What to do if Maintenance Reports Pets in your Apartment
Since maintenance workers are employed by the property owner, they have a role in reporting any apparent lease breaches, such as the presence of pets. If the landlord has a pet policy for their apartments, they will most likely instruct maintenance to report pet issues.
In addition, the maintenance staff at a rental property knows pet policies that ban anybody from keeping pets and will report any infractions. Be prepared for someone to register your pet to the management if they see it acting aggressively against maintenance staff.
Conversations while the maintenance professional is inside the apartment, can directly and indirectly, provide the technician with a wealth of information that the leasing team may never know — but desperately needs. Maintenance personnel frequently see things that your landlord does not see.
Here are what maintenance professionals learn when working at apartments. And read on to find out if maintenance report pets in apartments.
If your neighbors are harassing you about your pet, check out this article.
1. Apartments Most Likely to Be Renewed
When maintenance technicians visit a renter’s flat, they can have queries that turn into discussions about renewing for another year. Since they spend time in the residents’ apartments doing repairs, the maintenance technicians often come to know specific tenants.
A technician can know the facts about tenant’s life through their day-to-day conversations. Property managers can train maintenance staff to respond to inquiries regarding rent reductions, renewal deadlines, and the renewal procedure.
2. The Apartment Buildings that are About to Terminate Their Lease
Some renters try to vacate the flat and cease paying rent before the lease agreement expires. When tenants leave their flat, the maintenance technician can see packed boxes in the kitchen or living room. The maintenance technician may then contact the property manager to ensure the resident know their choices for subletting and terminating the lease and any duties under the current lease.
3. The Apartment Buildings with Unauthorized Pets
Some apartment buildings have a no-pet rule because of potential damage, allergy and noise issues. Other apartments accept pets with a pet deposit. In either situation, renters may try to bring an unauthorized pet, such as a dog or cat into the apartment, without completing the necessary documentation or paying the required costs.
Since the apartment managers aren’t there, pet owners may think they can easily smuggle a pet in. However, if the tenant needs maintenance services, the technician will detect the presence of a pet, and may alert the leasing office.
If you do own a cat in an apartment building that doesn’t authorize pets, make sure to hide your cat, and all evidence of it living in your apartment, before maintenance enter your flat.
4. The Apartments Will Require More Time During Turn
Turn is one of the busiest times of year for apartment complexes, as the whole crew works to ensure that unit move-outs and move-ins go as smoothly as possible. One advantage of a maintenance technician visiting multiple units is that they may notice issues that need more time to remedy.
Therefore, a technician will know about the broken tiling in the kitchen, discolored carpet in a living room or bedroom, or damaged bathroom fixtures that require changing before new tenants move in. In such circumstances, a technician should notify the property manager, who should order the supplies to ensure that the turn runs smoothly and fast, with no delays due to out-of-stock products.
What Happens If You Don’t Disclose a Pet?
If your lease prohibits pets and you obtain a pet, your landlord has the legal right to request that you remove the animal from the property. You can avoid paying hefty penalties for breaking your tenancy agreement if you sublet your rental or work out a deal with your landlord to end the contract early.
Individual tenants may struggle more to get away with a pet, as you’re the only person responsible for the animal. This means the pet will be left in the house on its’ own more often, therefore more likely to cause damage.
What to do if Maintenance Reports Pets in your Apartment
Below are tips for avoiding eviction if an annual inspection and maintenance find unlicensed pets in your unit.
- If your landlord accepts pets, but you haven’t yet declared them, explain that the pet is a new addition and that you were going to report it – and then do so right away to avoid breaking the conditions of your rental agreement.
- Explain that you are merely looking after the pet for a friend or family member. Then ask a loved one to take over its care.
- Inquire about paying extra monthly to compensate for keeping a pet in your apartment, such as paying pet rent.
- Make your pet an emotional support animal. For that, you will need to consult with a licensed therapist to see if you qualify for an ESA letter.
- Learn how to persuade your landlord to accept pets.
- Make sure you clean up after your pet so your landlord can’t complain about your pet making the property a mess.
- To enable the pet to dwell in your flat, offer to pay a one-time pet charge or pet deposit.
- If you’re struggling, try and find legal resources online to help your cause.
- Also note to watch out for neighbors in your apartment complex, especially if you have the same landlord. Your neighbor may have wanted a pet and your landlord said no, so if they then see you become a pet owner, they may get jealous and report you to your landlord, which could lead to possible eviction.
So Does Maintenance Report Pets in Apartments?
As previously mentioned, maintenance staff work for the landlord. This means if maintenance are in your apartment and see pets, they are likely to report it to your landlord to stay on their good side. To save any trouble down the line, it would be sensible to be open and honest with your landlord.
Landlords are mostly concerned about pets in apartments due to the potential damage they can cause, so you may have more chance if you have a small dog instead of a larger animal. Local housing laws vary, so if you carry out some research, you may be able to find evidence which states you’re allowed to live with a pet in your house.
Want to know how many animals you can have in your house? Read this post.
