Ohhhhh Boy, Im in a Pickle.

[Jeannine]

yes i have kids, they are adults now, also there is NO such thing as breaking the law a little bit and you can NOT pick and chose what laws you want to follow and what ones you want to ignore

the fact is it appears this mans landlord stipulated NO pets and mentioned it referred to both fish and reptiles the tenant was already on notice then, now if that was written that way in the lease then this person lied when he signed the lease and is now complaining because hes been found out

there are some places now that do refuse to rent to people with children, heck there is even a housing estate out there which is child free

owners of houses do have the right to refuse to rent to whoever they like, in certain circumstances

perhaps this owner has been caught up by previous tenants trying to slip other kinds of 'pets' past the no pets clause in the lease and has been stung by it in the past? therefore he now makes it a lot clearer

you can NOT sign a lease knowing your actions are illegal then complain when the owner catches you out and wants to terminate the lease, if you signed it knowing you would be breaking it then you have NO recourse to complain

and the fact so many go around lying to their landlords is a disgrace and im sure if they owned a rental unit that would NOT be impressed, its disrespectful and disgusting and you all should be ashamed of yourselves but ive got this feeling you arent and honestly dont give a damn so long as you get your own way and to hell with the owner of the property

 

[horseychic]

Unfortunately you probably will get evicted and you will have no say they will get a court order, all pets including reptiles and fish have to be declared on your application this is the only valid reason they need.

Another important note is make sure you declare reptiles on your insurance home policies as some declare them as non-domestic as we found out. This could be of concern to the owners insurance if anything were to happen.

 

[viciousred]

Well jeanine we all no how much meaning you put on your animals now dont we? rental says no? ok chuck em in a shelter...
Yes Im so ashamed that i didnt get rid of all my animals cuz I couldnt find a rental. so very very ashamed.
As far as im concerned, as long as i keeo the house well maintained, a few extra animals than what i have declared is perfectly fine.

 

[CrystalMoon]

Maybe slightly off topic, but I find agencies and landlords break the agreements quite a bit eg:- Not repairing damages/electrical(through wear and tear not neglect) unannounced inspections to name a few.... IMO omitting to mention a couple of pets/hiding them is not disrespectful or harmful unless the animal is a whopping great Dogue De Bordeaux that tears up carpet urinates over everything or just plain wreaks havoc hmmm well any animal that causes damage(you get my point)Given the fact that home ownership is hard to obtain and out of a lot of peoples reach I can understand why people Omit animal ownership to Landlords and agencies You can split moral hairs over it till the cows come home I just dont think it is a deadly sin At the end of the day I truly hope the OP works all this out

 

[littlemay]

Now, under the rental house pet rules or what ever section it is, says that ALL Fish, Reptiles, Cats or Dogs are classified as pets. And at which point in the agreement we didnt know that fish or reptiels where against the rules.

But thats the thing, by pets the landlord said that pets where cats dogs etc, all of the normal pets he didnt know that fish and reptiles where classed under pets as they are more hobby animals imo and his opinion. He had to look further into it as he didnt even think they where classed under pets.

I'm not sure if i'm mis-interpreting this, but what this seems to say to me is that the rental agreement between the OP and their landlord only stipulated that cats and dogs were pets not be kept on the property. The landlord then came around for inspection, saw the fish and reptiles, and then decided to look further into state (?) laws regarding pet ownership and rental agreements. On doing this, the landlord found that the law's classification of a 'pet' was different to what had been written into the OP's rental agreement. As a result, the landlord is unsure how to proceed.

If this is right then no one intentionally did anything wrong... Neither the landlord nor the OP knew reptiles and/or fish were classified as pets until the inspection.

yes i have kids, they are adults now, also there is NO such thing as breaking the law a little bit and you can NOT pick and chose what laws you want to follow and what ones you want to ignore

the fact is it appears this mans landlord stipulated NO pets and mentioned it referred to both fish and reptiles the tenant was already on notice then, now if that was written that way in the lease then this person lied when he signed the lease and is now complaining because hes been found out

there are some places now that do refuse to rent to people with children, heck there is even a housing estate out there which is child free

owners of houses do have the right to refuse to rent to whoever they like, in certain circumstances

perhaps this owner has been caught up by previous tenants trying to slip other kinds of 'pets' past the no pets clause in the lease and has been stung by it in the past? therefore he now makes it a lot clearer

you can NOT sign a lease knowing your actions are illegal then complain when the owner catches you out and wants to terminate the lease, if you signed it knowing you would be breaking it then you have NO recourse to complain

and the fact so many go around lying to their landlords is a disgrace and im sure if they owned a rental unit that would NOT be impressed, its disrespectful and disgusting and you all should be ashamed of yourselves but ive got this feeling you arent and honestly dont give a damn so long as you get your own way and to hell with the owner of the property

 

[JrFear]

My rental only spoke about cats or dogs didnt mention fish turtles dragon or snakes at all!
so if they get pissy about it i can show them on the contract that it does not state any of those animals!

 

[JungleManSam]

So a little bit of light has been shed onto the situation. The House Owner has allowed the snakes to the extent we dont get anymore. He didnt have a problem with the little fishie even though it posed more of a threat to the house. The rental people at Ray White talked to him and convinced him to let us stay with the snakes. Although it is Bull PooPoo i am just glad to keep the little guys. I think the owner is a bit uptight about his house. And even though those where 'against the rules' he didnt have a problem with the boat my father is building in the garage, there is dust and saw dust and **** all through the place and yet he didnt care about that. He must be a snake hater.

 

[Jeannine]

viciousred you have NO idea how i feel about MY animals so please do NOT presume to know how i think or feel

i have been a renter with animals and had NO problems, i now OWN my home and i can tell you now knowing what i know i would NEVER rent to anyone with pets regardless of what they are and if i found a renter lied to me by NOT telling me they had animals i would not only legally evict them but would sue them for even the smallest piece of carpet that might have frayed

you forget that it appears this person KNEW his fish and reptile were not allowed due to them being written into the lease yet he chose to ignore this, lie and sign the lease, im sure if they are not written on the lease like hes expressed it then it might be a different matter however one can only voice an opinion on what he has so far written

like i said so many in here have NO respect for anything or anyone else but themselves and wonder why the worst is thought of people and reptiles

ALL pets to some extend can and do damage homes even ones you wouldnt think of


I think the owner is a bit uptight about his house. as you have pointed out it is HIS HOUSE, HIS RULES, dont like them move out simple isnt it

He must be a snake hater. of course he must be a snake hater cause he doesnt want snakes in HIS HOUSE, when your paying your own mortgage you can do what you like

disrespectful, i would have evicted you out for breaking the lease but it seems you got your way in the end huh and that is all the matters right

 

[Renenet]

I have a beardie and a stimmie. I unexpectedly had to move from my pet-friendly rental and was left in a position where I might have had to be dishonest in order to keep them. Getting rid of them wasn't an option - they're my responsibility and I won't ditch them because my circumstances change. (I should say I was asked to move to make way for the landlord's son, not because I was a feral tenant.)

I'm very lucky to have found another rental place where I can keep my babies openly. Many people who rent don't actually like being dishonest, but it's so difficult to find anywhere that allows pets that they're forced into that situation.

It should be about common sense rather than a blanket ban. Enclosure animals are very unlikely to cause damage. If they do, the agreement I have with my landlord is that I am liable. I'm happy with that. It's a fair, sensible way to approach renting with pets and treats me like - gasp! - a responsible adult.

 

[littlemay]

you forget that it appears this person KNEW his fish and reptile were not allowed due to them being written into the lease yet he chose to ignore this, lie and sign the lease, im sure if they are not written on the lease like hes expressed it then it might be a different matter however one can only voice an opinion on what he has so far written

Again, i'm not sure if this is the case, maybe the OP could shed some light... Did your rental agreement indicate that you could not keep reptiles and/or fish? Or was the below the case?

I'm not sure if i'm mis-interpreting this, but what this seems to say to me is that the rental agreement between the OP and their landlord only stipulated that cats and dogs were pets not be kept on the property. The landlord then came around for inspection, saw the fish and reptiles, and then decided to look further into state (?) laws regarding pet ownership and rental agreements. On doing this, the landlord found that the law's classification of a 'pet' was different to what had been written into the OP's rental agreement. As a result, the landlord is unsure how to proceed.

If this is right then no one intentionally did anything wrong... Neither the landlord nor the OP knew reptiles and/or fish were classified as pets until the inspection.

 

[viciousred]

Yes yes im being selfish because i dont want to have my animals put to sleep for no other reason than i couldn't find pet friendly renting. Being an animal owner who has rented, im kinda shocked you feel that way. You say we are being selfish? what you about the landlords? In this day and age is probably going to be impossible for us to ever buy a house. by your way of thinking we should get rid of all our animals just because the econmy is ****? I love your mentality... cuz animals are just possessions that can easily thrown away when its inconvenient.

 

[JungleManSam]

Jeannine - I never knew that Reptiles and Fish where on the pet list. I only thought it would open the thread well after I knew the rules after the inspection. The Ray White person that helped us with the moved in through their company didnt even know that reptiles and fish where on the 'Pet' list. He had to go back and check after the owner complained. The Ray White guys tried to defend us as he was unaware of the 'Pets' on the 'Pet List' because he thought it was the normal pets(cats dogs birds horses in some cases) that he normally dealt with.

 

[Stevo2]

Lesson learnt

Until I bought my own house I always had a clause included in the leases allowing me to keep whichever pets I had at the time (up to 30 x fish tanks and some birds). I did that regardless of the 'standard' clauses in the rental agreement because I wanted to ensure I had the necessary protection. I never had a problem.

 

[Snake_Whisperer]

Jeannine - I never knew that Reptiles and Fish where on the pet list. I only thought it would open the thread well after I knew the rules after the inspection. The Ray White person that helped us with the moved in through their company didnt even know that reptiles and fish where on the 'Pet' list. He had to go back and check after the owner complained. The Ray White guys tried to defend us as he was unaware of the 'Pets' on the 'Pet List' because he thought it was the normal pets(cats dogs birds horses in some cases) that he normally dealt with.

That's because they are pretty much considered furniture, not pets. Glad it worked out for you mate. I could see someone getting upset about you keeping dogs/cats/crocodiles but a couple of snakes and a friggin fish?!?! I can't believe there are idiots here wanting to crucify you for having a snake collection! Seriously, any moron that could find a way to have their caged animals "destroy" a rental property should:

A: Not keep animals because you obviously suck at it.
B: "Get some" because you're too high strung.
C: Invest in the keyboard version of a ball gag. PLEASE!

 

[Cypher69]

I'm glad things worked out for you JungleManSam,

I came across your post too late but I was gonna suggest what they do w/rentals & leases in America.
Appart from your original bond, there is also a separate bond for pet owners regarding specific damages/stains/smells done sorely by pets to said-property.

I know the favour was in your way but I was gonna suggest to offer up a pet-bond specially for possible water damage done by your tank & maybe applicable to your reptiles if they ever escaped (prior to you deciding to move out) & the real estate had to hire a pest controller to capture it before new residents moved in.

I really think a pet-bond is a good idea offered to renters rather than a straight up No Pets clause.

 

[CrystalMoon]

So a little bit of light has been shed onto the situation. The House Owner has allowed the snakes to the extent we dont get anymore. He didnt have a problem with the little fishie even though it posed more of a threat to the house. The rental people at Ray White talked to him and convinced him to let us stay with the snakes. Although it is Bull PooPoo i am just glad to keep the little guys. I think the owner is a bit uptight about his house. And even though those where 'against the rules' he didnt have a problem with the boat my father is building in the garage, there is dust and saw dust and **** all through the place and yet he didnt care about that. He must be a snake hater.

I am really happy that you have the matter resolved and in your favor that is such great news. I have been concerned for your little families plight

 

[apprenticegnome]

I'm with Jeannine on this one. How could anyone think that any animal that you keep is not a pet unless its a cat or dog. Last time I looked snakes, fish , birds, etc were sold in pet shops not hobby shops. This is just an attempt to try and play a loop hole in wording. I can understand keeping pets on the quiet when renting but if you run run the risk you accept the consequences if it backfires. I recommend the offer of a pet bond as surity. I offered one to my landlord it has worked fine for us. Whinging about landlords not liking snakes is ridiculous, thats like expecting others to like something because you do. To each thier own and Landlords have every right to stipulate conditions on renting.

 

[CrystalMoon]

I would say I would disagree with 90% of her post, however I do agree that a pet bond would solve a lot of problems and think it is a fantastic idea. I have been a home owner a landlord and now a renter, I have seen both sides of the fence and there are valuable arguments for both sides. Unfortunately agreements get broken by both sides all the time, it is easier said then done to simply bleat sue, tenancy tribunal etc that takes time and money. I think Landlords need to also respect the tenant that is helping to pay off their home/supply them with pocket money, I know myself as a tenant appreciate the roof over my head but I am also aware I am "paying" for it! I am lucky that my Landlords are fine with me having any pet of any amount so I am pleased.......
*note: am no longer in the rental property with my Dad as mentioned in earlier post, I am in another rental property*

 

[Smittiferous]

Before we got our dragons, we made all necessary enquiries with our property manager. Her response was, additional clauses were only required for pets that could carry fleas. An excerpt from our correspondance:

Thank you for your email.

Please be advised that you are able to get the bearded dragons without an additional clause.

The additional clause is there for pets that would have fleas and walk on carpeted areas (ie. cats and dogs – in some cases goats!) so as to ensure the tenants take onus that any damage caused whatsoever by the pet shall be rectified immediately by the tenant, at the tenant's expense, to the reasonable satisfaction of the Landlord and/or Agent. That the tenant also agrees that should the pets cause a nuisance, they shall have them removed from the premises. The only thing you need to ensure is you adhere to the relevant hygiene to the dragons and that all faeces from them kept on the premises are to be disposed of in the appropriate garbage receptacle on a regular basis and not kept on the property.

When I asked her to clarify if this was relevant to our specific case or in general, i got this:

Just to clarify, so long as you don’t turn the house into a zoo and when I conduct routine inspections there aren’t a million species of animals, un-caged and running free, you will be fine. Keep it in moderation and bear in mind the animals welfare with regards to space and maintenance – there will be no reason for alarm.

An email here or there advising ‘what’ you have added to the family, would go down nicely too
​

Either we got lucky with our property manager, or perhaps there's a different set of rules for Victoria? Mind you our landlord does live in China... no chance of them popping over!
​

 

[CaptainRatbag]

Great outcome JMS :lol: