Cats in rented property

vyvyan_2

I've got 2 cats and, apart from one or two landlords, have had no problems getting permission with all the houses I've rented over the years. I've actually got '2 cats permitted' on my contract! I did emphasize that they were both 12 years old and not likely to have any wild parties etc. I've always got the landlord on side first, as I am such a nice person and a good tenant(!) and then said btw I've got 2 elderly cats is that ok?

m00m00

I have a hyperactive kitten with destructive tendencies.

if it was to attack the furnishings of this flat though, it would probably make an improvement to them, given it looks like it last saw decorating at some point during a drug induced haze in the 1960s. When we move out the LL will be completely redecorating, so they really don't care what we do as long as the damage isn't structural.

beingjdc

If you do decide not to tell them, and they find out and cause a fuss, you can try and quote the Office of Fair Trading guidance, which suggests "No Pets" is likely to be an Unfair Term and therefore illegal. There hasn't been a test case yet as far as I know, but the OFT guidance carries a lot of weight.

tootiefrooties

we got a rescue cat halfway through the tenancy at our last flat, so didn't say anything as we were already living there. we were also in a ground floor garden flat, with glass patio doors facing onto the garden from the living room. One morning, I got up, and with no warning, saw the landlord messing about with the fence next door (he also owns that), with my cat sitting inside our patio doors in clear view of him. I was so worried what would happen. Luckily, it was never mentioned, but we totally avoided the stress of it this time round by writing a nice letter to our new landlord and getting permission before we went any further. They could have demanded we leave or anything so I wouldn't risk it again. It was also a nightmare keeping him out of the flat every time the agency had a viewing in the weeks leading up to us vacating the property!

Natty082

I own a first floor apartment. It states in the long list of can and cannots 'No pets allowed in apartment block, only a bird in a cage'.

I wouldn't say anything if I knew my neighbours upstairs had a cat... but downstairs is a different matter as they are quite possibly the noisiest neighbours ever (weekend 2 on the trot without a decent nights sleep :mad: )... so anything to get one over on them......

Just be nice to your neighbours so they don't end up a grass like me!

olly300

Natty082 wrote: »

I own a first floor apartment. It states in the long list of can and cannots 'No pets allowed in apartment block, only a bird in a cage'.

You've actually made a very good point. Some leases of flats actually have in them that you can't have pets. So even if your landlord would have no problem with you having a cat or a dog being on the ground floor, because of the lease of the building you are not allowed to have one and risk the neighbours grassing you up if they don't like you.....

bookduck

The chap in the flat above where my mother lived civilizes rescue cats. As soon as you walk into the communal doorway, even with windows open you get a strong wiff of cat pee. I have no idea what it is like in his flat.

Did I mention the flies too?

Did I mention when i get halfway up the steps, I get this upchuck feeling in my stomach.

If my tenants did this to me, they soon would be ex-tenants minus a deposit!

If you fall out with your neigbours, they may shop you just to be spiteful.

chickmug

I was speaking to an EA friend of mine yesterday and mentioned the issue with cats and he told me of a case earlier this year where a tenant moved out and the place looked spotless. New tenant moved in and not immediately but several days later found they were getting bites all over the bottom part of their legs. It still took them a while to get advice and were told cat fleas and were given this information in italics below.

So cat there no fleas -- cat moves out fleas need to feed and turn to second choice of food the human leg!!! Ugh. And yes a bit of detctive wrok around the neighbours confirmed there had been two cats in there with last tenant.

However by the time all had been discovered the deposit had been paid back and the old tenant said "up yours"!!! Or words to that effect.


"Cat and dog fleas are very similar in appearance and both species can live on both cats and dogs. Humans are mainly attacked by cat fleas. A cat or dog may have a light infestation of fleas without the human inhabitants knowing it, but if the pets are carrying large numbers of fleas, then there is naturally a greater likelihood of humans being bitten. A heavy infestation may occur if the cat or dog is removed from the house, for then the insect has no alternative but to feed off us. In such cases one may comfort oneself with the fact that the cat and dog fleas cannot breed without their principle hosts, and so eventually the infestation will die out on its own. On the other hand, they can live for months on a diet of human blood, so it needs an unusual amount of patience to wait until the fleas die of old age".

moneysavinmonkey

our rental house was previous let out to a couple with 3 cats.
The letting company assured us that the place would be professional cleaned + de'catted and arranged for professional cleaners + carpet cleaners...

despite this when we moved in the place still had a faint cat smell for a few months + the dyson was constantly sucking up cat hairs and we had to send the curtains away as they were covered in hairs that would not come off.

Also our friend who has asthma and cat allergys could not be in the house for more than an hour before suffering a reaction. Although after about 6 months of us airing the house + using a dyson allergy this did seem to subside and she is ok now.

we also did get from little bites on our legs for about 3 months but I thought this was from being out in the garden - was probably cat fleas I now realise from reading this thread.

tbs624

meeps wrote: »

...My mum had to pay double deposit for her cat even though he is 17 and hardly moves!!

:eek: .. you mean he just lays there and piddles on the LLs carpet?