In Texas, a landlord can terminate a tenancy early if the tenant does not pay rent or violates the lease or rental agreement (for example, by having a dog when none are allowed or continually throwing loud parties). Before filing an eviction lawsuit, the landlord must first give the tenant a three-day notice to vacate. The landlord does not have to give the tenant the option to fix the violation or pay the rent. If the tenant does not move out of the rental unit at the end of the three days, then the landlord can file an eviction lawsuit with the court (see Tex. Prop. Code Ann. § 24.005).

So we've accepted a tenant who's on public assistance with probably no savings and no chance of paying for any damage caused by the dog. Your tenant doesn't care about anyone but themselves. Why should they? Anytime they get in financial trouble, they have a hand out.

If you were to enforce the lease and evict, your assistance agency would come to their rescue and make new claims that this dog is really a comfort animal and you have no grounds for the eviction.

I would take pictures of the condition of the unit and ask for an additional month's rent as a deposit. If it can't be paid in one lump sum, then ask for $100 per month.. Of course once the tenant had duped you, you will probably get zilch....

I only do month-to-month because in Texas, we can't garnish. If my tenants decide to break a lease, there's nothing that keeps them from doing so. So by giving them the flexibility of month-to-month, I also preserve flexibility on my end for month-to-month for just such an occasion. If this happened, then I would have the option of rolling over and allowing it (because allowing them to stay means I can put off a major renovation that my budget doesn't want to handle at this moment in time), or putting my foot down and giving them their 30 days' notice (because I need my tenants to be reliable and I don't want to mess with a tenant who doesn't respect our contract).

What penalties are written into your lease so that if Party A breaks it, Party B can do something about it?

Bill tenant in next rent cycle, pet registration fee, need copy of renters insurance showing owners name on front page, or return walking pet to where it came from in 5 days, there is no doubt you will lose the cost of carpeting with a subsidy tenant - and life will only be shortened by a walking pet.

No not immediatly. notice to cure first-- you will have 7 days to comply with your lease contract that has para so and so about no pets. should you not remove the violation your lease will be terminated.

Send CC'ed to housing also-- so they know whats in th eworks. then inspect in 7 days- dog still there send notice to terminate.

I charge pet rent here, but she will likely claim it as an ESA puppy. Low minds think alike.

I meet the dog/puppy and if I approve it, they owe a $100 non-refundable pet fee and I charge the pet rent back to the beginning of the Lease as I don't know when they snuck it in. I have that in my Lease, so sneaking is more expensive than doing it right.

If I do not approve the animal, I immediately issue a cure or quit notice. They have always cured so I lack experience in eviction for cause.

I do not take Sec 8, so I am not too familiar with the rules, but I would send any notices I issue to them. They likely won't help.

I do feel that early in the Lease is when you need to come down hard on Lease breakers or it lets the Tenant be in charge. I feel you have to do something. |I would at least take a black light over and check for pet urine and other damages.

Sheryl,

First, no carpet in rentals. I think you just learned why and you have not even seen it yet. Takes about a minute to destroy a room of carpet.

The dog needs to go NOW. No animals allowed.

What does your lease say? This is a common everyday occurrence in LLing and MUST be covered in a proper lease.

My lease is clear: unauthorized animals are a $500 fine. Unpaid balance becomes unpaid rent and is grounds for eviction.

She has no money and will leave owing money.

I would call the Sec8Caseworker TODAY and throw a hissy fit in a professional manner.

BRAD

I will no longer take Sec-8 for MANY good reasons, but some LLs on this Board do take them and it works for them (until it doesn't). You haven't reached your refusal point yet.

As to the dog, I have a niche where I take not only dogs but large dogs--and even multiple dogs.

-I charge a NON-refundable pet FEE (not deposit) of $375.

-I require all vet records and I MEET the pet at the applicant's current home to see how it behaves BEFORE it lives in my property.

-I have carpet-free rentals (all tile).

-All my rentals have a dog-door to the outside, as that access eliminates 90% of pet problems inside.

-All my rentals have securely fenced backyards.

-In 18 years I have been doing this my "damages" have been extremely small (one tenant dog dug holes in the yard, one broke Liv Rm blinds trying to look out, I had one back door scratched before the dog-door got installed.)

-The damage is done. Require the pet fee, and put her on a payment plan till you get the full amount. No pay-no stay.