I’ve been living in this property for six months with my cat and my landlord has given me 48 to rehome him. Before I moved in, the landlord confirmed it was ok for him to be at the property, but has now doubled back and said that he never agreed to this. I have the information confirming that my cat is ok to stay here in both my tenancy agreement and confirmation email, but my landlord says that this is tantamount to nothing.
40 comments
If you have it in writing then you’re alright
I don’t know. I can only offer that you go to r/LegalAdviceUK for help
Huh, I wonder if he’d see the tenancy agreement as “tantamount to nothing” if you decided to flip that and stop paying the rent…
More seriously if you have it in writing he doesn’t have a leg to stand on.
/r/LegalAdviceUK will no doubt give you more detailed help if you need it.
One thing to be aware of is the nature of your agreement. If it’s a rolling contact they can ask you to leave with fairly little notice. If it’s a 1 year agreement, they can choose not to renew at the end of the year.
Personally I’d always choose my pet over a building. My advice is to refuse and tell them these are the terms you’ve agreed to but be prepared to find somewhere else to live. If it’s written into the tenancy agreement, they can’t do much except refusing to renew that agreement when it expires. There are laws to protect you as a tenant. I’ve dealt with my fair share of difficult landlords.
If your tenancy agreement says you’re allowed the cat, then you’re allowed the cat and the landlord can do one. However, he can change the terms of your agreement once the current term has come to an end.
Most comments here cover what you need to know.
I’d just make some preparations for if you are asked to move out. You need to understand your rights in this regard, especially the extent to which you can be awkward for a landlord. If they ask you to move out and you don’t, well they then have to get a Section 21 eviction arranged which is very slow and costly for them.
Whenever and however you vacate the property, there’s a good chance your landlord will try and rinse you for the deposit. Understand how deposit disputes work, do everything you can to evidence pre-existing damage, take photos when you leave, flag issues now (so they’re less likely to be blamed on you) etc etc.
Make sure you know your rights and the law and use it to your advantage.
Bruh he can’t do anything if the contract states it’s okay 😂
> Can anyone offer any legal advice?
1. Change the locks.
2. Don’t stop paying your rent.
3. Check that your deposit is correctly held in a protected scheme – if not, [claim compensation.](https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/tenancy_deposits/how_to_make_a_tenancy_deposit_compensation_claim)
I think what your landlord means is “that’s tantamount to a legal contract and they’re sorry for being so silly”
You say you’ve been there for 6 months – does your tenancy have a six month break clause? If so, the landlord can end the tenancy depending on whats written in your agreement. Which might be why the landlord is bringing it up now? I wonder if they want you to leave and are using the cat as an excuse to push you to move?
Either way, they can’t demand you get rid of the cat with 48 hours notice
If it’s in your agreement they can fuck off, you have it in writing there’s nothing they can do
Another option – if you’re in a flat the lease may have a prohibition on pets. If a neighbor told the freeholder the freeholder may be chasing the landlord. However, this is technically speaking his problem then.
Your landlord can get fucked.
You don’t have to get rid of it. You have written confirmation from the landlord that you can have a cat. More so it’s literally built into your contract, so they have no right to change the terms of the contract without your agreement.
However, assuming you are on a fixed term contract, say you signed one for 6 months and you are at 6 months now, the LL could issue section 21 which is basically telling you that you have 2 months to move out, then if you didn’t move out after that they’d have to start court proceedings to evict you which can take a while.
If you say signed a year contract and are 6mo in, there is literally nothing your LL can do without breaking the law, but again once your fixed term comes to an end you may need to start looking for a new home.
Unfortunately while you are contractually in the right, in the long term the landlord always has the power as if you don’t agree to their petty or unreasonable demands they can eventually get you out.
The tenancy agreement is a legally binding contract, for both of you. Tell him he is wrong, and you won’t be getting rid of the cat.
If your landlord agreed and it’s in the tenancy agreement, your cat is allowed to stay. You’d probably have a decent case even if it wasn’t. He can’t evict you for that and knows it, he’s just trying to bully you due to being a shitty person.
However, once your agreement ends or if it’s a rolling agreement, he doesn’t have to renew it. How long is your tenancy agreement for?
I can’t offer advice (as many others have stated, /r/LegalAdviceUK is your go-to) but I think I can speak for all decent, upstanding members of society when I say that that landlord is an absolute, bottom feeding cunt.
If you are a legal tenant and the agreement doesnt forbid it (and you specifically say it allows it), you are fine.
Once your fixed period over, he can give you notice, but he has no authority to switch terms suddenly beyond that. I wouldnt discuss it in person or phone, keep to written things for evidencing.
Obviously pretty bizarre behaviour though, what triggered it?
*Assuming you are a tenant on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy*, your landlord has to give you at least 2 months notice to leave and if you stay it will take him several months after that to evict you. If you’re still in the fixed term and you have written/emailed/texted confirmation it’s OK to have the cat, the courts will almost surely slap your landlord down.
Keep your kitty.
Like the others have said, if it’s in writing then theres not much he can do. Buy another cat out of spite
“… I have the information confirming that my cat is ok to stay here in…my tenancy agreement…”
I’d be getting some legal advice, especially if the landlord feels the fine print of the tenancy agreement is “…tantamount to nothing.”
What will the landlord choose to ignore next?
If the tenancy agreements stipulates you’re allowed a cat, then there is nothing your landlord can do about it. At least until your current term ends and they demands you sign a new agreement.
Though I’d highly recommend getting an emergency locksmith out to change the locks on doors and downstairs windows in the 48 hours you’ve been ‘given.’ Keep the old locks to reinstall at a later date. Some can be nasty pieces of work.
Contact “Shelter” they have a webchat service and will advise you.
Wow, what a piece of shit landlord.
Former letting agent here – as others have said, if it’s in your tenancy agreement then your landlord can suck an egg. You’re good to keep the cat.
As others have also said, ALWAYS pay your rent regardless of any disputes. This will only come back on you in the end
Bit disappointed you didn’t include a picture of the cat.
(Good luck, landlord can do one)
I’m having landlord/cat issues too.
Tenancy agreement allowed the cat. Now that I’ve moved out he’s moaning about ‘cat smell’ and saying the cat damaged the flooring (the carpets aren’t fitted right and pulled away from the door runners and have frayed).
He’s now saying we can ‘deal with the dispute ourselves’ and we don’t have to involve the deposit scheme.
He can’t evict you if you have evidence, if he tries then tell him it’s gonna be alot more expensive for him to take it to court to force an eviction compared to allowing you to keep it.
Keep paying your rent.
Others have commented on the fact you have a tenancy which says your cat is okay.
The problem you may have (which hasn’t been raised) is if you live in an apartment building. These often ban pets, and if this is the case your landlord agreed to a clause in your contract he really shouldn’t have done.
Technically that’s your landlords problem.
I suggest that you send him a polite email with a copy of your signed tenancy agreement.
If it’s in the tenancy agreement then you’re fine, but expect as soon as the term ends you’ll be eveicted and contract not renewed.
Cat is fine to stay but protect yourself in case he acts like a nob.
Change your lock barrels. Make sure you replace them before the end of the tenancy.
Take photos of everything on check out in case he tries to do a deposit dispute.
Check the deposit is in a DPS. If not you can take him to court.
Make backups of everything you have in writing in case it’s lost or deleted.
Never ever ever fail to pay rent on time.
Even if he evicts you out of spite, it’ll cost him money and time.
Do all communication in writing. Feel free to ask him over text/email why he changed his mind. Make copies.
Get some cheap reliable cameras from Amazon and set them up around the property in case he tries anything.
Yes you’re ok if a contract legally says you can have the cat but sounds like he looking to get rid of you either way. Show him a COPY of the contract then if I were you I’d be looking for somewhere else.People poison cats a lot not saying he would but you never know.
Is there a genuine reason for the landlord’s change of heart? Has the cat caused any destruction to the property or stunk the place out?
If not, it’s possible the landlord actually wants you out before the end of the tenancy and this would be the easiest way to nudge you in that direction. Be wary.
Contact an organisation called Acorn.
They help tenant in disputes with landlords and tenant agencies.
Super helpful.
We had a similar problem with our (now ex) landlords recently. Basically, he has the right to change the contract only after the “term” of the tenancy has passed. If he does, he has to issue you a new contract with the new rules. You have the rights to negotiate and ask for changes which he can refuse or accede to. Then you can either agree or refuse to sign. If you refuse, he has the right to evict with a court order. If he does this, he MUST inform you on paper of that process’s commencement at least two months in advance of the eviction date. If he breaks ANY of these rules he is libel. If you stop paying the due rent on time at any point in this process, YOU become libel, just bear that in mind.
In addition to everything everyone has said, assuming you have an assured tenancy agreement and you don’t live with your landlord, then I’m pretty sure the rule now is that the landlord can’t say no unless they have a good reason (which, assuming you’re 6 months in, they don’t). https://metro.co.uk/2021/10/11/do-landlords-have-to-accept-pets-15382980/
>I have the information confirming that my cat is ok to stay here in both my tenancy agreement and confirmation email
The landlord has nothing here (assuming you don’t live with your landlord).
Hi, I’m the tenant’s cat. I cannot believe the landlord is kicking meowt.
Is yours the post where he’s threatened to kill your cat? Tell him to go fuck himself, call the police, change the locks and find somewhere new to live. He sounds like a nutcase.
I’ve read both your posts and googled emergency animal foster care and several options came up and there are always catteries as it seems your cat is not safe from the landlord. The threats he/she has made sound suspiciously like he/she has someone in mind who will kill your cat. I would report the landlord to the police and the RSPCA also.
I wouldn’t feel safe living there with or without a pet given this new information so would encourage you to find elsewhere. This is a very serious matter for both you and your cat as you deserve to live in peace and have peace of mind regarding your cat. I would try to find somewhere for the cat until I found somewhere else to live and the organisations dealing in foster care will probably be already aware of these types of situations so please don’t be concerned that your situation will be dismissed as trivial.
The Citizens Advice Bureau, Shelter etc may be able to assist in reporting the landlord to the various organisations which should be made aware of his/her criminal and threatening tendencies. For instance, if the landlord has a House of Multiple Occupation (not necessarily the same as yours), the licence may be revoked. If your area requires landlords to be licensed they may lose that licence. There are sanctions etc that may be applied and may be applied more fervently if the landlord has been reported previously, not just to the police but to other agencies. I would only push for all this once I am safe and my cat is safe at a different property and with a different landlord. You may want to move out of the area and all this unexpected upheaval will cost.These costs may be recoverable from the landlord eventually. I’m not a lawyer but the landlord has crossed over into criminal threats, necessitating that you take action to ensure the safety of your cat and yourself and also ensure that your next landlord is not associated with your current one.