UK Landlord Forum / Life

It's a terrace, and yes does have gardens F & B (small), but no other house nearby seems to have 'outdoor pets' (if you catch my drift).  I'm in the process of evicting the tenants via S21, who have let the gardens turn into a jungle (amongst for other reasons...), but if the garden was like that, then (as well as any indoor negative impact), the gardens might potentially be used for...well use your imagination.  These tenants were messy, so if further tenants acted similarly, whose to say they wouldn't just let their dog/cat act like that outdoors?

Frankly, whilst acknowledging the new laws, I'd rather find an excuse to refuse them.

Also, (without wading through tonnes of paperwork), I'm pretty sure there was a 'no pets' clause in the mortgage.  Anyone else got that?

It's hard to make any sense of what you are asking for as there's no question in your post, apart from "Anyone else got that?" - and even if they have "got that", their specific situation is not going to be of help to yours.

These are presumably the tenants that you asked about in June 2023: https://www.landlordforumproject.co.uk/landlord-advice-help/hypothetically-would-you-include-the-cost-of-a-gardener-into-the-rent/msg36118, so the uncared for garden has been a growing problem for a long time.

Exactly how far along the S21 process are you? Have you actually served notice yet? If so, what are the relevant dates? How have the tenants responded?



And what do you mean by:

Quote from: Chris S on September 14, 2024, 10:13:43 PMFrankly, whilst acknowledging the new laws, I'd rather find an excuse to refuse them.

What advice are you actually seeking?

OK, sorry if I wasn't clear.
S21 has been served, and current tennants are leaving shortly.
I'd prefer not to have pets with the new tenants, given 1. The neighbourhood 2. Having to spend doing the place up more when the next lot leave, and 3. If the next lot grow a jungle (as in are generally messy), they might (maybe not) withfully deposit pet 'evidence'.
So the question is, can I use size of garden/neighbourhood etc as reasonable excuses to refuse pets, and the fact that it's just a small 2up2down?
And second question was, has anyone come across a 'no pets' clause' in their mortgage conditions - and so presumably that could be used as a reason to refuse pets?
All these questions now arise give the new laws due summer.

I am still trying to grasp what the relevance of pet evidence is. Generally it is a good thing for a dog to "go" in the garden. Mind you, try telling that to some of my lowlife companions ( canine)  They don' t need a big garden to do this. Owners then clean up with a shovel and bag.  Also,  what' s with the neighbourhood ?  Are the locals so incredibly refined that the very idea of an animal answering the call of nature will make them faint with shock?  What do the bears do in your neck of the woods?

Even when the laws change there are ways you can just favour an applicant who says they have no pets.

Quote from: Chris S on September 15, 2024, 09:10:58 AMSo the question is, can I use size of garden/neighbourhood etc as reasonable excuses to refuse pets, and the fact that it's just a small 2up2down?

Think about where you are in the process... you're choosing Tenants from a prospective bunch.

If the Tenants already have a pet and want to move into your property they ain't gonna do that without their pet. So, you wouldn't be in the position of refusing a pet there - you just don't choose those Tenants. If the Tenants move in without a pet, then why is there any assumption that the first thing they will do after the removal team have left is be cruising on Facebook Marketplace looking for an XL Bully? Your question is therefore ridiculous.

You'd be surprised - my next door neighbour has a dog, and, when I went round to hers to chop some foliage for her that was spreading over the fence, I was virtually having to wade through 'deposits'.  The flies we get in summer are a big problem.  Hence I'm just worried that any new tenants could do something similer with the BTL if they don't give two hoots about a jungle garden.

I'll be hosting an 'open day' (demand for rentals being so high in the area), so clearly any perspective tenant wouldn't tell me if they already have a dog/cat.  If I was a prospective tennant, I wouldn't.  Given the house was (and will be restored to immacculate), I just want to be able to legally say 'no pets', because of extra work restoring the place when they then move on.

Now, with the new legalities, do you think there's any way I can do that?

I'm not against pets per se (one tennant had a snake!), and another was a small family with a kid (obviously not a pet...) - but in those situations, there's no significant extra damage to sort out when they depart, so fine.

And the mortgage thing - question to the community - does anyone have 'no pets' in a mortgage clause?  I'm pretty dammn sure it's in mine.

Why haven't you checked your mortgage clauses rather than just repeatedly asking strangers on the Internet what they have?

Would do, except I can't find the damn paperwork.  Probably buried in the loft somewhere.

So why is it relevant what other mortgages say? They're not your mortgage. You can't say - "I am attempting to almost illegally ban new Tenants from ever having a pet based on a clause what someone else told me they had in their mortgage".

You come over as almost insensible.

Why you believe a prospective Tenant would lie to you about them having a pet before they're even successful in applying just tells me you are hurting. When asked a question most people respond with the truth - it's possible to ask - "do you have any pets?" without giving away your personal distaste for them. Whenever I've done that (intending to be OK with it) I've listened with pleasure as people have told me how their dog is very "smiley dog" (impossible) and "no bother". There's an assumption here, I think, that doesn't deserve to be here. Focus your efforts on finding the best Tenants pet-less or pet-with. I'd be more interested if their affordability looked good, or the string of CCJs they have from their youth were being serviced. The game is about whether you get rent in - not necessarily the work you might have to undertake at eventual tenancy end. Always expect some work.

You can' t generalise, but  most people with pets have demonstrated a willingness to take on responsibility and expense.  I can see nothing in your post to suggest that the current people have pets.   

Not hurting, just cautious.  Regrettably, my career has taught me to be suspicious – nice people get squashed.  I always expect to do work at the end of a tenancy; I'd just prefer not to have to do additional if I can avoid it.  Simple as that.

There's an interesting thread in the Landlord's blog about pets and lingering odours and things (NB, no contributions from me) – I just don't want to have to go down that route if I can avoid it.  Bit like when cars are sold 2nd hand, there's often comments like 'comes from a no dog household' or whatever.

Re the mortgage, I was just interested if that was a common clause, nothing more.  Forget I asked.

Wasn't there a comment (now deleted?) re PVs and MAMILs? (I looked it up).  No, I was just trying to add to my background research.  Old fashioned methodology instead of Facebook (which apparently the Landlord does, and seems like a good idea).
Anyway, my open day will hopefully be soon, so I'll be doing all his suggested checks 'n' balances.  First time 'landlording' without an agent, so fingers crossed.

Yes, I can see some entries have been deleted. I generally frown upon that approach. Unless something is really bad (not just slightly off-topic, I mean) I prefer to let things live as they were typed-out. I'd suggest this level of moderation is over-zealous.

I still have the comments re. MAMILS etc.  What  was deleted and why? If it was someone having a go at me there was no need. 

Naah, I think it was aimed at me.  PV = Per*V**, and MAMIL I had to look up.  Assure you I'm neither.  Just doing a bit of further research; I was interested as to who'd be interested in the house.  Anyway, water under the bridge. 

Pets using the garden is totally normal, and responsible owners clean up after them. I doubt the neighbors would be bothered by a dog doing its thing! Plus, even with the new laws, you can still give preference to applicants without pets; it's just about how you say it. So, I wouldn't stress over it too much.