2 cats and 2 dogs = unsuitable for renting???

fleabag

Just got off the phone from an auctioneer. We are looking to move to Waterford and need a place to rent. We have 2 cats and 2 dogs. I was told that basically no-one will consider us 'with that amount of animals!' I was left speechless.

I have rented all my life and always with dogs and cats. Some places automatically exclude pet owners in the ads so I don't even bother considering them and I understand that that is their prerogative for their property. The house I was enquiring about didn't state this so I asked the auctioneer if she thought pets would be allowed and she said no flat outright. She didn't even say she'd check with the owners and get back to me.

We have always paid our rent on time and been careful and considerate tenants. No landlord has ever had cause to complain about us or our pets. I feel like a pariah and really mad - hence this bit of a rant. Just wondering what other pet owner experiences are and also if anyone has a house to rent near Dungarvan and doesn't mind furry four-leggeds, PM me!:)

Thanks for listening!

Pumpkinseeds

It's always been something that's piss*d us off too. Kids will do an awful lot more damage to a rented property than most pets will. Pets won't draw on the walls. Have you tried Daft.ie? Maybe contact landlords directly and offer to put up a bond for any potential damage, as well as providing references. Good luck with it, I hope you find somewhere nice:)

fleabag

Found this through Daft.ie and was phoning the auctioneer to arrange a viewing ...

I've made some cards up to leave in newsagents (pet shops?!!?) etc that will hopefully attract a more enlightened audience and might even try the South East Boards.

Sulla Felix

Not really extraordinary. I know in some cities in the US they have ordinances dictating how many animals you can have in houses within the city limits.

aaakev

We were moving a few months ago to another house in naas and had the same problem. We were looking for 2 months and looked at loads of houses but when we said we had a ****zu and a great dane they all said no way! We finally found a sound landlord and a smashing house, he had no problem with the dogs and no problem with me putting a fense up for a run and all.

Keep looking you will find something!

Rips

Its worth ringing up landlords who haven't clarified whether pets are allowed or not.

It depends on the type of house too. Look for cottages, houses in suburban areas and detached houses? Rather then say, a house in a housing estate with a small garden.

I keep my horses in a rural area where outbuildings have been converted into flats/apartments, and all the residents have dogs, big and small.

Mrs W

It might be worth going to see a few and if you like it then ask about the animals?
I've had tenants come to view a house, they ask about having a dog, explain they're trained etc and if I think they're genuine it's no problem. Whereas I'd someone rang up and asks "dya like dags" I'd tend to say no...

I have dogs myself though so maybe that's why

rannerap

I have two cats and finding somewhere that will let me rent with them in Dublin is like finding the holy Grail people just suggest I throw the cats in a shelter. Head wrecking!

pawrick

Have to agree with people saying ask after you look. Landlords want minimum possible hassle and risk, if they meet you first and you come across well that will work in your favour. Bring a pic of your pics also to show them Agents are a different story as many cant be bothered asking the LL to make an exception.

Cuddlesworth

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

It's always been something that's piss*d us off too. Kids will do an awful lot more damage to a rented property than most pets will. Pets won't draw on the walls. Have you tried Daft.ie? Maybe contact landlords directly and offer to put up a bond for any potential damage, as well as providing references. Good luck with it, I hope you find somewhere nice:)

To place things in context, I have seen dogs and cats do up to 10k+ damage to both houses and apartments. When a bad owner starts to let the cat/dog scrape/chew everything in sight, the damage becomes immense and has to be rectified before placing another tenant into the property. Children on the other hand can do damage but its limited. Hanging off kitchen presses and snapping the hinges or drawing on walls would be the main two.

In one property I worked on, the dog chewed the kitchen tables and chairs, scraped and chewed the kitchen presses, scraped both sets of wooden back doors, chewed both couches, the sitting room table, destroyed the curtains in most rooms, chewed the banisters, the beds, some of the wardrobes, two desks placed into rooms, damaged every carpet in the property and gouged the downstairs wooden floors. The tenants themselves were not much better but the damage the dog did was unbelievable.

The only time I had seen worse was when members of a certain community decided to take all the copper with them.

eyescreamcone

As a landlord I would never allow animals.
Humans do enough damage without letting animals in on the act too.

Pumpkinseeds

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

To place things in context, I have seen dogs and cats do up to 10k+ damage to both houses and apartments. When a bad owner starts to let the cat/dog scrape/chew everything in sight, the damage becomes immense and has to be rectified before placing another tenant into the property. Children on the other hand can do damage but its limited. Hanging off kitchen presses and snapping the hinges or drawing on walls would be the main two.

In one property I worked on, the dog chewed the kitchen tables and chairs, scraped and chewed the kitchen presses, scraped both sets of wooden back doors, chewed both couches, the sitting room table, destroyed the curtains in most rooms, chewed the banisters, the beds, some of the wardrobes, two desks placed into rooms, damaged every carpet in the property and gouged the downstairs wooden floors. The tenants themselves were not much better but the damage the dog did was unbelievable.

The only time I had seen worse was when members of a certain community decided to take all the copper with them.

That would be an extreme situation. For the most part most pet owners are responsible and look after the property, it is after all, their home. Most normal people don't want to live in a wrecked property. I can understand wariness after a situation you described but surely there can be a compromise.

Nowadays the PRTB can force a tenant to pay for any damage caused to a property and if someone has good references that can be checked it shouldn't really be an issue.

sambuka41

Its so tough, I would agree about going to see the place then say it. This has always worked for me, I also have asked Landlords for a reference specifically for the pets!! So Jack and Ruby have their own reference!! :P It helps to say that you have a reference from previous landlord to say that there were no issues with the pets.

foggy_lad

There is a much wider issue aside from any damage an animal might do.

A landlord is responsible for any animals kept at the property so if a dog is barking and annoying neighbours it is the landlord who would be paying compensation to neighbours or if an animal attacked someone or damaged property their case is with the landlord again as the property owner who allowed the animal at the property.

If the landlord does not know that animals are being kept it is not their responsibility but it could be hard to prove they did not know.

meoklmrk91

foggy_lad wrote: »

There is a much wider issue aside from any damage an animal might do.

A landlord is responsible for any animals kept at the property so if a dog is barking and annoying neighbours it is the landlord who would be paying compensation to neighbours or if an animal attacked someone or damaged property their case is with the landlord again as the property owner who allowed the animal at the property.

If the landlord does not know that animals are being kept it is not their responsibility but it could be hard to prove they did not know.

To be fair a lot of people now have their pets insured and that covers for third party claims. I can understand why landlords would be cautious about taking on tenants who have pets but most people are renting as opposed to buying now and lots of people have pets, they are cutting out a lot of decent tenants who will keep the property well by just flat out refusing pets.

eyescreamcone

sambuka41 wrote: »

Its so tough, I would agree about going to see the place then say it. This has always worked for me, I also have asked Landlords for a reference specifically for the pets!! So Jack and Ruby have their own reference!! :P It helps to say that you have a reference from previous landlord to say that there were no issues with the pets.

You could have a reference from the pope and I wouldn't budge.
It's too easy these days to find tenants without pets.

sambuka41

eyescreamcone wrote: »

You could have a reference from the pope and I wouldn't budge.
It's too easy these days to find tenants without pets.

To be fair, its a two way street, I wouldn't want to rent from you or other uncompromising landlords. As that attitude of plenty more fish in the sea indicates to me that money is the only objective, and for those landlords it is usually difficult to get them to bother fixing anything properly.

eyescreamcone

sambuka41 wrote: »

To be fair, its a two way street, I wouldn't want to rent from you or other uncompromising landlords. As that attitude of plenty more fish in the sea indicates to me that money is the only objective, and for those landlords it is usually difficult to get them to bother fixing anything properly.

You do realise that Landlords rent properties to make money don't you?
There is no remit to provide accomodation for pets/minorities/RA etc.
It's a business.

blatantrereg

Look at more rural areas in the vicinity if possible. Where I am now I think there are more rented houses with dogs in them than without.
I'm surprised you're having such trouble finding somewhere around Dungarvan tbh.
Maybe ask in the Waterford forum where is a good area around there to live with dogs. You might find a place where pets are the norm that way.
I'd suggest that people with pets are more likely to stay in one place longer; which is something landlords might weigh against risks involved with them.
If you have references then surely that shows the pets don't cause problems.
You could try to persuade them. We were initally told no because we have a dog for a couple of houses (one holiday rental and one regular). We just said she's a good dog and she's not let up on furniture and they decided it was okay. Some pets do damage houses, so it's reasonable for them to be reticent.

GarIT

Another reason not to allow pets could be the smell, it is very hard to get rid of the smell of a dog after it is gone.

sambuka41

eyescreamcone wrote: »

You do realise that Landlords rent properties to make money don't you?
There is no remit to provide accomodation for pets/minorities/RA etc.
It's a business.

Yes and its a business transaction for both parties, you are not doing me a favour, I am paying the most I will ever pay in any business transaction and I want to be sure that I am happy.

In my experience those landlords who are solely concerned with the money don't invest well in maintaining the property, and they are not pleasant to deal with. I have chosen not to take places in the past because I knew I would not get on with the landlord.

Granted when you have pets the pool of places to choose from is smaller but there is still choice. OP do you know anyone living in the area who could put the word out that you are looking? I found with the country that word of mouth is much better than online ads.

blatantrereg

GarIT wrote: »

Another reason not to allow pets could be the smell, it is very hard to get rid of the smell of a dog after it is gone.

It's not too expensive to rent a carpet cleaning machine. That will get rid of anything like that.

I did so at the end of our previous rental. I did so because I decided that the carpets were a bit dirtier than could be attributed to normal wear and tear - and this was down to the dog. Clean white carpets are not ideal if you are bringing a dog in, though the carpet cleaner rectified that.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Why would landlords risk all these ifs and buts though? Most people may be OK with their pets, but obviously not all are. There's absolutely no need for them to take the risk.

Lemlin

I know a landlord who had no problem with pets. That was until a couple decided to give their Saint Bernard free roam of the sitting room and kitchen of the house, as well as the backyard.

I've never seen a house as messy. He said himself never again.

Pumpkinseeds

I think a lot of it comes down to how little a landlord wants to spend maintaining a property. I've had brilliant landlords who have their propertys professionally cleaned after each tenancy. Everything from having the oven cleaned to the carpets and curtains cleaned. But most won't do a tap to it and are only interested in getting tenants in regardless.

Ireland is notorious for nightmare landlords renting to nightmare tenants. Give me a break with the talk about complaints about barking dogs, noisy tenants and anti-social human behaviour is what the bulk of rental complaints are about. Wear and tear is what a deposit is for. There is no guarantee whatsoever that tenants who don't have pets will do less damage to a property. If anything people with pets are more likely to look after the place given how difficult it can be to find anywhere decent when you have pets.

fleabag

Some great points being made and I do understand that some landlords just don't want animals full stop which is why I steer well-clear of ads that say at the outset no pets allowed. We are looking for a detached country house and also live in one now and for the most part, the cats and dogs are out all day. They have plenty of places to roam and don't want to be in the house at all. To be honest. it's the uncompromising upfront attitude that gets me as if I am being judged for having dogs and cats - all of whom came as strays. A lot of the furniture is our own as well so if it gets damaged, it's our cost, not the landlords.

The suggestion to view the property first is a good one, but in our case involves travelling for 1.5 hours only to be potentially turned down when our 'guilty secret' is revealed. We do have references available from the current landlord who is lovely and and has never been bothered about the menagerie.

On the upside, I was in Dungarvan yesterday and called into another auctioneers and though the lady there was hesitant at first, we chatted awhile and then she took all the details and sent me out to look at a place that has just come up and it was great to be treated like a human being instead of someone who has made dubious life choices.:mad:

fleabag

Sarannewrap wrote: »

I have two cats and finding somewhere that will let me rent with them in Dublin is like finding the holy Grail people just suggest I throw the cats in a shelter. Head wrecking!

I volunteer for Limerick Animal Welfare and the number of people that want to give you their cat/dog because they are moving and either can't or won't find accommodation that will allow pets is shocking.

rannerap

fleabag wrote: »

I volunteer for Limerick Animal Welfare and the number of people that want to give you their cat/dog because they are moving and either can't or won't find accommodation that will allow pets is shocking.

Seems to be the done thing here in Dublin too. I would rather end up on the streets with my cats than move somewhere without them! I'm all they have ever know, I wouldnt even consider it!