Rental vent

lunasmom

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OK, so this is getting a little frustrating. I've been emailing all these rental homes in Jersey trying to find a place that will accept our cats. If the post doesn't specify if animals are allowed, then I email and question.

Most of the responses have been no


Then the ones that irritate me are the ones that SAY they allow cats/dogs, but when they ask "How many?" and you reply with 4, they write back and say "No pets allowed".


I'm getting a little panicky since I'm going out there to find a place next week and so far I only have 1 place lined up. Well I do have 3 more days, don't I?


Sorry, just needed to vent...no vibes required. Just wanted to know if anyone with pets on the East Coast (and rents) has this sort of trouble. Could be the area that I'm moving too as well.
 

green bunny

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Maybe I'm misunderstanding things, but why aren't you asking for the maximum limit of pets? That way they can't ask how many you have.

If you aren't sure if they allow pets, just ask: I didn't see it in the ad (or whereever you found the place) and I was wondering if you allowed pets. If so, what kinds, and what is the maximum amount you allow?

Good luck!

Tricia
 

capt_jordi

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Yes its horrible! My best friend (maybe) her boyfriend and her sister and I are trying to find a place, between the 3 of us there will be 4 cats (joey and Kahlua are mine hers is a maine coon mix named snickers and her sister has a white fluffy cat named froofy lol best name ever for that cat!) and a shihtzu... And NO WHERE will let us have them all. And I'm sorry, we arent giving them up. One place refused us because not all are declawed, I told them we would put soft paws on them and they still said no. Sorry but if they charge an extra charge for cats and dogs, they should for children... sorry my random little rent. Although one place told us we couldnt move in because we couldnt have more than 1 person per bedroom...
Gotta love renting!
Is buying a home an option? You could look for foreclosures or fixer uppers most of those are cheaper than rent, and you can fix them up some and almost always resale for a profit.

GOOD LUCK!
 

jarvis

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I'm not saying this is right or ethical...but it reminded me: my roommate has been paying for only 1 of her 3 cats. The cats are identical tabby DHCs and she figured with all the other animals in the apartment they'll never notice


As for yourself, here are some for luck...
I'm sure you will find SOME place to let you in! Some questions: Will you have roommates? Do you know them? DO you know anyone in the area who can help you keep them to buy you some time?
 
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lunasmom

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Originally Posted by GingersMom

Start telling them that you only have TWO cats.
Yea, I've been saying that we have a "couple of cats". Its not an exact number, but leaves room for a guess. Besides if anyone comes over, the most they'll see are 2. The Luna and Patches hides when there are visitors!


Originally Posted by Green Bunny

Maybe I'm misunderstanding things, but why aren't you asking for the maximum limit of pets? That way they can't ask how many you have.
I never thought of that. Around here when it says that Pets are OK, you can have a a bunch of pets and not get questioned.

Originally Posted by Jarvis

I'm sure you will find SOME place to let you in! Some questions: Will you have roommates? Do you know them? DO you know anyone in the area who can help you keep them to buy you some time?
Yes, my roommate will be B, my boyfriend. I've got one person that I have to call. He said that he knows someone who will help me find a place.

Also, sorry I didn't quote this too, but buying isn't an option. This move is pretty much going to wipe me out until the company I'm going to reimburses me.
 

jarvis

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I don't know if it would help to say that 2 of the pets are his? (We have a joined lease and 4 pets (that they know of) but they didn't care because only 1 or 2 belong to each person...but, my place isn't the...most strict?

That or accidently forget about some of the kitties...oops? lol. Good luck!!!
 

catsarebetter

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Check through Craigslist for rental properties in the area you're looking at. I believe that the bottom of the listing already tells you whether pets are okay or not, and it may save you some time.

Can you get references from your current landlord for your pets?

Another suggestion is take the attitude or the tone of voice that you expect the landlord to *want* to rent to you. Not that you are a difficult tenant or snotty, but just be very confident and ask what the lease agreement says about apartment noise policies, complex and area noise ordinances, responsible pet ownership (and I'd make a point of saying that you don't want to live with irresponsible pet owners), what amenities are offered, or what things are nearby.. iow, get them to "sell" the house to you. If they're busy trying to please you to make you interested, you reverse the situation.

And if they play that answer a question with a question game, just toss it right back at them. What is your pet policy?
How many pets do you have?
Does that mean you allow pets or not?
Well, I need to know how many you have.
Well, I'm really asking more for the benefit of knowing what others around the area will be doing, and/or if there's going to be any problems with other peoples pets.

Just dodge it but don't lie about it. Come up with a few dodging questions, write them down, and then keep it handy when you're calling..
or if they say, well, that depends on how many pets you have or how many do you have, just say

"I can provide a reference for mine, I'm worried about *other people's* pets. I want assurances that people are responsible for their animals.

You just need to change the way they're looking at you and your animals, and that can be done by indicating that you're responsible.
 

catsarebetter

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I found these websites: http://www.petswelcome.com/milkbone/petrentals.html

I didn't have much luck with the one above, but I didn't have information to add in so I don't know if it worked or not.

This one looked pretty good: http://www.peoplewithpets.com/

I think registration is free on this one: http://www.petsandapartments.com/index.php

This is a few suggestions on how to approach renting with pets: http://www.ohs-spca.org/pet-friendly_apartments.htm

This one needs a zip code, but I imagine you could type in several and get different results: http://www.pets911.com/information/p...ng/renting.php

http://www.homewithpets.com/ This one looked pretty good (maybe the best option so far)

And this will hopefully prove me right in the ongoing argument with my family about whether I'll be able to rent or not if I ever move, without getting rid of my cats.
 
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lunasmom

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OMG whoever thought of those sites are genuses!!!!
 

shopcat

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Originally Posted by GingersMom

Start telling them that you only have TWO cats.
I'm gonna have to agree with this one...we have been kind of looking for places too & there is some sort of barrier in peoples' minds about having more than 2 cats. If you can find a landlord who doesn't pester you a whole lot, chances are you can get away with it. Especially if they are all indoor cats & can maybe herd them all into a room if he comes over-legally he has to give notice anyway, right?
(I have 3, & luckily 2 of them have similar markings
)

It's a gamble. Just make sure the landlord doesn't live next door!
 

catsarebetter

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Hopefully that helps. Let me know how it works for you! I'll be looking at that if I move to Seattle.
 
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lunasmom

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The latest update (see vibes and venting help, right?!) is that I've hooked up with a realtor that assists in relocation.


We're the house types as opposed to apartments, so he's helping me out (made sure that I don't have to pay the finders fees either
). we had 2 horribly loud neighbors in the one year we lease an apartment together, so we're scared to go back.

He just sent me a list of very doable places. So now I have to nitpick about their descriptions. Hopefully I can get about 5 to view when I go out next week. Then at least I've viewed options.

Yea I'm going to stick with the "we have a couple of cats" line. Then its the landlord that is assuming that its 2 rather then 3 or 4 cats. Besides Luna is half the size of a cat, so really I have 3.5 cats.

I also thought about getting a bunch of stuff animal cats and laying them around the new place. Then if the landlord were to come over, he or she would be confused at the number of cats.
I doubt B would like all the stuffed animals around though.
 

menasmom

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Originally Posted by GingersMom

Start telling them that you only have TWO cats.
I agree with Gingersom. My sister lives in Holbrook, LI and she has around 7 cats, but her landlord thinks she has TWO, because all but one scatters whenever somebody comes over!! Her apartment is part of a complex, though, not a private home. And she also feeds a colony of feral cats there, and the landlord doesn't seem to mind THAT.
 

catsarebetter

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Well, technically according to the verbal discussion that we had with my landlady.. um.. we only have one cat and one dog. Of course.. we *did* only have two kitties when we moved in, one of which died.. so, we *were* down to one cat.
 
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lunasmom

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That's right and if I remember right from another thread here, ummm...we "adopted" 2 more cats since moving in!

Hopefully the landlord isn't there when I move in with the cats! Too bad B isn't bringing 2 cats down separately. Then there would be less nerve recking!
 

littleraven7726

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We have a "pet resume" for the cats that we dust off and update anytime we have to look for a new apartment. It really helps. We also tend to ask about pets when we are looking at a place, rather than over the phone. When a LL shows you an apartment, dress the part. I always end up "office casual" because it's neat, tidy, and LL's seem to respond to that.

This method works. We got an apartment with 3 cats in the last city we lived in that way after many many strike-outs. Currently we live in a complex with a management company. They took 3 cats with no problem, and we know it's pretty much the only complex in town that takes large dogs. So sometimes a bigger complex can surprise you. You could also look into townhouses/duplexes. Next time we move we want to do that.

If you would believe it, one year we were hours from being homeless because of not finding a place that took 2 cats. Well, we looked at a place that the LL showed, and asked about pets. He said no problem. When we told him about our relief and previous problems, he said he'd leave his wife before he left his dogs behind.
He was a good guy to rent from.
 

catsarebetter

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Originally Posted by lunasmom

Hopefully the landlord isn't there when I move in with the cats! Too bad B isn't bringing 2 cats down separately. Then there would be less nerve recking!
Board them on moving day. Go about getting them on two different days, or soemthing and if you're asked about it, say... oh, I have two, and they had to go to the vet so I took both of them. That will account for it.
 
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lunasmom

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You guys rock! So sneaky with your babies! I understand though...you do what you have to do.

I'll look into boarding or maybe talk to B about him taking 2 of the cats. The only issue with him taking them is that he's leaving after me and the majority of the stuff will be gone, so no toys, no food/water bowls (although I know those can be left behind). I think he just doesn't want to ride with the litterbox for 9.5 hours.
 
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