General Landlording & Rental Properties
Market News & Data
General Info
Real Estate Strategies
Landlording & Rental Properties
Real Estate Professionals
Financial, Tax, & Legal
Real Estate Classifieds
Reviews & Feedback
Tenant got Pit Bull without notice
So, my tenant's neighbor called me today and told me that my tenant got a pit bull. He think he’s had the pit for 2-3 weeks now. My lease does not allow for a Pit Bull and I clearly stated to my tenant when they applied my pet application that I don’t allow pit bulls. I gave him a call and he told that me he was just pet sitting for a friend and only had it for a couple of days.
This tenant has only been with me for about 4 months now and has been a pain in the butt even before this issue. At least every two week or so, some issue would arise because of this tenant, but that’s another story. The only thing he has going for him is that his dad co-signed for him and he has been paying rent on time as his dad pays the rent.
I already called him and his father to tell them about it, the son says that he will take care of it. BTW, the son lied to me more than once, so I really don’t believe what he tells me.
What should I do?
1)Charge a fee for violating the lease? On my pet application.....
"“If Tenant obtains a pet without written permission of Landlord/Agent, Tenant agrees to pay an immediate fine of ($500.00) dollars. Additionally, Landlord/Agent reserves the right to terminate the lease agreement with the Tenant upon giving written notice to the Tenant, as outlined in said lease agreement."
2)Evict him, but school is about to start in late Aug. I would be in a tight squeeze to try to find a replacement tenant.
3)Or……????
Thanks in advance.
Thanks for the feedback guys!
Tenant has been put on notice that if they don't remove, they will be removed. The property its self is in good condition as I've been going to the property every other month. Their lease expires in the end of January of next year which I plan on not renewing.
Just wanted to add in case it helps in the future that my lease actually states either Pet Policy: Pet Allowed: Name Age Breed, no other pets allowed and no guest pets or pet-sitting; or Pet Policy: Tenant has no pets and will not have pets on Premises, including guest pets or pet-sitting. My application states this as well, with a separate initialing of a statement saying they agree to abide by my pet policy, so they know right up front how anal I am about it. I started this after I found out my daughter and her college roommate actually went behind our backs (both moms co-signed for our daughters) and got a pit bull together. Luckily, the landlord never found out as he never did anything, horrible landlord, but it made me more careful with my own rentals (and I never cosigned for my daughter again.)
I have friends that participate in Pit Bull rescue and they have done wonders to turn around opinions, especially mine (my 5 month old lab puppy was attacked by a pit bull who broke through his own fence to attack my dog, so I was not easily converted), but this is business, so no pit bulls.
EVICT IMMEDIATELY !! I had a tenant get a pitbull 2 weeks after signing the lease agreement. I have a no pet policy on all my rentals. I took the tenants word that she was going to find it a different home. But days turned to weeks, turned to months. I heard every excuse in the book all a while the other tenants were complaining about the dog. Evictions take at lease 3 months in my area so by the time I actually filed and got this tenant evicted it was 5 months later. The worse part is when I went to do a walk through of the property after the tenant left I come to find I couldn't get in the apartment because they left the pitbull behind. 2 days this dog ran rampant in the apartment before I found out it was there. The disgusting person who would just leave a dog behind is one thing, but you can imagine what that dog did to my unit in those 2 days. Lesson learned. Thought i'd share.
As Wilson mentioned, the important part is that you provided notice immediately- hopefully everything works out now, but you need to follow through and make sure the tenant is complying, as well as paying extra attention to this tenant.
Originally posted by @Joe Bertolino:
You can get rid of them now and lose a few grand or you can wait till that dog rips some kids face off and you have a disfigured kid sitting in a courtroom while a jury goes after the deepest pockets available. Here is a hint... those pockets don't belong to your tenant and your insurance policy likely has a breed exclusion. You know about the dog, the ball is in your court.
Bang on! Get them out quick, Pit Bulls are on the dangerous breeds list for insurance and you won't find anyone willing to insure one in a rental property. People can get homeowners insurance for their own residence with one but not an investment property. Unless you want to be checking on that house every few days after the tenant lies to you again and brings the dog back, evict now.
Update.
Talked to the guy, and told them if you wanted to keep the dog (Puppy) they can, but not on my property. They told me that it's his mom's dog and that it's already back at her house, lol.
I told him that I would be willing to terminate the lease early, but they must be out by the end of this month, otherwise if I catch them again, I would evict them.
An hour after that phone call, he texted me asking if I would put that in writing. lol
So, i went ahead and wrote them a letter, but they must tell me by Wednesday and leave by the end of the month. I know it's rather short notice, and I'm not sure I can even do that, but that's the deal I offered them. If there are out, I would have a whole month before the school season starts.
Originally posted by @Joe Bertolino:
You can get rid of them now and lose a few grand or you can wait till that dog rips some kids face off and you have a disfigured kid sitting in a courtroom while a jury goes after the deepest pockets available. Here is a hint... those pockets don't belong to your tenant and your insurance policy likely has a breed exclusion. You know about the dog, the ball is in your court.
Way to promote breed discrimination @Joe B. Yes, because it's a pit bull (and most likely it's not because 80%+ of dogs labeled as pit bulls are not) it's going to rip a kids face off. Way to show your ignorance. Thanks for being a part of the problem, being uneducated.
Normal people will not have a pit bull with the history behind it. The only one we see here in Dallas is drug dealers with pit bulls.
My 2cents,
Joe Gore
@Account Closed Normal = Ignorant. Keep watching the news and believing everything you hear.
I see it in real time when I am riding in an unmarked unit and when the calls go out that a pit bull is lost or running after someone we take action.
Joe Gore
wow crazy!
I think people should read about the little three-year girl that was mauled by pit bulls in Mississippi, and this little girl will be scared for the rest of her life, but you will have uneducated people want pit bulls and could care less whose life it will scare.
Joe Gore
Originally posted by @Eric Black:
@Account Closed Normal = Ignorant. Keep watching the news and believing everything you hear.
While I believe owners should have more responsibility (if your dog seriously hurts someone without provocation, you go to jail), and I believe breed specific legislation is not the answer, Joe has actual facts on his side regarding the breed (not stereotyping the owners). Excerpts from 2 studies: 1) 20 year CDC study 1978-1989:
Results—... At least 25 breeds of dogs have been involved in 238 human DBRF during the past 20 years. Pit bull-type dogs and Rottweilers were involved in more than half of these deaths.
And 2) 2005-2013 study from dogsbite.org excerpt: In the 9-year period from 2005 to 2013, pit bulls killed 176 Americans and accounted for 62% of the total recorded deaths (283). Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 74% of these deaths.
The insurance companies did not simply pull breeds out of a hat and ban coverage on them randomly. They have data that proves pitt bulls and rottweilers are statistically the ones that cause the highest amount of damage to humans when attacks occur, over too many years of data to ignore. The news might sensationalize it for ratings, but they didn't make it up.
Everyone keep name calling, character assassinations, insults, and other provocations out of this forum topic please. We need to stick to the topic at hand.
There are passionate views on both sides of the issue. A flat pancake still has 2 sides.
From a landlord perspective the risk is too great which is what the original poster is asking about and their tenant.
"Talked to the guy, and told them if you wanted to keep the dog (Puppy) they can, but not on my property. They told me that it's his mom's dog and that it's already back at her house, lol."
Bruce look for the dog to be back shortly at your property. What I have found in the past is tenants lie about the dog watching while their friend is on vacation. The real reason tends to be they have a landlord also and they are ferrying the dog in violation of both leases from place to place. The mom's landlord ( do not know is she is renting or not) probably said the dog has to go.
None of this crap ends well. I have seen it all before. How do you know when a tenant is lying?? Their lips are moving ! lol
Just thought I would try to lighten this up.
@Ericblack
When it comes to my investments, liability, and my family... I absolutely discriminate against certain dog breeds. If the type of owner is the problem or the breed... I don't care as the results are the same. I have met several great pit bulls in my life but I always look at the risk/reward balance of every decision I make. The risk involved in having that breed (and other variations or mixes) is not worth the reward. There are plenty of other great breeds to own that do not have the ability to inflict significant damage if something goes wrong. How many times after a pitbull attack do you see the owner claiming "he was such a sweet dog, he never bothered anyone, I didn't see this coming.
We are in the business to make money, unless a pitbull owner is willing to pay well above market rate and take out (and keep in force) a $500k-$1m liability policy covering the dog... I don't see why any sane landlord would entertain the idea.
Originally posted by @Account Closed:
I think people should read about the little three-year girl that was mauled by pit bulls in Mississippi, and this little girl will be scared for the rest of her life, but you will have uneducated people want pit bulls and could care less whose life it will scare.
Joe Gore
Then you must also read about this 2-month old who was killed and had it's legs ripped off by their golden retriever-lab mix too. But you will have uneducated people who will say it was the father's fault for sleeping nearby or that the baby probably did something to agitate the dog. There will be a reasonable, socially acceptable answer since it didn't involve a pit bull.
Originally posted by @Eric Black:
Originally posted by @Account Closed:I think people should read about the little three-year girl that was mauled by pit bulls in Mississippi, and this little girl will be scared for the rest of her life, but you will have uneducated people want pit bulls and could care less whose life it will scare.
Joe GoreThen you must also read about this 2-month old who was killed and had it's legs ripped off by their golden retriever-lab mix too. But you will have uneducated people who will say it was the father's fault for sleeping nearby or that the baby probably did something to agitate the dog. There will be a reasonable, socially acceptable answer since it didn't involve a pit bull.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/dog-killed-2-month-old-baby-ripped-child-legs-father-slept-room-police-article-1.1065711
Originally posted by @Michaela G.:
Give him a 3-day notice. Get rid of dog or leave. Most people wake up when they get written official warning
^^^ this 100%.