Seeking advice: tenant violated lease with many cats

[Ethan A.]

Hi all! I am in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area and I am a new landlord, having purchased my first rental property about two and a half years ago.

I have a tenant who lives in my very nice three bedroom unit whose lease provides a pet authorization for “one dog, one cat and one rabbit.” This tenant is currently month-to-month and has lived in the unit for 18 months.

I was in the unit six days ago and they had nine litter boxes. When I subsequently asked the tenant over the phone how many cats she had she said four, which is likely half the number she actually has, but is still a lease violation.

At this point I feel like it’s pointless to even ask if the cats are neutered (and therefore less likely to spray urine on walls) because clearly she is willing to lie to me and her attitude seems to be that she makes the rules not me or the lease.

My broker told her to just give her 30 days notice and get rid of her. My general contractor told me to charge her a $400/month pet fee for four months –which would allow me to save up $1,600 to cover damages- and then give her 30 days notice in May when it will be warmer and faster to fill a unit.

She agreed to pay a $400/month pet fee on top of the $1,150 rent. Part of me thinks this is the lower conflict route but part of me thinks the cats will do way more in damages than the $1,600 I would get in pet fees over four months.

Opinions and advice are welcome.

[Sofia Komrskova]

Your contractor is on the money here. Follow that plan. Go in again in a month or so to check on the unit. If it has significantly deteriorated, accelerate her move out date. Either way, you definitely don't want to keep a tenant who blatantly disregards your rules or leases. Sooner or later it will come back to hurt you.