Reasonable price for pet licence?

hb2

Davesnave wrote: »

The thought is 90% of the deed!

Maybe, but not everyone works that way.

We bought a downstairs flat, in a small block, + share of freehold last year and made sure my cats could come with us before we even viewed, never mind offered on, the flat.

ThisTimeNextYear

Thanks for all the helpful advice. Lots of great suggestions. The complex is a block of 10 maisonettes, each with their own garden. At least 6 of the other flats either have, or have had, cats and/or dogs. I don't think any of them have got pet licenses.

I like the idea of a joint appeal against the price of a license, but I think our neighbors would prefer not to draw attention to their pet ownership.

For the sake of simplicity, I didn't mention that we let the flat out, and it's the new tenants who want a cat. We did say no pets on the advert and it was after they signed the contract that they asked if they could bring their cat. They've been very reasonable and have offered to pay for the license and for professional carpet cleaning at the end of the tenancy. I was just a bit peeved that the leasholder was charging so much!

Red-Squirrel_2

ThisTimeNextYear wrote: »

For the sake of simplicity, I didn't mention that we let the flat out, and it's the new tenants who want a cat. We did say no pets on the advert and it was after they signed the contract that they asked if they could bring their cat. They've been very reasonable and have offered to pay for the license and for professional carpet cleaning at the end of the tenancy. I was just a bit peeved that the leasholder was charging so much!

For the future, telling a completely different story is not more simple. Just tell it as it actually is from the start for the most relevant advice.

Comms69

ThisTimeNextYear wrote: »

Thanks for all the helpful advice. Lots of great suggestions. The complex is a block of 10 maisonettes, each with their own garden. At least 6 of the other flats either have, or have had, cats and/or dogs. I don't think any of them have got pet licenses.

I like the idea of a joint appeal against the price of a license, but I think our neighbors would prefer not to draw attention to their pet ownership.

For the sake of simplicity, I didn't mention that we let the flat out, and it's the new tenants who want a cat. We did say no pets on the advert and it was after they signed the contract that they asked if they could bring their cat. They've been very reasonable and have offered to pay for the license and for professional carpet cleaning at the end of the tenancy. I was just a bit peeved that the leasholder was charging so much!

In which case it is vital that your tenancy agreement includes a clause requiring a licence fee for pets.


The situation is that the tenant can get a pet, without your permission. And without penalty.


And you would still be liable for a licence at your own cost.

sal_III

ThisTimeNextYear wrote: »

I was just a bit peeved that the leasholder was charging so much!

You keep mixing up the terms. You are the leaseholder, you are most likely requesting the permission/license from the Freeholder.

On a side note, if it's a block of only 10 flats, it might be worth exploring the option of purchasing the freehold together with the other leaseholders. This will end your reliance on a 3rd party for stuff like this.

Davesnave

I was right; the cat exists.

When people ask,

"Does anyone know what the worst case scenario is if they find we have gone ahead with getting a pet without permission?"
it's quite likely the thought has become the deed.

hb2

Davesnave wrote: »

I was right; the cat exists.

When people ask,

"Does anyone know what the worst case scenario is if they find we have gone ahead with getting a pet without permission?"
it's quite likely the thought has become the deed.

Sadly, it appears that you are right!

shinytop

For the future, telling a completely different story is not more simple. Just tell it as it actually is from the start for the most relevant advice.

I find the opposite. The best approach here is to simplify your situation as much as possible and try miss out certain key topics that always attract the same irrelevant, self promoting rants from the same regular posters.

Skippy13

It didn't even occur to me that we couldn't have a cat, we just adopted him. Years later I checked the lease and found out that yes we could have a cat but we had to stop him going in the garden of the upstairs maisonette. Our neighbour loves him and used to encourage him in the garden!

Stories like this make me realise how ridiculous many leases are, in fact the whole leasehold system is a joke.

Bossypants

Skippy13 wrote: »

It didn't even occur to me that we couldn't have a cat, we just adopted him. Years later I checked the lease and found out that yes we could have a cat but we had to stop him going in the garden of the upstairs maisonette. Our neighbour loves him and used to encourage him in the garden!

Stories like this make me realise how ridiculous many leases are, in fact the whole leasehold system is a joke.

My last leasehold flat had a no pets clause, but both flats in the block had cat flaps in their front doors since before I moved in, and when the freeholder came round to discuss some unrelated building maintenance, he patted mine and then returned to the matter at hand.