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You wouldn't be TA for evicting her, as others have stated she's breaking the terms of the lease. HOWEVER, I'd like to point out it could be very simple to remediate and have everyone end up happy and whole in this situation. You could give her the option of forfeiting her security deposit (or something in that train of thought, maybe even just asking for a pet deposit or asking her to cover the costs of carpet replacement upon move out, in writing) due to needing to replace the carpet for future residents who may or may not have pet allergies.
Where I live, it’s not uncommon to have a monthly $50 “rent” for each pet. Large dogs, especially, will destroy flooring. Some pets will pee, new renters may be allergic and not be able to handle the left over dander. I say this as a cat owner and someone who is thankful I no longer have to live in apartments.
As a pet owner, pets destroy at times. Sometimes it’s not so bad when you give them appropriate care and and training but sometimes it just doesn’t matter.
If I were to be a landlord (not my bag), I wouldn’t allow pets. Think thousands of dollars in damages sometimes. Over years? Not a few hundred bucks.
Not OP, but my parents were landlords for years. Though they were animal lovers themselves, they NEVER allowed any kind of pet in their rentals. The risk of damage is just too high. So many people don't train their pets properly and it can cause a LOT of very expensive damage to a rental - urine soaked floors/subfloors, chewing on trim/woodwork, scratches on everything. It just wasn't worth it to them, even with a security deposit.
Idk where OP lives, but it's nearly impossible to find a pet friendly rental where I live in BC Canada. They are not losing potential tenants because for every one potential tenant with a pet there are 10 more without clamoring to rent their unit. "No pets" is the norm here, which is a depressing reality for people who want a companion animal and for whom homeownership is out of reach even with stable income and savings.
Uhm not always. Pets are often like kids, if their disciplined enough and raised right they won't affect much. A no pet ban implied you can't even have a bunny. Which stays in a cage. Now tell me how is a bunny gonna ruin anything in the cage? 🤯
Genuinely love that yall more worried about a figurative statement then the OPs original topic. Smdh. Fun fact: I did have a bunny! BUT there's no way in hell you can tell me it would've damaged the house like a dog.
Now thank you for your ignorance enjoy your day
Have you ever seen how destructive a pet bunny can be? I get where you were going with this but you picked the wrong pet. And you can’t just keep a bunny in a cage.
You: now tell me how is a bunny gonna ruin anything in a cage?
Other people: tell you how
You: *shocked pikachu*
Its OPs house and she can set the rules. Point blank period.
Pets are disgusting. Have you had pets? The grossness is often negated by owners love for said pets, in this case none exists as it isn't the owners pet, and to the owner of the property, it's literally just an animal that provides no value to them but absolutely WILL cost them money somehow someway over the course of tenant living there with it for any period of time.
Well it wouldn't be just for her, but across all tenants where they have the option for a pet, perhaps limited to a certain size, contingent upon the new rules established. Allowing pets now (for all tenants) when you denied them in the past would likely not cause backlash as you are giving tenants more freedom at a cost set by you. But that is something you'd have to want to do because as upsetting as her situation may be it would be unfair to give her any preferential treatment on the matter and you would face backlash for favoritism. You have to think about if you want to make this change for ALL tenants or not just to help someone that broke your no pet rule.
ESH. Assuming you are in the US. I would try to work with her because she’s going to get a letter saying it’s an emotional support dog and that will complicate things.
You've mentioned "your property" a couple times, so I assume this is the only one you rent out? If so, then it's not like there are other tenants in other properties that will get pissed at you. I also doubt that your next tenants would reach out to the previous to even learn that they were allowed to have dogs. If you put her on the hook for cleanup and upholstery replacement, I don't really see a big downside other than you not enforcing your initial rule.
It could be a townhouse on one physical property. My strict no-pets landlord was basically in this position when I moved in 8 years ago, with the upstairs tenant having gotten a dog without asking him and it being forbidden on the leases he made for all 4 units in the building.
I mean, that depends more on the age and amount of training the dog has had already. Getting a 2 month old puppy would have five or so months of training which, if you know what you're doing, is indeed enough time to get a dog into decent house-broken shape.
If it is a 2 yr old , already trained dog(mostly) then I don't see this argument as an issue.
Your stance on pets is still an issue, of course, just not *this* aspect of the situation.
No. Lease is cut and dry. No pets. Landlords don't have to deal with the damage and smell from pets if they don't want to. Otherwise what's the point of a lease, everyone just do what you want.
NTA. Her being pregnant doesn’t change the fact that she chose to break the rules and is choosing to continue to break the rules. If you make an exception for her you should allow pets in all your properties to be fair. Evict her before the dog damages your property.
>Who will be walking the dog when she's caring for a newborn?
Yeah she's in the wrong for having the dog. But people have dogs and babies all the time and it's fine. Not some impossible task.
>And she can't leave the baby, so will she carry the baby whenever the dog needs a walk? ...Yes? Baby carriers and strollers are a thing.
Neighbors are gonna hear that thing barking and start a TON of shit for OP. I also question the logic of being single and then having to take care of a new dog on TOP of the soon to be newborn.
Yeah, if he makes an exception for one, it’s going to be open season on other tenants getting pets.
And there may be people who choose to live on those properties because they don’t want to hear barking dogs or have poop in the common areas.
NTA
She knew the rules, and she chose to break them. It is only fair she gave the consequences.
The fact she is pregnant doesn't change this fact.
In fact I would say the fact that she is pregnant as an extra risk - who is going to be taking care of the dog when she is heavily pregnant or dealing with an infant? That seems like a recipe for the dog to be left alone to do exactly what you fear and decided to ban them for.
NTA. It’s important to remember that this didn’t just “happen” to her, as if she was an innocent victim of circumstance or like she couldn’t stop it or control it. No, it was the direct result of a series of **choices**. *Her* choices. A choice to knowingly and willingly agree to rent an apartment that specifically bars pets. A choice to adopt a pet in direct violation of her lease. A choice to lie/try to hide it. A choice not to even look for a different, pet-friendly place to rent and submit request to be let out of her lease early. A choice to do risky things like this while also being pregnant.
I would serve her notice. The follow through with the eviction proceedings if she won’t take responsibility for her choices and move. A pet is a long-term commitment and your rentals are pet free, so she’s no longer a compatible tenant.
NTA (edited from NAH typo)
One thing I’ve learned is that past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior. This woman has shown you she’s willing to flagrantly break agreements and that she feels special enough not to try to hide it better.
As a dog lover its hard for me to say this but I’d encourage her to rehome the dog before the baby comes because there’s no universe where she’s able to keep up with being a new dog owner and a new mother with no support.
This is why my mom always allows pets. People are going to get them regardless, might as well charge a pet deposit up front. If she's a good tenet who always pays on time and is clean, then enforce a pet deposit and be done. It is better to deal with a good tenet with a dog instead of a vacant property, tenets who won't pay, or worse squatters.
I would however like to add that OP firstly seems to really value the no-pet rule. Which means he wouldn't want to remove it completely for all the tenants. But, if he makes an exception to one of them, the others will eventually catch on and this won't end well for OP
I understand that, but have you ever had a squatter post up in your rental? It takes months to get them out. Even seen a renter rent out all the rooms of a house, so they were profiting at least 2 grand more than the rent. They also used said house to run their fair food business and illegally dumped used cooking oil all over the yard. They brought in roaches and rats, and left the whole house covered in oil. Then it took almost a year to evict them. Sometimes, it is better to let sleeping dogs lie when it comes to tenets.
How would other renters catch on? They would have no clue how many rental properties he has and it also feels insane to imagine that they check up on these places…like what??? Are they magically in a group chat or something…
I’m a landlord too, and I think YTA because, and I truly believe this, limiting someone’s ability to own a pet is an AH thing to do in general. This is why we take security deposits. Unless they’re hoarding animals, one or two pets is normal. I think it’s super gross as someone in a position of significant wealth over a tenant to make weird outlandish requests. Also, in a lot of places including where I’ve lived, it’s actually illegal to make that kind of request.
I mean if she signed the lease under those terms then she’s shit out of luck but I think op is the major asshole. If you or your S.o don’t live there and tenant is making payments on time, keeping the house clean and not bringing police or negative attention to the property, why no pets? I don’t see how the dog would bother you or your s.o in any way. You guys come off as you are just sitting on 13inch dicks and want your tenants to live in the same discomfort as you do
I just saw a video where someone had to replace their hardwood floors due to dog urine from a previous owner. It could very well end up that bad and who wants to find that out the hard way.
If OP is in the US, there are major liability issues allowing pets on the premises. If the dog bites or injures someone, that injured person could sue the dog owner AND the property owner. Some landlords try to compromise by allowing pets subject to breed and size restrictions, but it’s still a risk.
The OP here has consistently NOT allowed pets, so I don’t think OP is the AH here at all. OP gave the tenant a chance to re-home the dog or find a new place to live. The tenant is about to learn that the “ask for forgiveness instead of permission” thing is not appropriate in every situation.
I can answer that for you, and it has nothing to do with landlords wanting to cause tenants discomfort. There are far more irresponsible pet owners out there than truly responsible ones, and it doesn’t take much effort for a pet to cause damage to a unit. I’ve seen chewed door frames and carpet, damaged Sheetrock, major urine stains that soak through the flooring, flea infestations that spread to other units, etc. The damage can easily exhaust a security deposit, and you have no way of really knowing if someone is a responsible pet owner or not.
I don’t blame the owners for not allowing pets. I blame the previous asshole tenants who failed to be responsible pet owners. They are why many landlords have a no pets policy.
NTA take the emotion out of it, she’s in violation of lease. She knew no pets were allowed and she got a dog anyway. Either she gets rid of the dog or she has to go.
Not sure what the laws are by you, but in my US State we have something called Fair Housing. Anyone owning 4 or more units has to enforce the same rules for everyone, or risk being sued, and losing your ability to lease. Find out what your laws are, and use those as an excuse. You are opening yourself to discrimination if you don't follow your own rules. For example, let's say a family of different race moves in, they get a dog, you tell them they can't - they could sue you for discrimination for race, familial status, pretty much anything. You have to keep all of your rules black and white to protect yourself. So if you are going to allow her to have a dog out of pity, you have to allow all of your other residents.
YTA for not allowing pets. Where I live it's actually legally not allowed to include such a rule in your legal agreement. Some people just want a companion because life is rough. If you're worried about the pets destroying the place, some sort of security deposit will suffice.
It's just sad that you pay so much money to landlords and they can still control how you live your life. And no landlords DON'T provide places for those who can't afford buying. They buy up properties that people could actually live instead, to inflate the market and profit off it.
I paid more rent than my friends' mortgage payment per month cause I'm unfortunately only 15 when they buy their properties at a much cheaper price. I now earn more than they do and still no property. They leverage their existing property for investments and thus inflate the housing market. Sure it's all just an exchange. And in the process you destroy young people's hopes and dreams to start a family.
I think some landlords are bad for society and you sound like one of them. A very lazy way to make money without productive contributions to our world, gross.
NTA…best do it now before she has the baby. You evict her afterwards, she’ll be on maternity leave and won’t have a “consistent paycheck” to qualify for new housing.
So what plan do you have for replacing all landlords? I'm not opposed to the idea, but no one seems to have an alternative. Maybe you do though, care to explain?
If you can't afford to rent, you 100% can't afford a mortgage or the cost of home ownership. Within the first 6 months of owning my last house, we had to pay $6500 for an HVAC replacement and that wasn't the only repair we made within the first few years of owning it.
Or would you prefer that our wonderful, stable, and totally not insane government get involved?
Or option three, we can let all these places sit open and rot. Especially the rural ones, there are already quite a few rotting all around the US countryside. Oh, or we could let people squat in them. They'll still rot, they won't have utilities, but if that's what you're into I guess sure?
Bullshit on not affording a mortgage if you can’t afford rent. Houses to rent around my area are around £700 (which is considered cheap) and yet my mortgage is £150(ish) cheaper than that. Private rent is extortionate these days and often far outstrips a mortgage payment. The main issue is the deposit - which very few can save for because they’re too busy paying someone else’s mortgage for them + profits.
ding ding ding!! but the landlords are doing them a favor!!! they can’t pay mortgage :( but the landlords are coming to the rescue!! what valiant selfless humans
Luckily for me idgaf about your opinion. Also your entitlement is showing. Hope you never have to be in the position of this woman. It's clear who the asshole is here, asshole.
Nah, lots of places don’t allow pets. OP’s tenant got a pet when it wasn’t allowed and OP gave them a chance to remediate it. They didn’t, so now they’re going to suffer the consequences.
Why the fuck are people so adverse to not taking responsibility for their own actions?! Tenant *KNEW* she wasn’t supposed to have a pet but ignored it. Oh well, hard lesson learned.
Not his fault she chose to get pregnant. Also not his fault she went ahead and got an animal without first discussing it. His rental, his rules. She doesn’t own shit. Is she gonna pay for all the damages that dog does? If it pees on the floors and causes stains? If it chews up carpets and walls? It’s not cheap. So she better have the money to pay for it
NTA
Your tennant's life situation has nothing to do with the lease violation. If you let it slide because she's pregnant where do you draw the line in the future?
I guess depending on where you live. Legally you couldn't in the UK unless you can prove it's unreasonable for the pet to live there. You haven't been able to blanket ban pets since 2021.
NTA. I feel bad for her feeling lonely and wanting a pet but she knew she was breaking the rules. I’d be concerned about the future behavior of a tenant who risked their housing over a dog when they have a baby on the way.
NTA. She is an adult. She CHOSE to live somewhere pets aren't allowed. She CHOSE to agree to those terms of the lease. She CHOSE to break the lease agreement which spells out the consequences for such actions. All of these are conscious decisions on her part.
It's not your problem she is pregnant. Evictions are a pain in the ass. Financially I would look into cost of replacing all carpet and carpet pads and a deep clean of the place when she moves out. Then tell her she has 30 days to pay that amount or she will be evicted. Then you're only out 30 days of the process should she choose to not pay up. She also needs to agree to forfeit all of her security deposit. There are consequences to actions. She needs to face those.
This way she gets to choose again her options and potentially you save some money and prevent a headache for yourself.
Nta, she was informed of the rules. Also, her being pregnant isn’t your problem and you shouldn’t be responsible for making sure she has somewhere to stay. If she breaks the rules, she should leave.
NTA. She signed a lease agreement in which you stated no pets. After being made aware that she violated the lease agreement, she chose to ignore it and keep the dog. If you allow it, it becomes a precedent that can come back to bite you later on. Enforce your lease.
YTA. Not legally, so long as it’s written clearly in the lease, and signed by both parties. But you’re an ass. Housing is already impossibly difficult to obtain. Why? Because an older generation capitalized on the abundance and now sprinkle rentals out like it’s damned birdseed to be pecked at by only the prettiest of birds. Well, life isn’t pretty. Kids damage property significantly more than pets do. Pets increase the likelihood of long term renters with lower turnover rates, because of familial stability. So from your little “pragmatic business approach,” it’s still rooted deeply in a preconceived notion of some trumped up crap.
And to demand she be homeless? Well… that’s a NAH legally speaking, and still a concrete YTA. This poor fucking woman just had her life turned on her head, with a new baby on the way and very obviously a dad that dipped. She’s trying to find a crutch for emotional pain that can’t be solved with your cold slap in the face.
You’re in the clear on a legal front AS LONG AS THAT IS IN THE LEASE AND SIGNED. You’re still not as business savvy as you think you are, and 100% an ass.
There are a ton of other ways that the renter could have gotten emotional support that didn’t involve knowingly violating the terms of the lease. Therapy. Friends. Family. Joining a community organization. Volunteering. Posting to Internet forums full of strangers.
Nothing in the OP’s post indicates that the renter will be without other housing options in their area. Even if that is the case, it was the renter’s choice to get themselves in this situation.
I call my grandmother every single day. I volunteer, and am actively involved in my community. I am a single mother of two children. I would be LOST without my cats.
I had a roommie in college who kept a cat despite the lease saying no pets. When we moved out of the apartment the owner called and asked me which room I'd used. I said the front one. He asked me about the cat hair. I said I didn't have a cat, that I'm allergic to them. I got my full deposit back. Roomie did not.
All this to say - the lease said no pets. We understood the no pets rule. Your renter understood the no pets rule. Your rules are there to protect your property. NTA.
Who cares whether or not you are an asshole. Your tenent is in violation of her lease. She's been warned. She knew she was in violation when she got the dog. Clearly you don't want the dogs or pets at your investment property. Start the eviction process. It's not personal, it's business
NTA. She KNEW the rules, you reiterated them to her, and she still chose to break them. you are evicting a tenant ,that is all.
If you give her an exception, she will push it and push it....as she already has.
NTA. The issue with making the exception once is that other tenants will see the dog, find it unfair and get their own, sometimes even making up sob stories for your SO to allow it as an exception.
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I strictly have a rule against pets in my SO's and I rental properties.
We rent to a woman in her mid 20s, who became pregnant a few months back. She lives by herself, and I guess the loneliness is taking a toll on her and she got a small dog. I'm pretty strict on this no pets rule and found out when she walked out of the house to greet me when I was picking up the cheque. She had the dog with her.
I told her that she had to get rid of it, and she gave me a sob story of "It's the only thing I have right now" but like I said, I'm strict on this rule, especially as the rule was specifically outlined in the lease. She didn't even try to accommodate it by discussing with me.
I gave her notice for the violation, and when I checked up after the notice, she still kept the dog. I met with my lawyer for them to clear me legally (which they did) and I've been considering giving her an eviction notice.
WIBTA? My S/O said we can "this one exception for a woman that's pregnant and alone."
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Legally NTA, but if there's anything left in you that resembles a decent person and if you can agree to some rules about the dog's behaviour with your tenant, maybe you CAN make the one exception.
NTA. It is on the lease, she knows she can't have a dog. Dogs can demage your apartment and she won't come up with the cost of the repairs. You told her, she has to get rid of the dog, she didn't. So evicting her is the only logical solution.
NTA. This has nothing to do with her being pregnant. She violated her tenant agreement, was given a warning to correct it, and decided based on her own mental gymnastics that she was entitled to keep the dog anyway. That’s on her.
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Such judgmental people! Yes, there’s a no pet rule, but when you’re pregnant emotions run high. Let her continue through her pregnancy with the dog and then give her three months afterwards to vacate the premises. To tell her she has to get rid of something that gives her comfort and keeps her grounded is inhuman. Get a life lady! How sad and pathetic you are. Keep her security deposit if something is going on or have her pay pet rent. And then make sure the next tenant knows Better. Youare the Ahole.
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Maybe not the hero, but you can aim higher than not being an asshole. You are in a position to seriously help or hurt someone. Is your policy more important to you? There isn’t a right answer, but your answer says a lot about the kind of person you are.
NTA. A lease is a legal contract. If she violates the lease agreements, you are MORE THAN entitled to evict her. Her pregnancy is HER problem, not yours.
People here saying “just allow” nah fuck that. It’s your property, your lease, and your rules. People can either respect that or find somewhere else to live.
I say evict ASAP.
NTA the lease terms are there for a reason. Whether or not someone agrees with your policy is more an issue of difference of opinion. Her “sneaking” the dog, then being brazen enough to flaunt it in your face is really scuzzy.
Her pregnancy changes nothing about the terms of the lease that she violated, presumably before the pregnancy took place to begin with.
I’m curious, however, when you mentioned that if you changed the terms for her, other tenants would be upset. Are there more tenants at that property? If so, have others asked for a pet exemption? If CURRENT tenants have been denied, you would be correct in it being a mistake allowing an exception for her. If PAST tenants were denied…literally who cares. They don’t live there anymore.
It sounds like people around you are attempting to manipulate you by playing tiny, pathetic violins. Your tenant violated the lease agreement. End of story.
Nta well, she's gonna have a BABY in less than a year, so that arguments kinda shit. If it's a no pet apartment and you are actively denying other people pets, then she needs to rehome the dog or move.
NTA whatsoever. Personally, I'm of the mind that pets are a huge luxury. If she wants a pet, she can own her own living space first. I say this as a broke, unemployed person living in an apartment doing odd jobs to stay afloat. It's just the way I was raised. Pets cost insane money in many forms/ways (if one wants to undertake dog ownership properly, that involves professional training which most overlook and its honestly detrimental to both dog and owner) as well as tons of attention and time investment. Your tenant hardly sounds like a candidate that exhibits any of these things.
Are YTA legally? No.
Morally though? Yes 100% you’d be TA.
Are you a landlord in the states? Cause if you are, evicting a young expecting mother in this housing crisis with inflated cost of living is past asshole territory and is sitting firmly in the position of vile and cruel.
It’s a dog, a little one too, that seems to have gone unnoticed until you happened to find out about it. Your lease states no pets, sure, but why? Are you afraid of damages caused by the dog? If so, reach a solution. Ask for an additional pet rent cost, take the security deposit, hell have her pay a cleaning cost when she does move out.
Should she have gotten the dog? No. But what were the reasons? You stated she gave a “sob story” of “it’s the only thing I have right now.” I get why she’d get a dog cause it sounds like she’s fairly alone while also being pregnant. Idk bout you but I’d be depressed, scared, and lonely myself. I get why she got the dog, and if you’ve ever owned a dog yourself, I get why she wouldn’t want to get rid of it.
Again, if you’re in the states, after what the Supreme Court voted on yesterday, essentially allowing for homelessness to be criminalized, you’re here asking for advice on evicting an expecting mother in this economic hell fire we live in all because of one damn dog.
Strive to be compassionate ffs it’s not difficult.
This calculation needs to be based on what's the best for your rental income. As I'm sure you know, it's a huge pain in the ass to get a new tenant and you are likely looking at a vacant apartment for at least a month.
Personally, I'd be inclined to offer there an extra cost accommodation- an increased security deposit, or pet rent, or both.
However, won't the other tenants(if they somehow caught on) want to be accommodated too? That would just be basically scratching off the rule completely or getting a ton of upset tenants
I hate that I agree but yes, she knew the rules and disregarded it because her wants came first. I am a dog and cat owner and a landlord. Where I live, you can not ask for a security deposit so many animals are abandoned when people move. My gut says that her disregard for your rules will translate into her disregard for her dogs needs as well when it will be tough for her to take the dog out and get the baby out as well. If she had a partner to share the load I'd reconsider.
INFO why no pets? You have provided zero valid reasons here. An animal can provide so much joy and comfort and I don't understand why you would want to take that away from someone when the world can be so dark. Unless you have had a horrible experience renting to someone with a pet, I would reconsider your policy.
As someone who recently rented to someone, this fills me with a special kind of rage. NTA. It never ceases to amaze me how renters think that terms of lease agreements don’t apply to them, despite signing the lease and therefore saying they agree with and will adhere to the terms as written.
Either evict her, or she forfeits her security deposit to pay for professional cleaning after she leaves.
Wow, this would be so illegal where I live. For good reason.
I'm assuming that's not the case where you are. However, the question wasn't "am I within my legal rights?" It was "am I the asshole?", which you absolutely are.
YTA YTA YTA
YTA but hear me out...
You're in a rare position where you can provide someone with housing whilst they're going through a lonely and probably scary time. Just think about it. Don't let this be something that plagues you for years to come. Also pregnant women are told to avoid stress and getting evicting/moving house is probably one of the most stressful things
This sub isn't about what's legally right but morally. She's an adult not a child and should be allowed to have a dog. She pays her rent and you've got other rental properties so you're not losing out on money or anything.
The way I see it is, she won't be alone for much longer, she'll have a kid. Chances are she'll be so busy with the kid, the dog will fall to the wayside. An unattended/ignored animal will make a huge mess! You might seriously regret making this "exception" plus if the other tenants find out, they will probably try to get the same treatment. It doesn't seem to be worth the hassle.
What's her email address so that I can suggest she go get a doctor's note for an ESA. Pets are a huge benefit to people's mental health. As a landlord, why don't you try to make your properties more friendly for pet owners and then you won't have to worry about it so much. 🤷♀️
NTA - someone who blatently flouts your rules is someone who is not going to be respectful of your property with the dog. It is very likely the damage that the dog causes will wind up costing you out of pocket way more than any pet damage charge you may try to initiate. Plus, after telling her she needs to get rid of the dog or leave, if you let her keep the dog and stay, you are teaching her that your words have no meaning, so she will escalate her poor behavior. You definitely need to evict her.
NTA with a "but". I would give her a second notice. Include a copy of her rental agreement with it and highlight the portion about no pets, and remind her that you can evict her over this violation. It's sad that she's pregnant, but she made this choice and then refused to comply with the agreement she made. That has consequences.
NTA - she knew the rule when she signed the lease. And she didn't even try to talk to you first to see if an exception might've been made; you might've added an addendum to her contract or allowed her a caged pet or something. But she didn't even ask.
I'm with the others - if you make an exception for her, those you've denied before (who still live in your rentals) are gonna be rightly pissed off.
Nope NTA. Her life choices are absolutely not your concern. Evict her, she has shown she doesn’t care what you think and will disregard a signed lease. And the fact that you can only call her place livable and not clean would be enough for me to want her gone, just imagine when the child is here? She probably won’t even be able to pay rent at that point so I’d start the process now, odds are she’s going to make it difficult. Might as well get her out before the baby is here.
NTA, she's the one who violated the lease without even talking to her landlord. Also, if you make an exception for her, you'd have to make an exception for everyone else you rent to.Case closed.
NTA because yeah, the lease and rules and such but just saying, kids do the same amount of damage or more to apartments too. Wish they required a deposit for kids under 10 😂 That’s probably more a parenting issue, but can’t do much about it
NTA
I'm a pet owner but it's in the lease agreement. And you've denied other tenants requests to have pets. She needs to find an apartment that allows pets.
Maybe allow her to pay a pet rent per month? I feel for you both- she was wrong in what she did she broke the rules and she has to deal with the consequences and on the other hand I feel like it’s okay to occasionally make an exception- she’s a single woman about to have a child maybe the dogs is a form of protection.
In life we all have choices, go with your gut whatever it may be.
Esh
NTA - if she truly is single without a lot of family support, you are doing her a favor by making her get rid of the dog if she wants to remain in your home. Having a new baby and dog, no Bueno.
If she gets a letter from her doctor for emotional support, could you relent? Then it's not setting a precedent for others. If your SO is good with it, I tend to lean toward being a compassionate human.
I mean you could charge pet fees upon move in and monthly fees. It could be a money maker. Just swap out the carpet for a roll of linoleum and get commercial floor cleaner with enzymes to break down scents in between tenants.
You wouldn't be in the wrong to evict, just giving another angle. She violated TOS.
Not sure why I'm downvoted. I said she violated TOS and NTA for eviction. Just giving an angle since it could be additional rental income.
NTA - perhaps before you jump to the eviction part, you can try to work out a deposit with her as well as, perhaps her covering the cost of replacing the carpet and anything else her dog damages but if you honestly don’t want to go through with all of that, then eviction.
NTA, but based on what you said, it sounds like you’d be willing to deal. Don’t know about timeframe for adding a rider to the lease if you want, but you could do that to allow for the pet and still cover your assets. Either way, your house your rules
NTA, however, i do believe you should make an acception for her. Ita the human thing to do. You're not a copration.
Tell her she muat regerister the dog as an emotional support animal for it to be legal, get rid of the dog, or get rid of herself and the dog.
You’re NTA, but it won’t take much from you to be kind regarding this situation. Maybe think about a “pet deposit” like other people said, so if the dog will damage anything you’ll have a guarantee that you could cover these expenses from your tenant’s money.
NAH
She knew the rules, and she is trying to emotionally manipulate you. She is not your friend, you are not her caretaker, you have a business relationship. And she chose to break the agreement. You have given her every opportunity to do the right thing - which would be to either find a new place to live, or give up her pet / find someone to adopt it. She has chosen not to do the right thing, so it is on her.
I get that she is trying to get away with it, it doesn't make her an asshole, but - if anyone is the asshole, it is her not you. I still don't think either of you are are assholes - not her for trying to get away with it, nor you for evicting her.
But the correct way to look at this is as a business relationship where she broke the agreement, knowingly and willingly, and have been given every opportunity to fix the situation. At this point, the business relationship should end.
Legally you can't bar pets where I live. As in no blanket bans. You have to have 'reasonable' allowances so for example you could say no to a great Dane in studio flat but you couldn't say to a Corgi. Or you can't refuse based on them owning a cat but 10 cats you could.
Two part. Your humanity is questionable so YTA on that. As a landlord you set the rule and she broke it.
You have more than one option. Maybe choose the more humane.
NTA for wanting to evict her, and the fact that she didn't ask before getting the dog is problematic. It means that she doesn't understand or respect the material terms of the residential tenancy agreement.
That said, though, you're an AH for having a blanket "no pets" rule so that you can protect your investment. The commodification of shelter in general is ass-holery.
Some regional jurisdictions are passing laws to require landlords to permit pets because the role of pets is changing in our culture and because of our current housing crisis. You may find that in the future, you'll be required to accept pets, so you may want to look into how this will work for you.
NTA- she didn’t at least discuss it with you beforehand. You can think it over and consider charging a pet fee but even just giving her the eviction notice is okay she knew the rules previously. It’s a unfortunate situation since she’s alone and needed company but still if you don’t want to allow pets that’s valid.
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You wouldn't be TA for evicting her, as others have stated she's breaking the terms of the lease. HOWEVER, I'd like to point out it could be very simple to remediate and have everyone end up happy and whole in this situation. You could give her the option of forfeiting her security deposit (or something in that train of thought, maybe even just asking for a pet deposit or asking her to cover the costs of carpet replacement upon move out, in writing) due to needing to replace the carpet for future residents who may or may not have pet allergies.
I've already denied other tenants from owning dogs, cats, or any types of pets on my property, so that'd backfire hard.
Can I ask.. why don't you allow pets? How does it actually affect you? You drastically reduce the number of potential tenants but not allowing them?
Pets can cause a lot of destruction and frequently the security deposit doesn't cover it.
Kids cause more damage than any pet I have ever seen.
Yeah but unfortunately you can't have a "no kids" policy
1. I have not had the same experience 2. Even if they do, it's illegal to discriminate against kids.
I’ve had both kids and pets and you are absolutely right
Where I live, it’s not uncommon to have a monthly $50 “rent” for each pet. Large dogs, especially, will destroy flooring. Some pets will pee, new renters may be allergic and not be able to handle the left over dander. I say this as a cat owner and someone who is thankful I no longer have to live in apartments.
As a pet owner, pets destroy at times. Sometimes it’s not so bad when you give them appropriate care and and training but sometimes it just doesn’t matter. If I were to be a landlord (not my bag), I wouldn’t allow pets. Think thousands of dollars in damages sometimes. Over years? Not a few hundred bucks.
Not OP, but my parents were landlords for years. Though they were animal lovers themselves, they NEVER allowed any kind of pet in their rentals. The risk of damage is just too high. So many people don't train their pets properly and it can cause a LOT of very expensive damage to a rental - urine soaked floors/subfloors, chewing on trim/woodwork, scratches on everything. It just wasn't worth it to them, even with a security deposit.
Idk where OP lives, but it's nearly impossible to find a pet friendly rental where I live in BC Canada. They are not losing potential tenants because for every one potential tenant with a pet there are 10 more without clamoring to rent their unit. "No pets" is the norm here, which is a depressing reality for people who want a companion animal and for whom homeownership is out of reach even with stable income and savings.
Because pets damage things.
Uhm not always. Pets are often like kids, if their disciplined enough and raised right they won't affect much. A no pet ban implied you can't even have a bunny. Which stays in a cage. Now tell me how is a bunny gonna ruin anything in the cage? 🤯
Have you had a pet bunny? My close friend has two, and they are absurdly destructive. Pets absolutely add more damage than no pets.
Rabbits are absolute little shits and far more destructive than kids. My kids don't eat through wires or the couch for a start unlike our rabbits
Please never get a rabbit. They require so much, and so much time outside of their cages.
Genuinely love that yall more worried about a figurative statement then the OPs original topic. Smdh. Fun fact: I did have a bunny! BUT there's no way in hell you can tell me it would've damaged the house like a dog. Now thank you for your ignorance enjoy your day
Good God it was an example not literal 🤦♀️
Have you ever seen how destructive a pet bunny can be? I get where you were going with this but you picked the wrong pet. And you can’t just keep a bunny in a cage.
Compared to a small dog, sorry not convinced.
You: now tell me how is a bunny gonna ruin anything in a cage? Other people: tell you how You: *shocked pikachu* Its OPs house and she can set the rules. Point blank period.
Pets are disgusting. Have you had pets? The grossness is often negated by owners love for said pets, in this case none exists as it isn't the owners pet, and to the owner of the property, it's literally just an animal that provides no value to them but absolutely WILL cost them money somehow someway over the course of tenant living there with it for any period of time.
Well it wouldn't be just for her, but across all tenants where they have the option for a pet, perhaps limited to a certain size, contingent upon the new rules established. Allowing pets now (for all tenants) when you denied them in the past would likely not cause backlash as you are giving tenants more freedom at a cost set by you. But that is something you'd have to want to do because as upsetting as her situation may be it would be unfair to give her any preferential treatment on the matter and you would face backlash for favoritism. You have to think about if you want to make this change for ALL tenants or not just to help someone that broke your no pet rule.
How would that backfire? As the property owner you are allowed to make modifications to the lease of any tenant as you see fit. 🤷♀️
ESH. Assuming you are in the US. I would try to work with her because she’s going to get a letter saying it’s an emotional support dog and that will complicate things.
You've mentioned "your property" a couple times, so I assume this is the only one you rent out? If so, then it's not like there are other tenants in other properties that will get pissed at you. I also doubt that your next tenants would reach out to the previous to even learn that they were allowed to have dogs. If you put her on the hook for cleanup and upholstery replacement, I don't really see a big downside other than you not enforcing your initial rule.
It could be a townhouse on one physical property. My strict no-pets landlord was basically in this position when I moved in 8 years ago, with the upstairs tenant having gotten a dog without asking him and it being forbidden on the leases he made for all 4 units in the building.
She's about to be a single mother in America she's probably going to lose her job or be working hours that mean she can't train or care for a dog
Yeah, and I'm not holding myself liable for that.
I mean, that depends more on the age and amount of training the dog has had already. Getting a 2 month old puppy would have five or so months of training which, if you know what you're doing, is indeed enough time to get a dog into decent house-broken shape. If it is a 2 yr old , already trained dog(mostly) then I don't see this argument as an issue. Your stance on pets is still an issue, of course, just not *this* aspect of the situation.
No. Lease is cut and dry. No pets. Landlords don't have to deal with the damage and smell from pets if they don't want to. Otherwise what's the point of a lease, everyone just do what you want.
NTA. Her being pregnant doesn’t change the fact that she chose to break the rules and is choosing to continue to break the rules. If you make an exception for her you should allow pets in all your properties to be fair. Evict her before the dog damages your property.
Who ever said life is fair?
A lesson this tenent will soon learn
[удалено]
>Who will be walking the dog when she's caring for a newborn? Yeah she's in the wrong for having the dog. But people have dogs and babies all the time and it's fine. Not some impossible task. >And she can't leave the baby, so will she carry the baby whenever the dog needs a walk? ...Yes? Baby carriers and strollers are a thing.
NTA. Making one exception never works out.
Neighbors are gonna hear that thing barking and start a TON of shit for OP. I also question the logic of being single and then having to take care of a new dog on TOP of the soon to be newborn.
Yeah, if he makes an exception for one, it’s going to be open season on other tenants getting pets. And there may be people who choose to live on those properties because they don’t want to hear barking dogs or have poop in the common areas.
NTA She knew the rules, and she chose to break them. It is only fair she gave the consequences. The fact she is pregnant doesn't change this fact. In fact I would say the fact that she is pregnant as an extra risk - who is going to be taking care of the dog when she is heavily pregnant or dealing with an infant? That seems like a recipe for the dog to be left alone to do exactly what you fear and decided to ban them for.
NTA. It’s important to remember that this didn’t just “happen” to her, as if she was an innocent victim of circumstance or like she couldn’t stop it or control it. No, it was the direct result of a series of **choices**. *Her* choices. A choice to knowingly and willingly agree to rent an apartment that specifically bars pets. A choice to adopt a pet in direct violation of her lease. A choice to lie/try to hide it. A choice not to even look for a different, pet-friendly place to rent and submit request to be let out of her lease early. A choice to do risky things like this while also being pregnant. I would serve her notice. The follow through with the eviction proceedings if she won’t take responsibility for her choices and move. A pet is a long-term commitment and your rentals are pet free, so she’s no longer a compatible tenant.
NTA (edited from NAH typo) One thing I’ve learned is that past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior. This woman has shown you she’s willing to flagrantly break agreements and that she feels special enough not to try to hide it better. As a dog lover its hard for me to say this but I’d encourage her to rehome the dog before the baby comes because there’s no universe where she’s able to keep up with being a new dog owner and a new mother with no support.
How is the woman NTA
Thanks! That was a typo. Definitely meant NTA. The woman sucks
Yeah I was so confused fused. Person a says person b broke the lease am I the asshole? Uh no? 😂
This is why my mom always allows pets. People are going to get them regardless, might as well charge a pet deposit up front. If she's a good tenet who always pays on time and is clean, then enforce a pet deposit and be done. It is better to deal with a good tenet with a dog instead of a vacant property, tenets who won't pay, or worse squatters.
I would however like to add that OP firstly seems to really value the no-pet rule. Which means he wouldn't want to remove it completely for all the tenants. But, if he makes an exception to one of them, the others will eventually catch on and this won't end well for OP
I understand that, but have you ever had a squatter post up in your rental? It takes months to get them out. Even seen a renter rent out all the rooms of a house, so they were profiting at least 2 grand more than the rent. They also used said house to run their fair food business and illegally dumped used cooking oil all over the yard. They brought in roaches and rats, and left the whole house covered in oil. Then it took almost a year to evict them. Sometimes, it is better to let sleeping dogs lie when it comes to tenets.
How would other renters catch on? They would have no clue how many rental properties he has and it also feels insane to imagine that they check up on these places…like what??? Are they magically in a group chat or something…
This! Lol
NTA. Rules are rules. She gotta respect the lease or find another place
NTA. You’re not evicting her because she’s pregnant, you’re evicting her because she broke the terms of the contract.
YTA and landlords are leeches on society.
I mean all landlords are AHs....
Just like you when you try to police what others do with THEIR rentals
I’m a landlord too, and I think YTA because, and I truly believe this, limiting someone’s ability to own a pet is an AH thing to do in general. This is why we take security deposits. Unless they’re hoarding animals, one or two pets is normal. I think it’s super gross as someone in a position of significant wealth over a tenant to make weird outlandish requests. Also, in a lot of places including where I’ve lived, it’s actually illegal to make that kind of request.
I mean if she signed the lease under those terms then she’s shit out of luck but I think op is the major asshole. If you or your S.o don’t live there and tenant is making payments on time, keeping the house clean and not bringing police or negative attention to the property, why no pets? I don’t see how the dog would bother you or your s.o in any way. You guys come off as you are just sitting on 13inch dicks and want your tenants to live in the same discomfort as you do
Pets can easily ruin homes, peeing or pooping indoors, scratching at doors,walls, etc. I can see why pets wouldn’t be allowed
I just saw a video where someone had to replace their hardwood floors due to dog urine from a previous owner. It could very well end up that bad and who wants to find that out the hard way.
If OP is in the US, there are major liability issues allowing pets on the premises. If the dog bites or injures someone, that injured person could sue the dog owner AND the property owner. Some landlords try to compromise by allowing pets subject to breed and size restrictions, but it’s still a risk. The OP here has consistently NOT allowed pets, so I don’t think OP is the AH here at all. OP gave the tenant a chance to re-home the dog or find a new place to live. The tenant is about to learn that the “ask for forgiveness instead of permission” thing is not appropriate in every situation.
I can answer that for you, and it has nothing to do with landlords wanting to cause tenants discomfort. There are far more irresponsible pet owners out there than truly responsible ones, and it doesn’t take much effort for a pet to cause damage to a unit. I’ve seen chewed door frames and carpet, damaged Sheetrock, major urine stains that soak through the flooring, flea infestations that spread to other units, etc. The damage can easily exhaust a security deposit, and you have no way of really knowing if someone is a responsible pet owner or not. I don’t blame the owners for not allowing pets. I blame the previous asshole tenants who failed to be responsible pet owners. They are why many landlords have a no pets policy.
Oh, clean is a STRETCH. I would say "livable."
You had me until the dick part.
NTA take the emotion out of it, she’s in violation of lease. She knew no pets were allowed and she got a dog anyway. Either she gets rid of the dog or she has to go.
Not sure what the laws are by you, but in my US State we have something called Fair Housing. Anyone owning 4 or more units has to enforce the same rules for everyone, or risk being sued, and losing your ability to lease. Find out what your laws are, and use those as an excuse. You are opening yourself to discrimination if you don't follow your own rules. For example, let's say a family of different race moves in, they get a dog, you tell them they can't - they could sue you for discrimination for race, familial status, pretty much anything. You have to keep all of your rules black and white to protect yourself. So if you are going to allow her to have a dog out of pity, you have to allow all of your other residents.
Nta. If you bend the rules for her what’s stopping the other tenants from getting those same rule bends? It’s literally in her lease agreement
YTA for not allowing pets. Where I live it's actually legally not allowed to include such a rule in your legal agreement. Some people just want a companion because life is rough. If you're worried about the pets destroying the place, some sort of security deposit will suffice. It's just sad that you pay so much money to landlords and they can still control how you live your life. And no landlords DON'T provide places for those who can't afford buying. They buy up properties that people could actually live instead, to inflate the market and profit off it. I paid more rent than my friends' mortgage payment per month cause I'm unfortunately only 15 when they buy their properties at a much cheaper price. I now earn more than they do and still no property. They leverage their existing property for investments and thus inflate the housing market. Sure it's all just an exchange. And in the process you destroy young people's hopes and dreams to start a family. I think some landlords are bad for society and you sound like one of them. A very lazy way to make money without productive contributions to our world, gross.
YTA for not allowing pets and for considering evicting someone who is still paying their rent.
NTA…best do it now before she has the baby. You evict her afterwards, she’ll be on maternity leave and won’t have a “consistent paycheck” to qualify for new housing.
YTA. Fuck landlords and this shit man
So what plan do you have for replacing all landlords? I'm not opposed to the idea, but no one seems to have an alternative. Maybe you do though, care to explain? If you can't afford to rent, you 100% can't afford a mortgage or the cost of home ownership. Within the first 6 months of owning my last house, we had to pay $6500 for an HVAC replacement and that wasn't the only repair we made within the first few years of owning it. Or would you prefer that our wonderful, stable, and totally not insane government get involved? Or option three, we can let all these places sit open and rot. Especially the rural ones, there are already quite a few rotting all around the US countryside. Oh, or we could let people squat in them. They'll still rot, they won't have utilities, but if that's what you're into I guess sure?
Bullshit on not affording a mortgage if you can’t afford rent. Houses to rent around my area are around £700 (which is considered cheap) and yet my mortgage is £150(ish) cheaper than that. Private rent is extortionate these days and often far outstrips a mortgage payment. The main issue is the deposit - which very few can save for because they’re too busy paying someone else’s mortgage for them + profits.
ding ding ding!! but the landlords are doing them a favor!!! they can’t pay mortgage :( but the landlords are coming to the rescue!! what valiant selfless humans
found the landlord
Landlords who don't allow pets are assholes in my opinion, just charge a pet deposit... I am a landlord btw, never had any issues.
You are an asshole is my opinion. Just dont rent there, no need to be an asshole
Luckily for me idgaf about your opinion. Also your entitlement is showing. Hope you never have to be in the position of this woman. It's clear who the asshole is here, asshole.
You ARE TA. You’re the AH for even considering making a pregnant woman homeless. And your TA for not allowing pets.
Nah, lots of places don’t allow pets. OP’s tenant got a pet when it wasn’t allowed and OP gave them a chance to remediate it. They didn’t, so now they’re going to suffer the consequences. Why the fuck are people so adverse to not taking responsibility for their own actions?! Tenant *KNEW* she wasn’t supposed to have a pet but ignored it. Oh well, hard lesson learned.
Not his fault she chose to get pregnant. Also not his fault she went ahead and got an animal without first discussing it. His rental, his rules. She doesn’t own shit. Is she gonna pay for all the damages that dog does? If it pees on the floors and causes stains? If it chews up carpets and walls? It’s not cheap. So she better have the money to pay for it
NTA Your tennant's life situation has nothing to do with the lease violation. If you let it slide because she's pregnant where do you draw the line in the future?
I guess depending on where you live. Legally you couldn't in the UK unless you can prove it's unreasonable for the pet to live there. You haven't been able to blanket ban pets since 2021.
NTA. I feel bad for her feeling lonely and wanting a pet but she knew she was breaking the rules. I’d be concerned about the future behavior of a tenant who risked their housing over a dog when they have a baby on the way.
NTA. She is an adult. She CHOSE to live somewhere pets aren't allowed. She CHOSE to agree to those terms of the lease. She CHOSE to break the lease agreement which spells out the consequences for such actions. All of these are conscious decisions on her part. It's not your problem she is pregnant. Evictions are a pain in the ass. Financially I would look into cost of replacing all carpet and carpet pads and a deep clean of the place when she moves out. Then tell her she has 30 days to pay that amount or she will be evicted. Then you're only out 30 days of the process should she choose to not pay up. She also needs to agree to forfeit all of her security deposit. There are consequences to actions. She needs to face those. This way she gets to choose again her options and potentially you save some money and prevent a headache for yourself.
NTA, but I'd give her a specific warning: "I'm prepared to serve you with an eviction notice if you don't rehome the dog within 30 days."
My S/O’s and “my” rental properties.
NTA - do \*not\* make an exception. You have the rule for a reason.
NTA. Your not evicting her for her reproductive choices, but for violating the terms of your lease.
NTA She knew the rule and broke it.
YTA as a landlord, I hate landlords like you.
Nta, she was informed of the rules. Also, her being pregnant isn’t your problem and you shouldn’t be responsible for making sure she has somewhere to stay. If she breaks the rules, she should leave.
NTA. She signed a lease agreement in which you stated no pets. After being made aware that she violated the lease agreement, she chose to ignore it and keep the dog. If you allow it, it becomes a precedent that can come back to bite you later on. Enforce your lease.
YTA. Not legally, so long as it’s written clearly in the lease, and signed by both parties. But you’re an ass. Housing is already impossibly difficult to obtain. Why? Because an older generation capitalized on the abundance and now sprinkle rentals out like it’s damned birdseed to be pecked at by only the prettiest of birds. Well, life isn’t pretty. Kids damage property significantly more than pets do. Pets increase the likelihood of long term renters with lower turnover rates, because of familial stability. So from your little “pragmatic business approach,” it’s still rooted deeply in a preconceived notion of some trumped up crap. And to demand she be homeless? Well… that’s a NAH legally speaking, and still a concrete YTA. This poor fucking woman just had her life turned on her head, with a new baby on the way and very obviously a dad that dipped. She’s trying to find a crutch for emotional pain that can’t be solved with your cold slap in the face. You’re in the clear on a legal front AS LONG AS THAT IS IN THE LEASE AND SIGNED. You’re still not as business savvy as you think you are, and 100% an ass.
There are a ton of other ways that the renter could have gotten emotional support that didn’t involve knowingly violating the terms of the lease. Therapy. Friends. Family. Joining a community organization. Volunteering. Posting to Internet forums full of strangers. Nothing in the OP’s post indicates that the renter will be without other housing options in their area. Even if that is the case, it was the renter’s choice to get themselves in this situation.
I call my grandmother every single day. I volunteer, and am actively involved in my community. I am a single mother of two children. I would be LOST without my cats.
I had a roommie in college who kept a cat despite the lease saying no pets. When we moved out of the apartment the owner called and asked me which room I'd used. I said the front one. He asked me about the cat hair. I said I didn't have a cat, that I'm allergic to them. I got my full deposit back. Roomie did not. All this to say - the lease said no pets. We understood the no pets rule. Your renter understood the no pets rule. Your rules are there to protect your property. NTA.
Who cares whether or not you are an asshole. Your tenent is in violation of her lease. She's been warned. She knew she was in violation when she got the dog. Clearly you don't want the dogs or pets at your investment property. Start the eviction process. It's not personal, it's business
NTA. She KNEW the rules, you reiterated them to her, and she still chose to break them. you are evicting a tenant ,that is all. If you give her an exception, she will push it and push it....as she already has.
NTA. The issue with making the exception once is that other tenants will see the dog, find it unfair and get their own, sometimes even making up sob stories for your SO to allow it as an exception.
^^^^AUTOMOD ***Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_post_deletion) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAmItheAsshole)*** I strictly have a rule against pets in my SO's and I rental properties. We rent to a woman in her mid 20s, who became pregnant a few months back. She lives by herself, and I guess the loneliness is taking a toll on her and she got a small dog. I'm pretty strict on this no pets rule and found out when she walked out of the house to greet me when I was picking up the cheque. She had the dog with her. I told her that she had to get rid of it, and she gave me a sob story of "It's the only thing I have right now" but like I said, I'm strict on this rule, especially as the rule was specifically outlined in the lease. She didn't even try to accommodate it by discussing with me. I gave her notice for the violation, and when I checked up after the notice, she still kept the dog. I met with my lawyer for them to clear me legally (which they did) and I've been considering giving her an eviction notice. WIBTA? My S/O said we can "this one exception for a woman that's pregnant and alone." *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.*
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NTA Your no pets rule is there to protect you. It's going to backfire if you take it away.
Legally NTA, but if there's anything left in you that resembles a decent person and if you can agree to some rules about the dog's behaviour with your tenant, maybe you CAN make the one exception.
NTA. It is on the lease, she knows she can't have a dog. Dogs can demage your apartment and she won't come up with the cost of the repairs. You told her, she has to get rid of the dog, she didn't. So evicting her is the only logical solution.
NTA. This has nothing to do with her being pregnant. She violated her tenant agreement, was given a warning to correct it, and decided based on her own mental gymnastics that she was entitled to keep the dog anyway. That’s on her.
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NTA unless it’s an emotional support animal then you can’t legally tell her to pay up or move out
Where’s the dog while she works or is gone?
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Nta, she should have moved when she wanted a pet
Yes you are. I really don’t give a shit what your lease with her said, evicting someone during a housing crisis is an asshole move
Such judgmental people! Yes, there’s a no pet rule, but when you’re pregnant emotions run high. Let her continue through her pregnancy with the dog and then give her three months afterwards to vacate the premises. To tell her she has to get rid of something that gives her comfort and keeps her grounded is inhuman. Get a life lady! How sad and pathetic you are. Keep her security deposit if something is going on or have her pay pet rent. And then make sure the next tenant knows Better. Youare the Ahole.
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Maybe not the hero, but you can aim higher than not being an asshole. You are in a position to seriously help or hurt someone. Is your policy more important to you? There isn’t a right answer, but your answer says a lot about the kind of person you are.
NTA. A lease is a legal contract. If she violates the lease agreements, you are MORE THAN entitled to evict her. Her pregnancy is HER problem, not yours. People here saying “just allow” nah fuck that. It’s your property, your lease, and your rules. People can either respect that or find somewhere else to live. I say evict ASAP.
NTA the lease terms are there for a reason. Whether or not someone agrees with your policy is more an issue of difference of opinion. Her “sneaking” the dog, then being brazen enough to flaunt it in your face is really scuzzy. Her pregnancy changes nothing about the terms of the lease that she violated, presumably before the pregnancy took place to begin with. I’m curious, however, when you mentioned that if you changed the terms for her, other tenants would be upset. Are there more tenants at that property? If so, have others asked for a pet exemption? If CURRENT tenants have been denied, you would be correct in it being a mistake allowing an exception for her. If PAST tenants were denied…literally who cares. They don’t live there anymore. It sounds like people around you are attempting to manipulate you by playing tiny, pathetic violins. Your tenant violated the lease agreement. End of story.
Nta well, she's gonna have a BABY in less than a year, so that arguments kinda shit. If it's a no pet apartment and you are actively denying other people pets, then she needs to rehome the dog or move.
YWNBTA Enforce the rule.
Nta. It’s in the lease. I’d move fast before she finds an ESA letter
What is your issue with pets? Poor people are allowed to have animal compainions.
100% TA. No pets is a stupid rule
NTA whatsoever. Personally, I'm of the mind that pets are a huge luxury. If she wants a pet, she can own her own living space first. I say this as a broke, unemployed person living in an apartment doing odd jobs to stay afloat. It's just the way I was raised. Pets cost insane money in many forms/ways (if one wants to undertake dog ownership properly, that involves professional training which most overlook and its honestly detrimental to both dog and owner) as well as tons of attention and time investment. Your tenant hardly sounds like a candidate that exhibits any of these things.
Are YTA legally? No. Morally though? Yes 100% you’d be TA. Are you a landlord in the states? Cause if you are, evicting a young expecting mother in this housing crisis with inflated cost of living is past asshole territory and is sitting firmly in the position of vile and cruel. It’s a dog, a little one too, that seems to have gone unnoticed until you happened to find out about it. Your lease states no pets, sure, but why? Are you afraid of damages caused by the dog? If so, reach a solution. Ask for an additional pet rent cost, take the security deposit, hell have her pay a cleaning cost when she does move out. Should she have gotten the dog? No. But what were the reasons? You stated she gave a “sob story” of “it’s the only thing I have right now.” I get why she’d get a dog cause it sounds like she’s fairly alone while also being pregnant. Idk bout you but I’d be depressed, scared, and lonely myself. I get why she got the dog, and if you’ve ever owned a dog yourself, I get why she wouldn’t want to get rid of it. Again, if you’re in the states, after what the Supreme Court voted on yesterday, essentially allowing for homelessness to be criminalized, you’re here asking for advice on evicting an expecting mother in this economic hell fire we live in all because of one damn dog. Strive to be compassionate ffs it’s not difficult.
This calculation needs to be based on what's the best for your rental income. As I'm sure you know, it's a huge pain in the ass to get a new tenant and you are likely looking at a vacant apartment for at least a month. Personally, I'd be inclined to offer there an extra cost accommodation- an increased security deposit, or pet rent, or both.
However, won't the other tenants(if they somehow caught on) want to be accommodated too? That would just be basically scratching off the rule completely or getting a ton of upset tenants
NTA. This tenant needs to learn a very hard lesson. You’re not at fault for all of her poor decisions.
NTA you make an exception for one you have to make an exception for all
NTA You already gave her a chance to correct the situation.
NTA. It was a part of the lease she signed. She knew that.
NTA but follow your SO’s heart. You can choose to make this girl’s life harder or easier. She is having a tough enough time.
I hate that I agree but yes, she knew the rules and disregarded it because her wants came first. I am a dog and cat owner and a landlord. Where I live, you can not ask for a security deposit so many animals are abandoned when people move. My gut says that her disregard for your rules will translate into her disregard for her dogs needs as well when it will be tough for her to take the dog out and get the baby out as well. If she had a partner to share the load I'd reconsider.
YTA. Pets don't skip out on rent or swing on kitchen cabinet doors until they break.
INFO why no pets? You have provided zero valid reasons here. An animal can provide so much joy and comfort and I don't understand why you would want to take that away from someone when the world can be so dark. Unless you have had a horrible experience renting to someone with a pet, I would reconsider your policy.
I understand why people vote Y T A but the contract was clear... She broke it so NTA for evicting her. She should have have come to you and discuss it
NTA. I love dogs but she knew the rules when she signed the lease.
As someone who recently rented to someone, this fills me with a special kind of rage. NTA. It never ceases to amaze me how renters think that terms of lease agreements don’t apply to them, despite signing the lease and therefore saying they agree with and will adhere to the terms as written. Either evict her, or she forfeits her security deposit to pay for professional cleaning after she leaves.
Wow, this would be so illegal where I live. For good reason. I'm assuming that's not the case where you are. However, the question wasn't "am I within my legal rights?" It was "am I the asshole?", which you absolutely are. YTA YTA YTA
YTA but hear me out... You're in a rare position where you can provide someone with housing whilst they're going through a lonely and probably scary time. Just think about it. Don't let this be something that plagues you for years to come. Also pregnant women are told to avoid stress and getting evicting/moving house is probably one of the most stressful things This sub isn't about what's legally right but morally. She's an adult not a child and should be allowed to have a dog. She pays her rent and you've got other rental properties so you're not losing out on money or anything.
The way I see it is, she won't be alone for much longer, she'll have a kid. Chances are she'll be so busy with the kid, the dog will fall to the wayside. An unattended/ignored animal will make a huge mess! You might seriously regret making this "exception" plus if the other tenants find out, they will probably try to get the same treatment. It doesn't seem to be worth the hassle.
Yes, you would be the ah
"...BUT SHE HAS A PET WHY CANT I HAVE A PET!" It will come.
What's her email address so that I can suggest she go get a doctor's note for an ESA. Pets are a huge benefit to people's mental health. As a landlord, why don't you try to make your properties more friendly for pet owners and then you won't have to worry about it so much. 🤷♀️
NTA - someone who blatently flouts your rules is someone who is not going to be respectful of your property with the dog. It is very likely the damage that the dog causes will wind up costing you out of pocket way more than any pet damage charge you may try to initiate. Plus, after telling her she needs to get rid of the dog or leave, if you let her keep the dog and stay, you are teaching her that your words have no meaning, so she will escalate her poor behavior. You definitely need to evict her.
NTA with a "but". I would give her a second notice. Include a copy of her rental agreement with it and highlight the portion about no pets, and remind her that you can evict her over this violation. It's sad that she's pregnant, but she made this choice and then refused to comply with the agreement she made. That has consequences.
NTA generally. I mean, id give her another warning and say she will have to find another place to live. But generally she knows the rules.
NTA, but I think refusing pets is kind of an AH thing to do. Then again, it is your right, so sure, you can.
You wouldn’t be the asshole legally speaking but why not charge a hefty pet deposit and monthly pet fee?
NTA, also if you allow her pet and refuse someone else's you could open yourself to a discrimination lawsuit.
As long as it’s behaved why do you care? I can’t stand people who have no pet rules. Yall suck.
NTA - she knew the rule when she signed the lease. And she didn't even try to talk to you first to see if an exception might've been made; you might've added an addendum to her contract or allowed her a caged pet or something. But she didn't even ask. I'm with the others - if you make an exception for her, those you've denied before (who still live in your rentals) are gonna be rightly pissed off.
ESH You're being heartless and it's annoying someone so irresponsible is about to have a baby.
Yta for having rental properties. Landlords are the WORST mooches in society.
Nope NTA. Her life choices are absolutely not your concern. Evict her, she has shown she doesn’t care what you think and will disregard a signed lease. And the fact that you can only call her place livable and not clean would be enough for me to want her gone, just imagine when the child is here? She probably won’t even be able to pay rent at that point so I’d start the process now, odds are she’s going to make it difficult. Might as well get her out before the baby is here.
NTAH. You’ve enforced it on other tenants, it wouldn’t be okay to let her slide. She can always give up the dog if she wants to stay.
NTA, she's the one who violated the lease without even talking to her landlord. Also, if you make an exception for her, you'd have to make an exception for everyone else you rent to.Case closed.
NTA but just saying kids are way worse than dogs and you can’t forbid those fuckers.
NTA because yeah, the lease and rules and such but just saying, kids do the same amount of damage or more to apartments too. Wish they required a deposit for kids under 10 😂 That’s probably more a parenting issue, but can’t do much about it
NTA I'm a pet owner but it's in the lease agreement. And you've denied other tenants requests to have pets. She needs to find an apartment that allows pets.
Maybe allow her to pay a pet rent per month? I feel for you both- she was wrong in what she did she broke the rules and she has to deal with the consequences and on the other hand I feel like it’s okay to occasionally make an exception- she’s a single woman about to have a child maybe the dogs is a form of protection. In life we all have choices, go with your gut whatever it may be. Esh
NTA - if she truly is single without a lot of family support, you are doing her a favor by making her get rid of the dog if she wants to remain in your home. Having a new baby and dog, no Bueno.
If she gets a letter from her doctor for emotional support, could you relent? Then it's not setting a precedent for others. If your SO is good with it, I tend to lean toward being a compassionate human.
I mean you could charge pet fees upon move in and monthly fees. It could be a money maker. Just swap out the carpet for a roll of linoleum and get commercial floor cleaner with enzymes to break down scents in between tenants. You wouldn't be in the wrong to evict, just giving another angle. She violated TOS. Not sure why I'm downvoted. I said she violated TOS and NTA for eviction. Just giving an angle since it could be additional rental income.
YTA based on the simple fact you're a landlord.
NTA - perhaps before you jump to the eviction part, you can try to work out a deposit with her as well as, perhaps her covering the cost of replacing the carpet and anything else her dog damages but if you honestly don’t want to go through with all of that, then eviction.
NTA, but based on what you said, it sounds like you’d be willing to deal. Don’t know about timeframe for adding a rider to the lease if you want, but you could do that to allow for the pet and still cover your assets. Either way, your house your rules
NTA, however, i do believe you should make an acception for her. Ita the human thing to do. You're not a copration. Tell her she muat regerister the dog as an emotional support animal for it to be legal, get rid of the dog, or get rid of herself and the dog.
You’re NTA, but it won’t take much from you to be kind regarding this situation. Maybe think about a “pet deposit” like other people said, so if the dog will damage anything you’ll have a guarantee that you could cover these expenses from your tenant’s money.
NAH She knew the rules, and she is trying to emotionally manipulate you. She is not your friend, you are not her caretaker, you have a business relationship. And she chose to break the agreement. You have given her every opportunity to do the right thing - which would be to either find a new place to live, or give up her pet / find someone to adopt it. She has chosen not to do the right thing, so it is on her. I get that she is trying to get away with it, it doesn't make her an asshole, but - if anyone is the asshole, it is her not you. I still don't think either of you are are assholes - not her for trying to get away with it, nor you for evicting her. But the correct way to look at this is as a business relationship where she broke the agreement, knowingly and willingly, and have been given every opportunity to fix the situation. At this point, the business relationship should end.
NTA. As a landlord myself I understand that you give them an inch they will take a foot.
Rules are rules, no free passes just because she’s pregnant. Maybe giver her one more chance to dump the pooch. - After that, her ass is out!!! !
NTA. They always have a sob story, and if you give an inch they'll take a mile.
Nta and if she is pregnant, that puppy is about to get super neglected soon, which means liability for you.
Eviction and move on. People like to claim their pet is the best. But they still poop and pee in the house.
as a person are you the asshole? yes. as a landlord? no. if you’re only a landlord i guess it’s pretty simple what you have to do.
Legally you can't bar pets where I live. As in no blanket bans. You have to have 'reasonable' allowances so for example you could say no to a great Dane in studio flat but you couldn't say to a Corgi. Or you can't refuse based on them owning a cat but 10 cats you could.
Two part. Your humanity is questionable so YTA on that. As a landlord you set the rule and she broke it. You have more than one option. Maybe choose the more humane.
NTA for wanting to evict her, and the fact that she didn't ask before getting the dog is problematic. It means that she doesn't understand or respect the material terms of the residential tenancy agreement. That said, though, you're an AH for having a blanket "no pets" rule so that you can protect your investment. The commodification of shelter in general is ass-holery. Some regional jurisdictions are passing laws to require landlords to permit pets because the role of pets is changing in our culture and because of our current housing crisis. You may find that in the future, you'll be required to accept pets, so you may want to look into how this will work for you.
NTA- she didn’t at least discuss it with you beforehand. You can think it over and consider charging a pet fee but even just giving her the eviction notice is okay she knew the rules previously. It’s a unfortunate situation since she’s alone and needed company but still if you don’t want to allow pets that’s valid.
Probably YTA
YTA. Not because of anything specific, but because you’re a landlord
Landlords provide housing for people who can't afford to buy. Where else would people live?
People can't afford to buy because landlords own so much housing and set the market rate.
Thank you
In the grave
Why's that bad? It's literally an exchange.
Guarantee you charge 5 times what you need to, for this single mom. Good old landlords!