On the subject of shitty tenants. Let me share another true story with you. Happened to someone I know…so everyone can learn…
Dont even bother listing your property as “no pets allowed”. Because this must be a internet playbook by professional renters because it happens more frequently than people talk about…But..According to this colleague this happened. Tenant signs lease where lease terms has a no pet policy. And the day after they move in, tenant presents a doctor’s note saying that the big ass dog is an Emotional Support Animal. At that point the landlord in CA is fucked. Because there’s nothing you can do about it. ESA are treated exactly the same as an animals that are guide dogs/etc…Except the bar to quality an animal as an “emotional support animal” is pretty low…
Just like people who want weed can easily find a doctor to write them a prescription for medical MJ…It’s pretty easy to find doctor/shrink to write you a note saying you need an emotional support pitbull. Just google it and there’s plenty of people willing to do this for a few hundred dollars. So basically some people do this to qualify their otherwise pet to get free flights, be able to take their pets into locations where pets are normally not allowed, and yes get them into otherwise no pet rentals.. Yes, those rules are there for people who really do need an ESA… But like everything else with good intentions…a lot of asshole/bitch americans like to abuse an otherwise well intentioned system, and as a result EVERYONE pays a price for it, including the people who really need an ESA…I hope karma pays their pet a visit and they go to pet heaven prematurely.
So the common advice is don’t bother advertising no pet policy anymore. Because at least then if someone is honest about having a pet, you can at least consider charging them extra deposit, extra rent for that pet you know about…Because again, if it’s an ESA animal, you aren’t allowed to take extra deposit or extra rent to cover any damage they might do.
There’s always some jackass on craiglist that is trying to pass his/her pitbull as an emotional support animal because a lot of home ownerships and liability insurance won’t cover anyone with a pitbull in the household. Check with your renter’s liability insurance…
