Landlord won't renew lease because of my emotional support animal

[arkcom]

Originally posted by: a123456
I think what we're saying is that you might have a slim case if you had it down in writing or had it recorded or something more than my word versus your word. But really, if the landlord hates your guts, why would you want to stay there? If you have a problem with the place, he's going to take his time getting around to fixing your problem, etc.

DrPizza: Even if it is protected, it's almost the same as the CA at-will employment. You can be racist and fire someone for being black and it's illegal but you can hide behind the at-will employment and officially say you fired the person for "no reason" (or some other non-protected reason) if you're smart about it when it goes to court. The landlord could just say, "I wanted to renovate the place so I needed him out. But then I changed my mind about the renovation later." Or some other stupid reason that isn't protected. The burden would fall on him to prove the landlord wrong somehow, which isn't going to happen if the only proof is some casual 30-second conversation that no one else overheard (guessing this is what happened).

How about "The guy was not on the lease." That's a perfectly valid reason to kick them out.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: a123456
I think what we're saying is that you might have a slim case if you had it down in writing or had it recorded or something more than my word versus your word. But really, if the landlord hates your guts, why would you want to stay there? If you have a problem with the place, he's going to take his time getting around to fixing your problem, etc.

DrPizza: Even if it is protected, it's almost the same as the CA at-will employment. You can be racist and fire someone for being black and it's illegal but you can hide behind the at-will employment and officially say you fired the person for "no reason" (or some other non-protected reason) if you're smart about it when it goes to court. The landlord could just say, "I wanted to renovate the place so I needed him out. But then I changed my mind about the renovation later." Or some other stupid reason that isn't protected. The burden would fall on him to prove the landlord wrong somehow, which isn't going to happen if the only proof is some casual 30-second conversation that no one else overheard (guessing this is what happened).

That may be true, however I if the landlord is stupid enough to state that reason, I have no reason to doubt that he's stupid enough to do other actions that would indicate there was no other realistic reason. i.e. is he going to wait until the OP moves out before he advertises the vacant apartment? If he's already advertising the apartment, then I really don't think it would be hard to make a case.

 

[DrPizza]

And, regardless, I think my suggestion was best: refer to a lawyer or organization who deals with housing discrimination. They'll be able to tell you exactly what to do. The expense of moving, time spent finding a new apartment, etc., is a major pita for most people.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding something here. The way I read it the tenant simply said he refuses to renew the lease. So what's the problem? A contract for a certain period of time is just that, a certain period of time. A tenant doesn't have to (and IMO shouldn't be) held at gunpoint and told "renew this contract with me or I'm suing your ass".

Personally, if I had a no pets rule in the place I was renting I wouldn't probably renew either. Especially a cat and *especially* if its an unneutered Tom (I'm not saying yours is, just saying worst case scenario). All but a few breeds of cat's leave their impossible to clean hair *everywhere* along with hairballs. Marking. Scratching up furniture. The list goes on and on and there's no way I would renew a lease.

OP, if the tenant gave you the proper warning time then there's most likely not anything you can do about it. Additionally why would you want to stay in a place where the landlord obviously dislikes you being there? That's just an extra source of tension for you and the tenant. That's not fair to either of you.

 

[villageidiot111]

No pets means no pets.

 

[Phoenix86]

Even if you have a case, do you really want a landlord you have to take to court handling other important issues or worse, causing new ones?

Not worth the battle, though from a lay perspective if a resident there has a mental illness you seem to have a case.

 

[Regs]

Is the lease monthly or renewable? If so he would have to give you notice.

If the lease states the time it will end, a.k.a terminate, then pack your bags and GTFO.

He could kick you out because he does not like your skin color to be honest, just as long it's at the end of the lease. It's his property, he will have more rights than you. Your pet is not your saving grace!

 

[yhelothar]

Landlord doesn't hate my guts. He actually tells me he likes me and is reluctant to let me leave but he can't due to my cat being here. My landlord doesn't live on the property either.
I actually mostly want to stay because my roommate is pretty awesome and we hang out all the time.
My landlord actually told my roommate just two days ago that he was going to let me stay. But I guess he had a change of heart or something since he didn't tell me about it.
Anyways, I don't want to deal with the fuss anymore unless there's a clearcut law that I could show him that would almost irrefutably let me stay.

 

[Dumac]

Do you really want to live under a landlord who doesn't want you there?

Just find a new place. It'll make everyone happier.

 

[Crono]

Do you actually have a disability that requires the cat, or are you using that just as an excuse to circumvent the no animal rule?

 

[shiner]

An emotional support animal? jesus tapdancing christ that is fucking ridiculous!

 

[The-Noid]

Even if you do have a disability, you have no class. This is just a backhanded way to get your cat in the place. You purchased the cat by reading the statute correctly thus missing the inherent meaning of the law and what it was set out to do. You are the reasons we pay lawyers what they make so we don't end up with unintended consequences on everything we do in life.

 

[PieIsAwesome]

Originally posted by: villageidiot111
No pets means no pets.

This. Seems unfair to force a landlord to allow animals, disability or not.

OTOH allowing animals and charging a huge pet deposit for profit isn't such a bad idea.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Crono
Do you actually have a disability that requires the cat, or are you using that just as an excuse to circumvent the no animal rule?

That means a diagnosed, documented condition.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Yoxxy
Even if you do have a disability, you have no class. This is just a backhanded way to get your cat in the place. You purchased the cat by reading the statute correctly thus missing the inherent meaning of the law and what it was set out to do. You are the reasons we pay lawyers what they make so we don't end up with unintended consequences on everything we do in life.

Nah I purchased the cat because I was teh lonely.
I was going through depression and was seeing a psychologist and a doctor for it.
I initially snuck the cat onto the premises which my landlord eventually found out. I was going to get rid of it until I found out that I could actually keep it for the reason why I originally got it.

 

[Crono]

Originally posted by: astroidea

Originally posted by: Yoxxy
Even if you do have a disability, you have no class. This is just a backhanded way to get your cat in the place. You purchased the cat by reading the statute correctly thus missing the inherent meaning of the law and what it was set out to do. You are the reasons we pay lawyers what they make so we don't end up with unintended consequences on everything we do in life.

Nah I purchased the cat because I was teh lonely.
I was going through depression and was seeing a psychologist and a doctor for it.
I initially snuck the cat onto the premises which my landlord eventually found out. I was going to get rid of it until I found out that I could actually keep it for the reason why I originally got it.

I don't see how this is anything but your fault. I get that the cat helped you, but it was against the rules at the time and if you really wanted the cat you should have either got the landlord to agree or moved out. Citing that law is a really crappy way to go about doing what you want to do.

I think the landlord should let you keep the cat and let you renew your lease, but I'm not your landlord, he is.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: astroidea

Originally posted by: SunnyD
Um. Shens.

So, what medical condition do you have that requires a service animal for you to function? Do you take the cat with you every where you go? Work for example?

So yeah, shens. Don't waste your landlord's time.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: villageidiot111
No pets means no pets.

agreed. what purpose the bet serves is irrelevant. I wouldn't really hold it against a landlord to deny tenancy to a blind man because of his seeing eye dog if he they had explicitly stated NO PETS. It is equality.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: astroidea

Originally posted by: Yoxxy
Even if you do have a disability, you have no class. This is just a backhanded way to get your cat in the place. You purchased the cat by reading the statute correctly thus missing the inherent meaning of the law and what it was set out to do. You are the reasons we pay lawyers what they make so we don't end up with unintended consequences on everything we do in life.

Nah I purchased the cat because I was teh lonely.
I was going through depression and was seeing a psychologist and a doctor for it.
I initially snuck the cat onto the premises which my landlord eventually found out. I was going to get rid of it until I found out that I could actually keep it for the reason why I originally got it.

How can you deny that what you're doing is crass? Even if it is law, I don't agree with it at all. You're one of those assholes who thinks that he's special and that exceptions should be made for you. I hope your cat runs away. Go find an apartment that allows cats.

You're a fucking ass. Go ahead and stay, I hope he makes your life suck. Or maybe just gives you 24 hours notice to show the apartment and for some reason your cat slipped through the open door.

 

[moshquerade]

"An Emotional Support Animal is a dog or other common domestic animal that provides therapeutic support to a disabled or elderly owner through companionship, non-judgmental positive regard, affection, and a focus in life. If a doctor determines that a patient with a disabling mental illness would benefit from the companionship of an emotional support animal, the doctor write letters supporting a request by the patient to keep the ESA in "no pets" housing or to travel with the ESA in the cabin of an aircraft."


So which are you, disabled, elderly, or mentally ill?

 

[shiner]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
"An Emotional Support Animal is a dog or other common domestic animal that provides therapeutic support to a disabled or elderly owner through companionship, non-judgmental positive regard, affection, and a focus in life. If a doctor determines that a patient with a disabling mental illness would benefit from the companionship of an emotional support animal, the doctor write letters supporting a request by the patient to keep the ESA in "no pets" housing or to travel with the ESA in the cabin of an aircraft."


So which are you, disabled, elderly, or mentally ill?

I'm going to bet that insufferable prick would fall under the mentally ill category.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: astroidea
I initially snuck the cat onto the premises which my landlord eventually found out. I was going to get rid of it until I found out that I could actually keep it for the reason why I originally got it.

This really supports the argument that you used a ridiculous law as a way to get a pet into your house. Your intention was never to get an "emotional support animal", it was to get a pet.

 

[rockyct]

Originally posted by: astroidea
Landlord doesn't hate my guts. He actually tells me he likes me and is reluctant to let me leave but he can't due to my cat being here. My landlord doesn't live on the property either.
I actually mostly want to stay because my roommate is pretty awesome and we hang out all the time.
My landlord actually told my roommate just two days ago that he was going to let me stay. But I guess he had a change of heart or something since he didn't tell me about it.
Anyways, I don't want to deal with the fuss anymore unless there's a clearcut law that I could show him that would almost irrefutably let me stay.

If you're living by yourself, I wouldn't be surprised if he changed his mind because it's harder to find new tenants in this market. However,it looks like you share an apartment so I guess your roommate would be responsible for finding another person to take your place.

I would just talk it over with the guy and not try to threaten him or anything. Landlords can make life a hell, so I wouldn't purposely try to mess with one.

 

[91TTZ]

Oh, by the way, this further cements my belief that overly emotional people gravitate towards owning cats.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: astroidea

Originally posted by: Yoxxy
Even if you do have a disability, you have no class. This is just a backhanded way to get your cat in the place. You purchased the cat by reading the statute correctly thus missing the inherent meaning of the law and what it was set out to do. You are the reasons we pay lawyers what they make so we don't end up with unintended consequences on everything we do in life.

Nah I purchased the cat because I was teh lonely.
I was going through depression and was seeing a psychologist and a doctor for it.
I initially snuck the cat onto the premises which my landlord eventually found out. I was going to get rid of it until I found out that I could actually keep it for the reason why I originally got it.

I was with you up until this point. Now I just think you suck.