An elderly property owner, under the advice of his attorney, recently hired us as the Property Manager for his single-family home. There is an existing tenant that has been there for many years. The home immediately behind this one has just been sold and there is a new owner occupant.

When we first took on the property, we took an inventory of the occupants including all pets. There are two old dogs, really old dogs, about 16 or 17 years old. The third dog is a small mutt about two years old. When I’m at the property, the mutt practically licks me to death and the other two old farts can’t be bothered.

Pets are added to our lease with an addendum that includes their picture, name, age, and breed. This way, the approved “Fluffy the Pomeranian” doesn’t suddenly get replaced with “Chompers the Rottweiler”.

I like my new tenants. They are friendly, hardworking people who pay their rent.   When I visit, they are gracious and accommodating. We were pleased to welcome them into our “family” of tenants. That is why the police car in front of the property one day had me very disturbed. I was happy to discover it had nothing to do with them. The argument was between the new owner behind and the next-door neighbor.

The next-door neighbor has a pit bull that barks incessantly at the homeowner and charges the fence whenever she walks by. The homeowner is not a fan of loud, threatening dogs and apparently sprayed the dog with some kind of chemical. The neighbor retaliated by spraying her with a garden hose. The homeowner decides that she hates all of her neighbors that have dogs. And so it begins.

I soon meet this homeowner personally when she arrives at my office demanding that my tenant get rid of his dogs or they should be evicted. For the record, that’s not a good way to introduce yourself to me.

I try to explain to her that those dogs have been approved and that I can’t understand why she has any problem with them. I really just don’t understand the problem. I basically blow her off as a hyper-sensitive troublemaker whose real problem is with the other neighbor. But, I told her I would visit the property personally.

Because I refused to evict the tenant as she demanded, she immediately starts phoning my client, the elderly homeowner, on a regular basis demanding that he erect a fence so she doesn’t have to look at our tenant or his dogs. This poor old man is so confused and distraught when she starts threatening to sue. She hires an attorney that starts sending me threatening letters.

Our records indicate that we had just done an inspection and there were no issues.  I decide to show up unannounced one day and am greeted at the gate by a happy mutt.  The other two dogs roll over and ignore me.  No problem.

After several arguments requiring no less than 15 visits from the police, the homeowner goes to court and files a Restraining Order on my tenant. Soon after, she is spraying his dogs with chemicals. When our tenant catches her in the act, he immediately starts taking pictures and phones the police. But the smart homeowner knows that taking pictures is a violation of the restraining order and my tenant is arrested. Arrested!

I am furious at the idea of these poor dogs being sprayed in their eyes with some kind of liquid that is hurting them. I am even more furious that the tenant can be arrested for taking pictures of her doing it. It makes no sense. I sympathize with my tenant and tell him that I will go to court with him and stand by him through this.

The homeowner then storms into my office armed with a picture of a huge pit bull that appears to be charging the fence as she took the picture. She says this is my tenant’s dog. What? Huh? She tells me that this pit bull is being housed in the backyard, hidden from view. The tenant apparently removes the dog from the property when they know I am coming and it was locked up in the kennel on the day I arrived without notice. I feel like a shmuck.

We hand deliver written notice to the tenant that they are immediately required to remove the dog. The dog is gone that day.

Aside from feeling stupid, I am sad and I have a very bruised ego. My tenants have betrayed me. I owe the homeowner a big apology. Yes, you would think I would get used to this. But I don’t.

🔑 Tenants will hide things and lie in your face.  An experienced Property Manager has learned this and will watch for it.