Own Flat but Unsure on Lease Rules Regarding Pets - Please Help

Wereallinthistogether

Hi everyone, 

Looking for advice please.  I currently live and own a flat in an apartment block (I am a leasee, not a freeholder).  Due to Covid, I'm required to work from home permanently and have been since the start of the pandemic; my partner works long hours in healthcare (outside of our home).  I've always wanted a dog, especially some companionship now that I spend most of my time by myself -  I therefore enquired about owning a dog with the block's management company a number of weeks ago.   I was advised over the phone that there is nothing in the lease mentioning pets except a nuisance clause, meaning that taking in a dog is fine providing it doesn't cause a disturbance.

A few weeks later we bought a small lap dog who's extremely well behaved.  Shortly after, we were questioned by other occupiers in the apartment block surrounding the rules and how they could go about bringing a pet in as apparently there's a rule that states that permission is needed by the freeholder(s).  

I dug out the lease and found the below:

• "Not without the consent of the lessor in writing to keep to keep an animal or bird or other pet in the Flat if any reasonable objection thereto is communicated in writing to the Lessor by the owner or occupier of any other flat in the property."

This line in the lease doesn't make complete sense to me - does it mean permission should be sought if there's an objection?  There are currently 3 other dogs in the block (amongst a number of cats) who have told us since that they needed and sought permission before bringing their pet in.

Now I'm worried about what the rules are and what we should do, if anything.  Should we speak to the management company, or ignore until the matter is brought to our attention, and then look to seek for formal permission?  We would be heartbroken if the worst was to happen.  Please help - any advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks

doodling

Hi,

On the face of it, the clause you quote states that you are required to have permission from the lessor to keep a pet if anyone else in the building complains about you doing so.  In other words, "you can do what you like but if anyone complains then we will think about whether you are allowed to keep your pet".

Whether it definitely means that depends on the context of the clause which you haven't quoted.

Probably best not to upset the neighbours!

eddddy

You could just ignore it, until/unless somebody complains to the management company. Or you could send a slightly vague email to the management company like this:

"Thank you for confirming by telephone that I can keep a pet dog. Do you require any further details about the pet?" (i.e. not specifically say that you've already got the dog.)

If they reply saying "no" - you can probably treat that as written consent. If they say "yes", send them the details they ask for.

(They're allowed to charge you a reasonable fee for processing your request and granting consent.)


Realistically, if they've granted consent to others, they can't really refuse consent to you - unless your dog causes more of a nuisance than the other dogs.