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Not allowing my dog

(151 Posts)
Scarlettsnan Wed 17-Apr-24 10:58:27

I’m 67-year-old I have been homeless for about two years living at my daughters house
I have just been offered a beautiful one bedroom almshouse It would be an absolute privilege to live here. There’s just one issue.
They will not allow me to take my little bichon that I’ve had for eight years. They had suggested that I leave it with my daughter as Primary carer
I love my little dog. On the practical side, though I would have my own home what would you do? Advice Would be most welcome

NanaTuesday Sun 21-Apr-24 18:41:27

Scarlettsnan

I have asked if she can visit regularly and they had said yes so I am thinking after gauging the neighbours if I could gradually have her spend more time with me than my daughters gradually manoeuvering her weigh in but not actually living there full-time if you know what I mean

Scarlettsnan

I think you have a plan right there , your DD is happy to have your precious pet win - win
You visit your DD & fur baby every day - win win
Your DD can visit to you & bring your fur baby maybe in the afternoon & you walk him/her back in the early evening time - Win Win
Personally, I have only had our two smal KCC for 2 years & I couldn’t bear to have to make the decision but given that you have to make a choice then you do thankfully have a fall back plan.
Good luck in whatever you choose , please let us all know . The Almshouse looks lovely 😻

mae13 Sun 21-Apr-24 18:55:50

This hard and fast rule about animals needs an overhaul.

I bought a self-contained flat in one of those retirement blocks and several of the occupants of the ground floor flats have small dogs, with the permission of the freeholder. I think it would be different with the likes of a Newfoundland or Afghan Hound but these are Yorkies, Bichon's and Dachsunds.

Any anti-pets policy really needs looking at in this day and age.

Doodledog Sun 21-Apr-24 21:13:34

I don’t agree. I am a dog lover, but not everyone is. Some are allergic, some are phobic, and some just don’t want to hear yapping or barking for hours.

I am not unsympathetic to someone wanting to find a home for herself and her dog - not at all - but many people would prefer to live somewhere with a hard and fast rule banning pets, and those people have rights too.

Jaxjacky Sun 21-Apr-24 21:33:42

I agree Doodledog if I’d specifically chosen and paid to live in a place with no dogs I’d be very unhappy, taking action, if a dog then appeared.

Iam64 Tue 23-Apr-24 09:13:54

Even i agree Doodledog and I confess to being addicted to living with dogs.
I don’t take my well behaved calm little spaniel to the dog friendly cafe near home because there are so many yappy dogs that lunge at customers and other dogs. Owners make no attempt to get their dogs settled under the table ‘it’s ok he’s friendly’. No it really isn’t ok

brazenp75 Tue 23-Apr-24 09:54:18

Please accept the home. So important at your time of life. It sounds like you will see your pet lots, and maybe you can occasionally stay back at your daughters for an extra cuddle.

harrigran Tue 23-Apr-24 09:54:40

Take the house, it is more important to have a roof over your head.

Ali08 Tue 23-Apr-24 12:30:43

I'm a bit late to this conversation but, if you're in the UK, landlords now have to accept pets, at least one, anyway!!

Germanshepherdsmum Tue 23-Apr-24 12:42:00

Not yet - the law isn’t in force yet. They will have to show they have reasonable grounds if they refuse a pet. At this rate private rented accommodation will just disappear.

RunaroundSue Tue 23-Apr-24 12:55:27

Birds are a health risk and I cannot understand why they would allow birds and not a small dog. We had to give away our cockatiel because he was causing breathing problems for my late husband who had Emphysema, we don't know if that was the cause of his illness and which he died from.

MadeInYorkshire Tue 23-Apr-24 13:02:10

Scarlettsnan

I’m pretty sure my daughter will allow my dog to stay Especially as she is a companion to her dog.
I’m at my daughters every day so nothing will change other than the nighttime arrangements. I will discuss it with her tonight ..

If that is the case, and you only have the nights to cope with without her, then take the property - but what a cruel society we live in, not to allow someone elderly the companionship of an animal ...

Iam64 Tue 23-Apr-24 13:08:40

I’m with GSM in worrying about the impact onnland lords of the proposed changes
I’ve stopped taking my well behaved dog to our local cafe - full of yappy badly behaved dogs

MissInterpreted Tue 23-Apr-24 14:05:48

I can see this from both sides, to be honest. We have two flats which are part of our own home, and we have one long-standing tenant (he has been here for 20+ years) who has a cat, and has never been any bother at all. However, we did have a previous tenant who had a Jack Russell and although the problems were all down to her and not the dog (it turned out that she was an alcoholic who kept passing out, so the dog was left to do its business in the flat), it caused so much damage that we decided from then on not to accept new tenants with pets. We did then make an exception for two girls who rented the other flat, but their two cats caused quite a bit of damage, so when they moved out last year, we had to replace carpets and furnishings. I would judge each case on its own merits, but quite frankly, it's just another hassle when it comes to renting now. If the flats weren't part of our own home, I wouldn't even contemplate being a landlord these days.

Iam64 Tue 23-Apr-24 15:32:32

A family member manages rental properties. Good tenants seem rare. Animals need proper care or they’ll wreck the place - much like children

MadeInYorkshire Tue 23-Apr-24 15:52:52

sodapop

orly

In your position I'd take the home every time. What's the life expectancy of a bichon?

Rather insensitive comment there orly

Good heavens people are bloody cruel!

Primrose53 Tue 23-Apr-24 16:02:22

Ali08

I'm a bit late to this conversation but, if you're in the UK, landlords now have to accept pets, at least one, anyway!!

No they don’t. If they do not use a Model Tenancy Agreement they do not have to accept dogs. That’s how it was last time I looked anyway.

I am a dog lover and always had two small dogs at a time until our last one died about 5 years ago. We have a holiday let and allow one small dog but may be going over to permanent let in Oct and would prefer not to have dogs again

Germanshepherdsmum Tue 23-Apr-24 16:12:24

It will become the law that a landlord cannot refuse a pet without good reason but a date hasn’t been set for the law to come into force.

Smileless2012 Tue 23-Apr-24 16:17:43

What's the definition of a good reason though. Our last tenant wasn't supposed to have pets but allowed ferrets to run free and urinate all over the place. It took about 18 months to get of the smell despite everything being stripped out and replaced.

keepingquiet Tue 23-Apr-24 16:19:28

I may be wrong but almshouses are not the same as other rented properties and some have strict rules about who can and cannot live there. There may be guidelines going back sometimes hundreds of years as they were left as charity accommodation often for poor widows.
I expect some of them may also have rules regarding animals as the tenants may not have been able to afford to feed them.
Times may change but unfortunately some of these endowments left in perpetuity do not.

Iam64 Tue 23-Apr-24 17:01:12

Smilessless - ferrets running loose 🙈.

Smileless2012 Tue 23-Apr-24 18:01:44

The flat was left in the most unbelievable mess Iam. It cost us £1000's to put it right so we no longer let it out and occasionally use it ourselves as we don't want to sell at the moment.

MayBee70 Tue 23-Apr-24 18:11:59

I’ve had pets all of my adult life. But I’ve had one cat the wee’d everywhere. Two dogs that had dog dementia and became blind and incontinent. One year had a terrible flea infestation with my cats ( when I went to the vets to get some spray everyone seemed to be having the same problem). My last dog had a flea infestation that was really difficult to get on top of. And my current dog was a nightmare to house train for nine months. If I had a rental property I wouldn’t rent it out to pet owners I’m afraid. A friend who rented a property while they were in the process of buying a house said it was in the rental agreement that they would pay to have the place deep cleaned and fumigated when the tenancy ended.

ElaineI Tue 23-Apr-24 18:15:44

Scarlettsnan

They are aware of her being a small breed bichon non-molting doesn’t bark eight years old extremely well-behaved but they are very very strict in these properties. They are listed buildings and they will not allow pets only caged birds and fish.

Sorry to hear that. Was going to suggest leaving your dog with your daughter and getting a cat then you could see your beautiful dog every day but have someone on your lap in the evening. I don't see a bird or fish doing that sadly though you could get a talking bird - only joking. The house sounds lovely though.

OldFrill Fri 26-Apr-24 14:47:44

Smileless2012

What's the definition of a good reason though. Our last tenant wasn't supposed to have pets but allowed ferrets to run free and urinate all over the place. It took about 18 months to get of the smell despite everything being stripped out and replaced.

There won't be a 'good reason' the point of the law is to prevent a pet being used as a means to evict. Court will tell tenant (if it gets that far) to clean up their pet problem and tenant can stay. It's all in favour of tenants rights.
Sorry about your ferret stink, it's incredible what people can live with.

Callistemon21 Fri 26-Apr-24 15:38:13

keepingquiet

I may be wrong but almshouses are not the same as other rented properties and some have strict rules about who can and cannot live there. There may be guidelines going back sometimes hundreds of years as they were left as charity accommodation often for poor widows.
I expect some of them may also have rules regarding animals as the tenants may not have been able to afford to feed them.
Times may change but unfortunately some of these endowments left in perpetuity do not.

Yes, that is very true.