{"id":8102,"date":"2020-07-17T09:00:35","date_gmt":"2020-07-17T16:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rentecdirect.com\/blog\/?p=8102"},"modified":"2020-07-17T10:05:39","modified_gmt":"2020-07-17T17:05:39","slug":"unauthorized-pet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rentecdirect.com\/blog\/unauthorized-pet\/","title":{"rendered":"My Tenant Has an Unauthorized Pet – Now What?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"unauthorized<\/p>\n

Landlords and property managers have several reasons why the might create a pet policy for their rental property<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

A good pet policy will protect the property, comply with insurance, and keep your tenants safe and happy. For these very reasons, some managers and owners will decide that \u201cno pets allowed\u201d is their policy.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you have a pet-free property, inevitably you will encounter a tenant who decides to sneak an unauthorized pet into their rental. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unauthorized pets are typically discovered by management during a routine inspection or a drive by inspection, by maintenance doing a repair on the house, or by a neighboring tenant who sees the pet or hears barking through the walls. <\/span><\/p>\n

Landlords and property managers need to be prepared for handling the unauthorized pet situation legally and professionally. <\/span><\/p>\n

Remember, that your tenant has probably bonded with the pet and removing the animal could be emotional. You need to stick to your lease terms and follow legal procedures to get your tenant to remedy the lease violation. <\/span><\/p>\n

What does your Pet-Policy and Lease Agreement say?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Your lease agreement should clearly state your pet-policy and outline what will happen if an unauthorized pet is discovered. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you have a no-pets policy, state that pets are not allowed under any circumstances and if a tenant has one, it will be considered a breach of contract. \u00a0Additionally, clearly state what fines will be assessed (if any) if an authorized pet is discovered and how many warnings (if any) you will give.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before they move in, let your tenants know that you intend to schedule quarterly \u201cmaintenance visits\u201d to test smoke alarms, replace furnace filters, etc. If they know you plan to visit the property every few months, they\u2019ll be less likely to try to keep an animal on the sly.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you discover an unauthorized pet, stick to your pet policy. Send the notice, collect the fine, and move forward with an eviction if necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are a couple unauthorized pet scenarios:<\/span><\/h2>\n