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Sneaking a pet into a rental property?

njones89

njones89

Mar 27, 2015
743
644
Sioux Falls
#1
I have a pet friendly apartment rental, and I have a 6 year old red heeler. I recently decided to have my girlfriend move in with me, and she has a mutt and a cat, and has had both for a very long time. The problem is that there is a two pet policy with the landlord, which is corporate and probably won't make exceptions. I have a good relationship with my landlord - 4 years total renting, always on time with rent (except once), no issues. We're planning on just putting the dog on there and paying an additional deposit and rent. I don't want to make the landlord suspicious by asking about the cat because I don't want my girlfriend to have to rehome the cat if she wouldn't make an exception. I have already asked other property managers at the company as if I were a prospective applicant and they all told me no exceptions.

The bottom line is that I can't afford to be evicted because my credit score took a dump, but I think my landlord would be lenient if she found out and would probably just have me rehome the cat. The best option would be to find a house rental that will accept all the pets, but I don't think my credit score will do me any good there. Just looking for advice on how to handle the situation.
 
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#2
There's no "good" way.

A friend has a few rental properties in a college area. He has a no pets policy for some and a pet deposit for others. Without fail, every single tenant says they have no pets and without fail they all wind up with at least two dogs in his houses. In his contract it states that when he finds out they can either pay double deposit or get out.

Also, you can bet there will be no deposit refund.

He lives a long ways off so I help him out with those places. Dogs literally destroy the floors in every one of his properties. He could probably charge less rent if he didn't have to replace ever square in of dog pissed and dog chewed floor between each tenant.

My point is, if she deals with a lot of pet liars too, it may not end well for you.

Also, the other thing you have to ask yourself is how quickly could tmshe rent the place out if you were gone. If the answer is "by tomorrow afternoon" you may not want to push it. If the answer is "about six months" you are in a better negotiating stance.
 
#3
I was a landlord who rented our house. We had a two pet policy. The renters had four animals, which upset us for a) being lied to and b) additional damage to the home.
I also own a dog, and feel it is a very important part of our family.
My following opinion is slanted from that angle.
Do not violate the pet policy.

-Mike
 
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#8
I would just look for another place. Who wants to live with the knowledge that you're breaching a contract and could get caught and have to pay a bunch of money for such a thing? I don't rent (anymore, but did for a long time starting at about 17) and don't care for animals (have owned multiple dogs and cats all my life) enough to worry about it, so it's easy for me.
 
#9
Getting possibly evicted for violating a known policy seems nutty to me even as a pet owner. Losing deposit cash in the process ( I'm willing to be that is allowable to them )

You know the answer ( the right thing to do ) and what you are going to do so to give any advice seems superfluous.

However;
Personally I would explore other options up to and including moving. Rent history matters. Eviction is not something to entertain lightly.
 
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#11
I see where you're coming from. Going from 2 to 3 pets isn't physically as bad as having 1 pet in a zero pet rental. Just one that constantly potties all over everything can be much worse than having 3 well behaved animals.

Are you in a complex with neighbors? Or is this just a lone house/apartment? You've been there a long time, and if it was just you, and the animals were well behaved, they would probably let you slide if you were honest with them. It's already a 2 pet zone, which is a far cry from a no-pet zone. But if there are neighbors, then you've got them asking about and reporting you, and the landlord having to constantly make excuses for you while disallowing a house full of animals for everyone else. Not a fun position to be in, hence the rubber stamp rule. And they're going to tell every prospective new renter the same thing from the start. If they don't then they're just a pushover from the start and would have no control being a landlord.

If you're a lone residence, I'd remove the cat and straight up ask the landlord if you can bring in one more animal in your situation, or you'll be moving. You might get a variance. After all it can be hard for a landlord to find a good long term responsible renter. And if no, then look for somewhere else.
 
#12
tlc1976 said:
I see where you're coming from. Going from 2 to 3 pets isn't physically as bad as having 1 pet in a zero pet rental. Just one that constantly potties all over everything can be much worse than having 3 well behaved animals.

Are you in a complex with neighbors? Or is this just a lone house/apartment? You've been there a long time, and if it was just you, and the animals were well behaved, they would probably let you slide if you were honest with them. It's already a 2 pet zone, which is a far cry from a no-pet zone. But if there are neighbors, then you've got them asking about and reporting you, and the landlord having to constantly make excuses for you while disallowing a house full of animals for everyone else. Not a fun position to be in, hence the rubber stamp rule. And they're going to tell every prospective new renter the same thing from the start. If they don't then they're just a pushover from the start and would have no control being a landlord.

If you're a lone residence, I'd remove the cat and straight up ask the landlord if you can bring in one more animal in your situation, or you'll be moving. You might get a variance. After all it can be hard for a landlord to find a good long term responsible renter. And if no, then look for somewhere else.
Click to expand...

Part of the problem there is if any other tenants with pets become aware OP has more than the allowable number of pets under the terms, they're going to want modified terms as well. At the least, they'll whine about it.
 
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#13
I had a large mobile home which had new carpet. I rented it and the idiot brought in a 60-pound dog, then went away for a week and left the dog shut inside the mobile home. It crapped everywhere, peed as necessary, ate the couch and the drapes, and destroyed the screens on the windows which had been left open while he was out.

The damage deposit didn't cover 1/3 of the cost to replace carpet, drapes, couch, etc. Would I rent to a pet owner? Not if you pulled out my fingernails with hot pliers.
 
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#14
petrus61 said:
Part of the problem there is if any other tenants with pets become aware OP has more than the allowable number of pets under the terms, they're going to want modified terms as well. At the least, they'll whine about it.
Click to expand...

Yep.
Maybe you can fool the property manager, but your neighbors will likely figure it out.
Good catch on that one.

-Mike
 
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#16
Is one of the pets a service or emotional therapy animal? I’m not advocating playing that card if you can’t back it up with a doctor’s written confirmation. :) *

Agree that neighbors ratting you out is possibly the biggest risk. If you’re in a large complex with neighbors, I honestly see no potential for a positive outcome.

*I really dislike people who pretend their dog is a service animal and abuse the privilege. But it happens all the time.
 
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#17
I hear the people complaining about property damages... my dog and her dog don't chew carpet, don't mark territory, and the only accidents I have had to clean up were when my dog was sick and had diarrhea or vomited. And I shampooed the carpet. I am a responsible pet owner.

The cat does not have accidents. It's declawed. I am not a fan of cats, but this cat is actually pretty cool.

It's a tough situation to be in. Of course, the girlfriend would rehome if needed, but it would break her heart.
 
#18
njones89 said:
I hear the people complaining about property damages... my dog and her dog don't chew carpet, don't mark territory, and the only accidents I have had to clean up were when my dog was sick and had diarrhea or vomited. And I shampooed the carpet.

The cat does not have accidents. It's declawed.
Click to expand...

Rules are rules. If the landlord makes an exception for your exceptional pets, it will have to make an exception for the great Dane down the hall that eats wallboard...
 
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#19
njones89 said:
I hear the people complaining about property damages... my dog and her dog don't chew carpet, don't mark territory, and the only accidents I have had to clean up were when my dog was sick and had diarrhea or vomited. And I shampooed the carpet. I am a responsible pet owner.

The cat does not have accidents. It's declawed. I am not a fan of cats, but this cat is actually pretty cool.

It's a tough situation to be in. Of course, the girlfriend would rehome if needed, but it would break her heart.
Click to expand...

Every potential tenant says this. Their pets are well-behaved, never have accidents, etc. etc. Experienced landlords know how this usually goes.

The rules are the rules.
 
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