Problematic Tenant Asks For Dog Despite No Pet Policy

[Grace Ng]

Hi BP community,

I would like to have your advice about one of my tenants.

I rented a property to a lady, her daughter and granddaughter in Nov. They signed a two year lease. 

Four months later, she claimed her relative killed herself and she now had custody of a dog. I refused to let her have it since I have a no pet policy and she threatened to break her lease. The house at this time looked like an episode out of Hoarders and it was a mess. One could not walk into the room because there was stuff blocking doorways, closets. Even though I wanted her to stay because she paid on time, I found her to be very demanding (she did all sorts of bizarre things like claim the neighbors were drug dealers, stalking their activities, hassling others in the community, continuous repairs - I have other properties and no one is as high maintenance as her) and I was upset at the state of my newly rehabbed place. I told her I would release her from her lease without penalty because I wanted her out.

She then said that she would not take the dog since she was not capable of looking after it. They stayed on for several months and during that time, she hurt her knee and could not walk up and down the stairs, and she told me she had to move out due to the stairs. She has had two knee surgeries in this time. She also told me that she had promised her granddaughter a puppy for her birthday in May. She asked me again if I would allow them to have a dog. I said no.

Then she complained and said the rent was too high, could I lower it. Her daughter's ex husband had decreased his alimony to her. I said no.

The two year lease comes to an end in Nov this year and she asked to move out this summer. I said fine, since the timing worked out better for me anyway. However, she told me that she would like to stay only if I allowed her to have a "service dog". This was where I pulled up short. She used the word "service dog". She claims that the dog will help her get out of the house to walk, and that she was sexually abused in the military. She does not work, she gets some sort of stipend from the VA for work related injuries on her arm. She told me the dog will help her get over her sexual abuse.

I have just told her again tonight NO and sent her a list of other places to rent in the area, but after reading all the posts on pet policy on BP, I am aware that I might be in violation of Fair Housing. However, I just feel that she is using the term "service dog" plus all these excuses to substantiate her reasons for getting a dog. She does not want to move because she has so much stuff and also she is beginning to see that the rents in my area are a lot higher. But I can see how her wheels are turning in her head to legally get a dog in. How do I protect myself here? I have had enough of her, I really want her out.

Sorry to be so long winded but I am new at managing properties, I have always used property managers in Australia as the norm is to deal with your tenants at arms length. Thank you for your input!