Ask Me Help Desk - Can my landlord make me take my dogs across the street to use the bathroom?

Can my landlord make me take my dogs across the street to use the bathroom?

When we looked at this place we informed our soon to be landlord we had two small dogs. He said that was fine and would charge us an extra $25 for them. We have been living here for 3 months now and have been able to take our dogs right outside to use the bathroom. Well today he told me I had to start taking them across the street because he is trying to grow grass, we live in CA so there is really no grass anyway, and that he didn't want the dogs using the bathroom in the yard and kill the grass. My question is "Is he aloud to do that?" Because I don't think I should have to walk my dogs across the street to go to the bathroom when there is a patch of it right in front of my apartment. And we do pick the dog "stuff" up everyday.

Not unless it is in the original contract. When you rent a home its as if it is your own. From there it's a question of damages once you leave.

I'll assume you have a 1 yr lease which therefore has 9 months to go. Do you really want to fight this battle? Whether the LL can do this or not might depend on local ordinances.

Quote:

Originally Posted by califdadof3

Not unless it is in the original contract. One you rent a home its as if it is your own. From there its a question of damages once you leave.

I'm not sure the OP is renting a private residence. If they are you are right. However, I still wouldn't fight this battle.

ScottGem,

I have a 6 months lease because husband is military but we live in CA and we have wild animals out here and I really don't feel like taking my 3 dogs across the street one by one every time they have to pee if I don't have to. I really don't think them using the bathroom in the little patch of what California's call grass is going to kill it any more than the sun. But really I'm being lazy and when I get home from work I just want to be able to take them right there and then go on with my night. Plus the area I can take them too is nothing but dirt so yea.

Califdadof3,

It is not in the lease but it is not a house. It is one of those 4 apartment house type building and he put us on the ground floor because of the dogs. And he did not inform us that he would be working on the yard and making us take the dogs some where else to use the bathroom. I don't want to make a big deal out of it but really I don't think it is fair as long as we are doing our part and cleaning up after them.

Fairness doesn't enter into this. It's your rights against the landlord's.

In this case I believe the landlord's rights win. I wold point out to him that you clean up after the dogs and that manure helps grass grow.

Scottgem,

Thank you for posting and I know "fairness" does not play out I was just really wondering if he could make me do that knowing we had dogs and would be using that area for them.

You could agree to try products that are on the market to prevent damage from urine to lawns. And since you pick up after that shouldn't be an issue.

Ref:

Planet Urine | LawnSaver Dog Urine Neutralizer

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuzieFitz

I was just really wondering if he could make me do that knowing we had dogs and would be using that area for them.

Hello S:

If it's NOT in your lease, he can't MAKE you.

excon