Just got back from the cottage tonight, and I find this letter in my mail slot. I live in an 80 u nit apartment building. And over a quarter of the other tenants including myself have dogs. The letter says that we cant take our dogs out the front entrance anymore, and that we have to only use certain areas for the dogs to do their business. If we are seen entering, or exiting the main entrance, we will be evicted. Does this sound right to anyone? I am going to call the tenant board in the morning, but right now Im just fuming mad, and needed to vent.
A quick Landlord question?
- Thread starter johnnyjohn17
- Start date
It seems unlikely this was an arbitrary dog-hating action. More likely is that some owners of some dogs haven't been conscientious about keeping their dogs calm, quiet and controlled in the main entrance where they encounter the other 3/4 of tenants who have chosen not to be dog-people. And then there's poop and scoop; in my 'hood that has degenerated into poop, scoop, then drop—often in my hedge—when you think no one's looking. What's your building's frontage look like?
Faced with complaints, any reasonable landlord will focus on having the minority adjust to suit the majority of rent-payers. Why don't you assume there were problems at the door and in the poop places and get together with the other dog-owners to suggest a more dog-friendly approach to solving those comon problems. At the very least, you could offer a Pooch Liaison Rep. management could talk to before unduly riling a quarter of their tenants.
My sister had similiar poop-and-scoop problem at her apartment.
A few tenants volunteered to review recorded CTV security camera footage daily.
Offending footage were then shown to management who then had private conversation with offending tenant.
If problem continued, the footage was displayed on the main lobby TV screen for a month.
Not only was poop-scoop problem fixed but walkway was cleaner as no more littering or spitting.
A few tenants volunteered to review recorded CTV security camera footage daily.
Offending footage were then shown to management who then had private conversation with offending tenant.
If problem continued, the footage was displayed on the main lobby TV screen for a month.
Not only was poop-scoop problem fixed but walkway was cleaner as no more littering or spitting.
Actually, this is a violation of dogs' Charter rights. Just kidding!
The OP might want to give Jennifer Keesmaat(sp) at City Hall a call. She is pushing for mandatory dog space and rights.
It is incredibly hard to evict someone, and you could try and argue at the tribunal that you rented with the understanding that the facility was available for your use and thus an implied part of your lease.
You might win. You might lose. If you lose, you will have LOTS of time to find a new apartment.
Is it worth poisoning you relationship with your landlord? Depends how inconvenient that alternate entrance really is.
You might win. You might lose. If you lose, you will have LOTS of time to find a new apartment.
Is it worth poisoning you relationship with your landlord? Depends how inconvenient that alternate entrance really is.
I think it's okay for them to make the request but threatening eviction seems a bit harsh. I don't think they can evict you for that. The landlord would get a lot more traction by being a bit nicer.
Seems to me you're being selfish here. I love dogs. I volunteer as a dog walker when I'm in town at the local shelter. Dogs are fantastic. But some people have legitimate issues with them: allergies, phobias, etc. If every dog owner was responsible and never let their dog jump on others and always kept them away from people they don't know, I bet there would be no issue. But people don't. As with most things, bad dog owners have ruined it for all of you. In fact, if all dog owners were responsible, there'd be far fewer people out there that have a fear of dogs to begin with. At the end of the day, you can't expect everyone to share your love of dogs, and it's not unreasonable for those people to expect to be able to avoid them. You can't smoke standing in front of the front doors, and some people are more affected by dogs than they are by smoking, so why should they be exposed to the dogs?
What do you think entitles you to be able to use the front door with your dog and the entirety of the property for doggy doodoo at the expense of the enjoyment of others? You could argue that you pay the same amount, but they can say the same thing and then argue that your dog prevents them from doing so. At the end of the day, someone has to give and I don't think asking dog owners to use the back door and keep their dog poop in specific areas is unreasonable. It's not like they're telling you to get rid of your dog, or that your dog isn't permitted in the common areas at all, they're simply asking you to keep your dog away from those who may have an issue with dogs... What about that is unreasonable?
I'm sure you could fight eviction and win, but I think it's a reasonable rule if there have been problems.
The threat of eviction is probably the landlord's way of saying we want dog owners to comply with the new rules, or else. I doubt they would actually try to evict you for not adhering to the new rules but if you're one of the only dog owners who continues to go out the front, you're going to look like an ass.
They did the same thing in my friend's building. People were taking their dogs out the front where they'd constantly pee on the wall just outside door and the front lawn was destroyed from all the pee and poo even though most owners stooped and scooped.
The other thing is not everyone is comfortable around dogs so you have to respect the rights of the 75% of residents who do not own dogs.
Most leases these days contain the standard "no pets" clause.
They did the same thing in my friend's building. People were taking their dogs out the front where they'd constantly pee on the wall just outside door and the front lawn was destroyed from all the pee and poo even though most owners stooped and scooped.
The other thing is not everyone is comfortable around dogs so you have to respect the rights of the 75% of residents who do not own dogs.
Most leases these days contain the standard "no pets" clause.
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_06r17_e.htm
Part II
TENANCY AGREEMENTS
14. "No pet" provisions void
http://www.ltb.gov.on.ca/en/Key_Information/STEL02_111677.html
ABOUT ENDING A TENANCY
Ending a tenancy by the landlord
Other reasons for eviction
ABOUT ENDING A TENANCY
Ending a tenancy by the landlord
Other reasons for eviction
OK, let me rephrase. It is incredibly hard to evict someone who follows the proper procedure to dispute an eviction at the tribunal. Even when successful, it takes a loooong time. The OP would be given ample time to find a new place if he does lose.
That said, do you live in a welfare tower or something? Where else would over ten percent be getting evicted in a year? I assume mostly for non payment.
Well there ya go!
That's what I was wondering, they evicted 20 people last year?
There is a very specific procedure in the Residential Tenancies Act relating to the eviction of a tenant. It is long and complicated. The procedure focuses on behaviour. The presence of a dog or the use of the front door is not a sufficient reason to evict a tenant. The key section of the law is section 76 of the Residential Tenancies Act. The landlord must prove all the factors in that section. The landlord must ultimately prove that your dog caused or contributed to substantial interference on the grounds of the property not that you were entering or exiting in a particular location. The Landlord and Tenant Board has a number. You should call them and they will give you more information. In the meantime you or the other tenants can't just be "evicted" by the Landlord. As long as you are a responsible dog owner you will not be evicted even if the landlord starts the procedure to evict. Hope this helps.
Landlords are always making rules. They act like they own the place.
Here is another example. One of my friends live in an apartment building. He is not allowed to bring his bike into the building, into the elevator and into his apartment. Instead. he has to lock his bike outside in the bike rack in the cold, the rain and exposed to potential thieves.
Here is another example. One of my friends live in an apartment building. He is not allowed to bring his bike into the building, into the elevator and into his apartment. Instead. he has to lock his bike outside in the bike rack in the cold, the rain and exposed to potential thieves.
I've heard that too, they hate the scuff marks left by tires on the walls and doors. Too bad few places have safe shelters for bicycles.
