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Ok, so I have a Section 8 voucher and was given notice by the new owner that my lease would not be renewed. So naturally I started looking and found a place within a couple of weeks and put a deposit on Dec 17 for move in by Feb 1st. I have 5 dogs including my service dog and another one I'm currently training so it was really hard to find a place that would accept them. We signed the section 8 paperwork, I put some of the deposit down and the rest would be due at lease signing. There were some repairs that needed to be done prior to move in such as painting (one room was a turquoise color), a gate needed to be replaced, and the landlords offered to put in another fence for my own private yard (it's a duplex).
Immediately I asked for the gas meter number since the gas company only had one at that address and I wanted to make sure I wasn't paying for both units. Over a month later I still haven't received it. I have been contacting the landlord about a good day, time, etc. for me to come by to get it, some measurements, and the a/c filter size and she either tells me that the current tenant hasn't called her back or she has been too sick to go over there. We are less than 2 weeks from me moving in, I have to be out by the 31st at 4pm, and I still haven't gotten an official move out date for the current tenant nor an approved move in time. I sent the landlord an email Friday the 15th saying I need all of the above mentioned and that she needs to contact me ASAP. I still haven't heard from her. I went by the place Saturday and it looks like nothing has been done and the unit is still occupied. Naturally I am freaking out. The Uhaul has been scheduled, electricity will be switched, and there is only 12 days left for the old tenant to be out, place to be cleaned, painted, and repaired.
I sent her another email and even tracked down the current tenant's Facebook and sent her a message. I am at a lost as to what I should do next. She has my money and with 5 dogs there is no way I can afford to put them nor myself up until I can find another place. I would ask my current landlord for more time but he was already adamant about me being out, even agreed to give me back my security deposit on walk through.
Should I start looking for another place? Is all of this grounds for me to ask for my deposit back? I really no longer trust her but I also don't want to be out $$$ if she calls me at the last minute and says move in.
If you are on section 8 you should not have 5 dogs to take care of. There's no way you can afford the vet and food bill that comes with 5 dogs. I can understand the service dog if it is truly a legally certified and trained service dog.
You need to look into rehoming the other 4 dogs into good loving families. There is a very good possibility they are the reason you have not heard anything. Check with your section 8 advisor if they have been contacted by this landlord or not yet.
You need to do your foot work too, not just the moving part but the legally end. You do have a copy of the deposit and a signed lease correct?
I agree with the suggestion of checking with your Sec. 8 case manager. Or the housing authority.
I know nothing about how Sec. 8 works, but entitlement programs have some sort of regs etc. Make sure you provide this person with as much documentation as possible. Hopefully they can make the LL accountable.
Hope they can help you, even if it is another rental.
If you are on section 8 you should not have 5 dogs to take care of. There's no way you can afford the vet and food bill that comes with 5 dogs. I can understand the service dog if it is truly a legally certified and trained service dog.
You need to look into rehoming the other 4 dogs into good loving families. There is a very good possibility they are the reason you have not heard anything. Check with your section 8 advisor if they have been contacted by this landlord or not yet.
You need to do your foot work too, not just the moving part but the legally end. You do have a copy of the deposit and a signed lease correct?
Thank you for your advice but yes this is your flaming lol.......
In a perfect world I would have have one maybe two dogs. The shelters would be empty. I would actually be able to use my degree, instead of glancing at it to and from the hospital. And Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs would stop by occasionally for tea and crumpets. Ok maybe not the last one but you get the point lol.
There are 8 million dogs that are given up every year, and only 4 million actually find homes. And just in case you didn't know, the other 4 million don't go to Disneyland. So while I agree that 5 is excessive, that is 4 less not in the ground. As far as expenses is concerned, you will be amazed how little upkeep a dog is if you stay away from the mainstream media. It doesn't cost $20/mo to keep fleas and heartworms off of one dog. Try $2/mo, yes $2!!!!! So if saving a life is only going to cost me say an extra $5/mo including food, and I am VERY picky about their food, then I am willing to eat soup a few nights and sleep peacefully knowing that I am doing my part.
I do understand why people may think negatively about dogs in rentals but I have yet had any problem with mine damaging things or creating a nuisance despite having 5. I just want some advise as to what my next move should be. Thank you!
I think your reasoning for having the dogs is great and I totally understand that. I'm a renter in a city with a large population of homeless cats. It breaks my heart and I wish I could take care of more than one. Unfortunately until I own a house, it's not fair to the landlord and it's not fair to the cats... Animals need more space than a rental unit. You will have a very hard time renting with 5 dogs.
I can understand why a landlord would not want to rent to you. Whether you're a good pet owner or not is not important. They will view you as a liability and choose the person without pets every time. Also, there's a stigma attached to renters with many dogs, most are viewed as irresponsible and tend to leave a lot of damage in the unit after moving out. It's unfortunate and not always true but you will be lumped into the same category as them almost every time.
With that said, I would give the landlord one final call and if you do not hear back, request for him/her to return your deposit. It's too close to the move in date and you do not want to risk being homeless with that many pets. It may be hard, but I would try to find alternative accommodations immediately. If you can afford it, try to put the dogs in a kennel or find a temporary dog sitter until you have a new place. Some dog sitters will dog sit out of their own home.
I think your reasoning for having the dogs is great and I totally understand that. I'm a renter in a city with a large population of homeless cats. It breaks my heart and I wish I could take care of more than one. Unfortunately until I own a house, it's not fair to the landlord and it's not fair to the cats... Animals need more space than a rental unit. You will have a very hard time renting with 5 dogs.
I can understand why a landlord would not want to rent to you. Whether you're a good pet owner or not is not important. They will view you as a liability and choose the person without pets every time. Also, there's a stigma attached to renters with many dogs, most are viewed as irresponsible and tend to leave a lot of damage in the unit after moving out. It's unfortunate and not always true but you will be lumped into the same category as them almost every time.
With that said, I would give the landlord one final call and if you do not hear back, request for him/her to return your deposit. It's too close to the move in date and you do not want to risk being homeless with that many pets. It may be hard, but I would try to find alternative accommodations immediately. If you can afford it, try to put the dogs in a kennel or find a temporary dog sitter until you have a new place. Some dog sitters will dog sit out of their own home.
Thank you and I do understand it would be hard to find a rental which is why I locked down this place over a month before move in. The problem isn't that I have the dogs, since she met them before I even gave her the deposit, I am actually more worried about the timeframe. Putting the dogs in a kennel would be costly and I don't feel I am responsible for the costs for that nor a hotel room until I find another place.
I will contact the housing authority in the morning and hopefully they will force her hand since she has multiple properties under them. I just want to know if I am being unreasonable and what I can legally do to force her to the agreed upon arrangement? Of course I know small claims court is a possibility but it doesn't help in the short term.
OP, it's not like you can run right out and find another place. Not many landlords accept Section 8 and of those that do accept it, I am surprised you found one who takes five dogs plus a trainee dog. That's six dogs in total.
Your potential new landlord can not let you move in under Section 8 until the Housing Authority inspects the apartment. Your potential new landlord can not have the inspector in until the current tenant moves out. If you want to accept a housing voucher from Section 8 and allow them to pay for your living space, you must put up with their bureaucratic rules.
The Housing Authority does not care what color the walls are painted, so the landlord is being extra generous to offer to repaint the turquoise room.
Now, here is the problem that I see: You are harassing the landlord with constant demands. You have contacted the current tenants and harassed them. If you had been renting from me, at that point, I would have decided that you are much too high maintenance and I would have let you know that the deal is off.
So, you might have burned your own bridges, here. The landlord can not go prowling around an occupied unit, measuring thing for you. You will not be allowed to go prowling around in an occupied unit, taking measurements and inspecting the gas meter and the air filters. You have contacted the landlord too many times asking for favors. Landlords generally do not measure for tenants, even when units are empty. Tenants get the size of the air filters after they move in; the landlord does not go over and look that information up for them.
I think that all you can do at this point is to shut up and cross your fingers. Harassing the landlord with further demands is not going to help your case.
I hope you bothered to take the time to verify that the person you spoke with actually owns the house.
You can call your Housing Authority case worker and ask them if paperwork has been submitted.
.......In a perfect world I would have have one maybe two dogs. The shelters would be empty. ..........So if saving a life is only going to cost me .........
I like dogs and I think it is a shame that there are not enough homes for them. However, you must understand that you are expecting landlords to participate in your program of saving dogs.
Because the majority of landlords are not willing to be your partner in saving homeless dogs, what your dogs are going to cost you is not the price of their dog food, but shelter for yourself and your pets.
You are not in a position to be taking in needy animals. You don't have enough assets to provide for an entire collection of dogs. If this current rental situation doesn't work out, you might end up living in a cardboard box becasue you have so many pets.
I never advise anyone to get rid of pets. That is not something that I would do myself. My dogs are family. But for Pete's sake, stop adopting dogs and when they start to die of old age, do not replace them unless you own your own home.
If you want to help the homeless pets, do not take them in. Volunteer at the shelter to groom and train. A clean dog who can perform a couple of cute tricks has a very increased chance of getting a home.
If you really want to help the homeless pet population, volunteer at the local spay neuter clinic. Do fundraisers for them so that they can provide more free spays and neuters.
If you make yourself homeless, then you are also, at the same time, making your five dogs homeless. You must have more compassion for your existing pets. By collecting animals, you endanger the pets you already have.
And yes, I have owned five dogs at one time so I know that five dogs can be well cared for. But I also owned my own house with a very large and secure fenced yard. I did not have to try to convince a landlord to accept both my menagerie and a Section 8 voucher. You are not in a position to be taking responsibility for so many animals, and if you can not understand that, you are going to cause yourself a lot of hardship in the future..
What's keeping you from driving or walking over there in person and asking her what's going on?
If you did not have the expense of taking care of so many animals, you might not need to live off other's tax money and need Section 8 housing. I have numerous animals, all rescues. Cats, a dog, 4 parrots. I know how expensive it is to properly feed them. The dog has congestive heart failure and his medication costs more than mine does.
Being a burden on society is NOT the way to help homeless animals.
You aren't getting that place. Ask for deposit back and let it go. Tell old LL new place fell through. Call your caseworker for help. Cancel uhaul.
I love dogs, and I am more willing than most to accept pets. But I would never take a tenant with five dogs! Two max. I am surprised shelter let you take them.
And yes, if you need sec 8, you can't afford five or six dogs.
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