Official Notice of Unauthorized Pet Lease Violation You should also inform your tenant of any fines they incurred due to the lease violation, and remind your tenant that they will responsible for any damages caused by the unauthorized pet. Tell your tenant that if they do not comply with the timeline to remove the unauthorized pet, you will move forward with an eviction. In some cases, you can give your 24hrs to remove the pet while other states may require 3-7 days to remedy the situation. This timeline is largely dependent on your state laws and what your lease says. Typically, you will send your tenant an official notice stating the lease violation and the timeline in which the tenant needs to fix the situation (ie remove the pet). Then follow through on the terms of your agreement.
If you suspect that your tenant is keeping a pet you haven’t agreed to, it is a good idea to get photographic evidence, if possible. What to do when you discover the unauthorized pet Regardless of the situation, and whether or not the tenant brought a pet onto the property temporarily, you need to stick to your lease and follow through with lease violation procedure. In other cases, such as adopting a new pet, they made a clear choice to violate the terms of their rental contract. In some of these scenarios, it’s clear that your tenant was only keeping a pet temporarily, and might not think of themselves as violating the pet policy. Your tenant’s pet-owning friend is just over hanging out and brought their dog along.Your tenant is watching a friend’s pet while they are on vacation.A stray wandered into the backyard and your tenants started feeding it and letting it inside every now and then.Your tenant decided to move their parents’ dog in temporarily (or forever) because their parents asked for help.Your tenant adopted a pet at a local shelter and didn’t tell you.Here are a couple unauthorized pet scenarios: Send the notice, collect the fine, and move forward with an eviction if necessary. If you discover an unauthorized pet, stick to your pet policy. If they know you plan to visit the property every few months, they’ll be less likely to try to keep an animal on the sly. Additionally, clearly state what fines will be assessed (if any) if an authorized pet is discovered and how many warnings (if any) you will give.īefore they move in, let your tenants know that you intend to schedule quarterly “maintenance visits” to test smoke alarms, replace furnace filters, etc. 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. Your lease agreement should clearly state your pet-policy and outline what will happen if an unauthorized pet is discovered. What does your Pet-Policy and Lease Agreement say? You need to stick to your lease terms and follow legal procedures to get your tenant to remedy the lease violation.
Remember, that your tenant has probably bonded with the pet and removing the animal could be emotional. Landlords and property managers need to be prepared for handling the unauthorized pet situation legally and professionally.
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. If you have a pet-free property, inevitably you will encounter a tenant who decides to sneak an unauthorized pet into their rental. For these very reasons, some managers and owners will decide that “no pets allowed” is their policy. Landlords and property managers have several reasons why the might create a pet policy for their rental property.Ī good pet policy will protect the property, comply with insurance, and keep your tenants safe and happy.
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