All Forum Posts by: Peter Stevenson

My tenant just provided a valid ESA letter. It seems I have to accommodate it now. Should I make them sign a term stating that they will hold full responsibility for dog bite just for in case?

0 Votes

Stockton, California

Quote from @Quincy Lockett:

@Peter Stevenson

I would start the eviction process ASAP. But even if they do show up with “emotional support animal” proof, I would NOT renew their lease. These are untrustworthy tenants.

In California, if we don't renew the lease, the lease will turn into month to month one and the tenant basically has the same right.

0 Votes

Stockton, California

Quote from @Eliott Elias:

If the tenant did not show you proof that is was an ESA before they moved the dog into the home that's it. Eviction is due

Even if the tenant can now show it is a service / ESA dog, I can still evict them since they didn't disclose that before they move in which is considered breach of lease?

0 Votes

Stockton, California

Quote from @Theresa Harris:

It is unlikely a service animal, but they may claim it is an emotional support animal. Give them a deadline for documentation and tell them it cannot be from a website. Service animals would come with paperwork as they are already trained and it should not take time to get it.

How can I tell the ESA letter is legit or not? Should I hire a lawyer to verify it? or who can I hire to verify it?

0 Votes

Stockton, California

Quote from @Kyle S.:

It could be that they are getting the animals paperwork setup to be a service dog as we speak. Meaning they are getting it done now. I know when I lived in southern California every time, I turned around someone else I knew was getting the paperwork done to have their dog be a service dog. I agree with poster above tread lightly with this.

Is it really that easy to register their dog as service dog? I am aware that California passed the law in 2022 (AB 468) and made it more difficult for someone to certify their pet as emotional support animal.

0 Votes

Stockton, California

Quote from @Kim Meredith Hampton:

@Peter Stevenson Please tread carefully, you are in dangerous waters! I know it stinks that they did this after the fact, but did they provide documentation from a treating physician as to why they need a service animal, or is this something they got off the internet?

No, they still failed to provide documentation. It seems they are buying time.

0 Votes

Stockton, California

The lease has a no pet term and I recently found out my tenant sneaked in a dog. When I ask my tenant to rehome/remove the dog if they would like to stay, they asked if they can pay pet deposit. Few days later, they come back and said it is actually a service animal. It's been 2 weeks and they still failed to provide supporting document.

Per discussion with a lawyer from free online forum. They recommended to evict the tenant immediately since they breached the lease and still failed to provide the document even if they can proof that it is a service animal or emotional support animal in the future. What do you guys think?

0 Votes

Stockton, California

All Forum Posts by: Peter Stevenson

Peter Stevenson has started 1 posts and replied 7 times.

Post: Tenant sneaked in a dog, now they claimed is a service animal.

Post: Tenant sneaked in a dog, now they claimed is a service animal.

Post: Tenant sneaked in a dog, now they claimed is a service animal.

Post: Tenant sneaked in a dog, now they claimed is a service animal.

Post: Tenant sneaked in a dog, now they claimed is a service animal.

Post: Tenant sneaked in a dog, now they claimed is a service animal.

Post: Tenant sneaked in a dog, now they claimed is a service animal.