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Hello everyone,
I have a relative who have recently got themselves into an awkward situation and I was wondering if I could get some good advice from the wise minds of this forum .
So my relatives are a young couple who recently got married and moved into a new townhouse with a small dog. It wasn’t until they moved in that they realized there were strict pet regulations against them.
Before they bought the house, their agent promised them that there would be no problems at all with their pet, however it turned out that they needed the approval of every unit on the premise in order to keep the dog. Of course this crucial point went completely unmentioned by the agent and my relatives made the mistake of not going through the fine prints thoroughly before the purchase.
They have managed to get the approval of all but one of their neighbors, a stubborn old lady right next to them… they have tried to befriend her many times with no success, went as far as bribing her with their high end handmade desserts (they work in the professional culinary business) but she just would not budge… the agent is giving them the fade treatment and the body corporate is charging them $500 AUD per week for the dog. It’s a difficult situation and as the legal underdog, it appears there’s not much to be done.
The dog is well trained and does not bark etc. I want to help but I’m really out of ideas…for I am not connected with any gangs and I don’t wanna break the law .
Tell her the woman lost a baby and the dog was a gift to help her through her tough time and she can't bear to give her up. If not perhaps see a lawyer? Whatever happened to majority rules. I'm a loss, who doesn't love a cuddly pup? Wish I could be more help but,they'll be in my prayers.
Have they stated to this lady how they did not know what the rules were and that they are heart broken if they have to give the dog up? Maybe if they state if the dog causes any problems they will find it a home. Right now though could she please give them a chance.
I wish I had some advice to give other than consult a lawyer. However, this is exactly why I would never purchase a property that has any sort of association dictating what you can and cannot do. I hear horror stories of abject tyranny all day long about them.
I feel for them, really I do as I could not live without a dog but if they are old enough to purchase a home, they should be responsible enough to know this before hand. The agent is not to blame.
Having said that, perhaps a third party could be persuaded to talk to the neighbor, explaining the situation, the hardship it is causing and asking for at least a trail period. Find a different neighbor or relative the old lady likes and respects. She might be feeling they deliberately broke the rules thinking they could get away with it. Kind of like asking forgiveness instead of permission.
They should have received HOA docs prior to purchasing the propery where it would have documented these rules. In Virginia a buyer has 3 days on existing construction and 10 days on new construction to review these documents and can get out of a contract if they don't agree with them. After that timeframe they are out of luck. It is the buyers responsibility to review and be confortable with them.
this is exactly why I would never purchase a property that has any sort of association dictating what you can and cannot do. I hear horror stories of abject tyranny all day long about them.
It is absurd and preposterous that one cannot live with one's pets in one's own house. This is just ridiculous!!
If we were talking about someone who has 15 dogs I would say it is indeed unreasonable, but trying to regulate a perfectly normal situation (having a pet!) in my own home is just ridiculous.
I have lived in apartments for many years and had to put up with every sort of crazy HOA regulations.
Now I will think 10 times before buying any property where others (especially non-pet lovers, since my pets presence is non-negotiable) have any say about my personal space.
Sometimes living in apartments requires that we put up with absolutely insufferable people, so what's the big deal about having pets?! My pets are way more polite/quieter/cleaner than lots of people I know!!
Sorry for venting, I wish I could offer better advice.
if all niceties have failed id talk to the association in charge and if that failed id be getting as much media coverage of the situation as humanly possible!
people dont like to have extra attention drawn to them, especially HOA's
id also be making it very clear to the media which neighbor it is opposing the dogs presence...make sure the dog is shown as a sweet quiet tiny thing who loves everyone...a sob story is also often helpfull...
id also be consulting a laywer...though they didnt read the fine print and its their own fault in reality, if the agent was aware of this clause it should have been discolsed.
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This is just ridiculous!!
