only bricks and mortar to me, it is home to them and I know what it feels like to be worried about where you are going to live.

We have worked out a routine between us and it is working at the mo' - I guess they will get fed up with me dropping in twice weekly to 'help out' but if that's what it takes. 

It is just sheer thoughtlessness with some people or even coming from a home where they have never been shown how to do the housework, I am guilty of that one I never asked my boys to help around the house but the two oldest got the hang of it when they had their own places, the others really struggled so now I am training the two youngest as we speak (although the liver treats dont seem to be working yet).

Still it is hard to know what to do and if things don't change I probably will and it will be Petless, Housing Benifitless and childless for me in future.

Can I just put my bit in so you dont think every tenant is a pain!!!!
This is my third private rented house, after I left council house.
The first 2 were by the same landlord, who owns alot of houses around here,
My first house I decorated throughout, the last room I did 6 weeks before I moved!!!! That house onl;y had a yard. I only had Gemma at the time but wanted a garden. I was in that house 18 months.
The second house came up and the landlord said I could have it without hesitation, I also decorated and recarpeted all but 1 room.
I returfed the half the back garden, laid slabs, graveled areas, planted alot of plants in the borders, pruned the trees etc etc etc This house I was in for 3 years. Before I moved into that house it was a state and me and my family took ages cleaning the oven, washing walls down, etc etc. Oh and I got Beano in that house, so had 2 dogs and no smell of dogs when I left
When I gave my notice he was visibly sorry, but heard from one of his workers he was upset that his best tenant had left!!!!
I am still in private rent but a mate wanted to rent his house out. Again I have decorated the few rooms that needed it(Only because they werent my colour, no other reason)
I now have 3 dogs which he knows about every one. He pops round every so often but just for a coffee not to inspect it!!!! He wanted me to have his house because he knew I would treat it with respect and he wouldnt have to worry about it as he had seen the transformation in the last 2 houses I had been in.
So to sum up, I am the tenant from hell as...l.........
I am on housing benefit, I have 2 children, 3 dogs and 2 rabbits!!!!! ;) ;) ;)
Oh will also add, I have seen the state people leave houses in as we go in and tidy the gardens of rented houses, and am appalled how people treat them.
Any where I live is my home, and I will treat it as my home and I will not live in a hovel!!!! Some people think, well its not my home why bother!!!!
Sorry I have gone on a bit havnt I!!!
Lea :)

Lea,

I echo what you've written as my sister rents her cottage and she has decorated all through as it was left by the last tenant nicotine yellow.  She's re-carpeted all through, her preference was for laminate but the landlord said no .  The garden has been changed from wilderness of grass & weeds into borders & shrubs, a seated area etc.

She has 2 dogs & 1 cat all of which the landlord knows about & when he & the letting agent came to view what she'd done, they were over the moon hence her lease was renewed in September!

I don't think that anyone is saying that there aren't good tenants out there, I'm quite happy with mine at the moment (although none have ever decorated or recarpetted for me!) just trying to explain that bad experiences may well be the reasons for landlord/ladies making their choices. :)

We are in a privatley rented house at the moment with 1 dog.  We had to pay an extra months bond for Jazz, our contact also stipulates:

-if we leave the house we must have carpets professionally cleaned (i have this done every 3-6 months anyway)

- we must ensure the garden is kept clean, by that i mean cleaning up after Jazz :rolleyes: why would you not do this anyway

- and Lea I am so jealous that you can decorate :D,  we are not allowed to :( , our house is a magnolia box.

I can underrstand all the stipulations in our contract from a landlords point of view though, as not everyone has the same standards :)

as not everyone has the same standards

Oooooh absolutely! ;)  And from the landlord's point of view, they only find out when it's too late and so once they've been burned, they will protect themselves in future by saying 'No dogs'!

>they will protect themselves in future by saying 'No dogs'!<

What if the tenant had to look after their mums/sisters/brothers dog a couple days a week because,for example,they had to go to hospital for treatment or whatever,it isnt afterall their dog,and it isnt living there persay,so where does a landlord stand in these kinds of circumstances?What about friends who visit who have dogs?

I think if a tentant really,truly wants to have a pet then they will,no matter what the landlord says. None of the houses i've lived in have "allowed" pets,but i have always had dogs ;) I've been living here for 5 years now and the landlord has seen my dogs on a few occasions,and has never said anything,for all he knows they belong to someone else,my neighbours dont even know i have dogs!I think he realises that we are excellent tenants,as in rent always on time,premises/garden is immaculate(infact i'm extra vigilant,because of the dogs,i make sure they dont do damage,eat bones on the carpet etc etc),so he doesnt want to cut his nose off to spite his face,as he could kick us out for having pets and then get the tenants from hell...like the previous tenants were. None of my previous landlords have ever twigged that we had pets,we always got our full bond back and the houses were always spotless.Besides they would have to prove they were my dogs and not someone elses i was dogsitting for,which would be a pretty hard task i'de say??

Ofcourse i'm not advocating anyone do what we do,as it can get stressful at times,i would much rather have found places that allowed pets,but as it is we couldnt and here we are.

I think if a tentant really,truly wants to have a pet then they will,no matter what the landlord says.

If any tenant breaks they agreement, then they risk eviction.  Simple. :)  Maybe it depends on the supply and demand for rental properties in the area?  In my area there are waiting lists for nice homes to rent and so landlords with decent properties don't have to tolerate dishonest tenants. :)

>In my area there are waiting lists for nice homes to rent and so landlords with decent properties don't have to tolerate dishonest tenants. :-)<

But if the tenants do all the right things etc,then how are the landlords to know if they have pets or not. I admit i would rather tell a porky/"be dishonest" than live without my dogs :)

The Agents in this area are very vigilant and know exactly what's going on! :D

I admit i would rather tell a porky/"be dishonest" than live without my dogs
That sounds just like the advert on the TV at the moment - "Just because I do a few hours work doesn't make me a benefit cheat"! ;)
The answer is to find somewhere that will accept your dogs not to be dishonest and risk losing your home. ;)

This is an interesting topic.

We have a dog and a cat, we were previously renting off our relatives until they had to sell cottage- so we had to find a rental property that accepted pets.

Took us about 4 months in total- 15/18 different properties. Then i found out there was a fab terrace coming up- went to view with my mum, landlord was young man, carpenter. Very nice guy who had done the house out to a high standard- wooden floors and doors- all original, new fitted kitchen and brand new bathroom suite. Totally empty which wasnt a problem- we have lots of stuff!

Within 2 mins of entering property- i informed him of my pets, to which he said thats fine, obviously i could see him thinking about it- so i said we would be happy to offer a larger deposit, use a crate, litter tray, and have house cleaned professionally- i said he can put all that in contract if he wishes....

So after the viewing i was on edge for about a month- this house was stunning and fab for us- a young active couple and our quirky pets- the house was perfect and i thought ot was too good to be true.

After long wait, rob, landlord rang and said yes, he mentioned he was very impressed with me and thought i could be trusted. We have a good relationship, and recently had a big leak in kitchen due to an old cellar next door- rob was great- came round and did all the work- then before he went on hols, he left a bottle of wine and a fiver for meter- as dehumidifier was using lots!

So in turn we have respect for him and his house that he's put so much into.
Renting with pets can go wrong if the people dont think about the longterm, or just to care. But we care alot for this house, and our pets. I certainly dont want my landlord to regret taking our pets on, but i wouldnt want him to accept any future tenants with pets without assesing each individualy- its only fair!

> So in turn we have respect for him and his house

That's the key to it and you were honest with him from the beginning, which is sadly lacking in many people. I'm glad that you have got such a lovely house :)

Daisy

As a ladylady  even as a dog lover I say no pets after one 'model tenant' left the house stinking and running with fleas!   OK

Ditto . My rules are tough also no dogs, no cats and no smoking. I only allow 2 kids also in a 3 bedroom house.  Any lose is my lose so I dont take any chance.

I'd rather animals in a house than kids anyday.

Wow... I never realised I would get much of a response from just letting off steam!

I can definitely see it from both points of view- I can totally understand why landlords might be reluctant to allow animals. I feel bad for those of you who have rented your properties out and have had problems. Sadly a lot of owners of pets aren't as passionate about them as the people on this site and as such neglect even the most basic of things eg. house training, flea treatment. But by the same token it is frustrating, given that houses are so expensive, not being able to live the way you like. I am single and it is likely I will remain so for the foreseeable future, I don't plan on having children and as corny as it sounds I would like some company and I've found that animals don't let you down as much as people do (plus they don't talk back)! Anyway, it's been interesting to read different people's take on it. My lease isn't up for a little bit yet so I'll put the feelers out and see if I come up wth anything...

Also chaumsong I have PMed you.

Yip Christine I know where you are coming from but the biggest problem with pets if not looked after properly is the smell they can create.  I would rather a bit of damage from kids to be honest than a house I would struggle to remove the odour from and for landlords that is the biggest problem.  Also a distroyed garden is also an off put for re-letting.

It is so hard to get it right but pets honestly are the most commonest problem for landlords.

I know how hard I have to work to keep my house clean with all my dogs especially at this time of the year.  I even had to renew the glass on one of my french doors and they are only 1 year old. They are my dogs so I bare the consequences. I also value my own house as it is my investment so do what I can to protect my house. Tenants do not always have the same attitude. It is hard to find the good from the bad when making decisions based on little information. References these days actually don't count for much as I know of people who will give references to get rid of tenants :-)

i rent an unfurnished house and then i dont have to worry about the furniture  etc which can always be picked up cheaply second hand anyway, perhaps unfurnished might be a better option as landlords have less to worry about.

Unfurnished is great but you also need to think about flooring, skirting, boards, doors, the garden and the garden fence.  When you've got all that pet proofed you could be onto a winner.  I think I will be investing in stone tiles next time, it has to be less expensive in the long run that replacing carpets time after time.  Oh by the way laminate is no proof against pets, I have seen that ripped up as well.  Speaking as someone who has six dogs and one cat, all living in the house with laminate floors and a pet garden (grass/bog) with the front garden for show - crumbs I'll be having a parlour next, what am I saying I already have one sitting room they are not allowed into:rolleyes:

> Unfurnished is great but you also need to think about flooring, skirting, boards, doors, the garden and the garden fence

:) The vast majority of the damage that my younger dog did when she was a puppy was to these things - skirting boards, door frames, kitchen cupboards etc etc. In other words, the more expensive or difficult to replace/repair things :D :D

Daisy

One dog I had ate through the living room/kitchen wall That was in a council house, too :( I'm still in council property, different council, and have 3 dogs. They have dug up the back garden/bog ;) but otherwise I don't think there is too much damage. I'm starting to think about moving again though. I've been here too long (6 years :) ) and am getting itchy feet. Hopefully I'll find something nice on one of the local estates. They don't seem to mind renting out to people with gundogs :D I hope ;)

>I'm not eligible for a council house

Whilst accepting that it may be a very long term solution, depending where you live, why are you not eligible? Unless there's a reason that eventually you wouldn't get one, get your name on the list - you can always turn it down or take your name off later if it's no longer needed.

M.

The council works on a points system.  I imagine single people with a roof already over their heads are in the lowest point scoring zone.  Homeless would come higher up, homeless with children etc higher still and so it goes on.

Unfortunately single people do find it difficult to find suitable council property because the council assumes they come without any special requirements like gardens etc.  A house without a garden is not a happy prospect for a puppy although I am sure it can be done.

Yes, I know that - however, that is not to say that in a five years, or however long it takes, the original poster may not still be in this position. If not, then they can remove themselves from the list or turn it down. And yes, many of them come without gardens, but even in my area where housing is at a premium, I know of several single people who have been offered nice flats with little gardens which would perfectly easily suit an appropriate dog.

As I say, my point is that it will cost nothing to put her name on the list and wait and see what happens, and she would not be depriving anyone in greater need as the points system would deal with them first.

M.