Re: How to handle if chose applicant?

Re: How to handle if chose applicant? by landlord attacked by dog (GA) on June 22, 2012 @19:29

Actually, no.

When tenants rented from us, they asked about elderly cocker spaniel. My husband met dog and it was very gentle. We said fine.

18 months later, when repairs needed to be done, workmen complained about unrestrained dog. We have found that most workmen will not go in a yard with an unrestrained dog of any breed.

I called tenant's translator (tenant's niece). She told me workmen had nothing to worry about, dog was very gentle, plays with her 6 yo son. This jibes with what my husband has told me about the cocker spaniel he met. At this point, no one has told us about dog switcheroo, and I have no reason (yet) to think tenant's are lying or stupid.

I arrive at house for the first time since tenant's move in. I hear dog in back yard. Tenant's teenage son (dog's owner) assures me dog is gentle, no problem, and that dog is restrained on upper deck as we had been assured he would be. I still believe at this point that we're talking about the cocker spaniel we approved at move in.

I open door and step out. 100 pound vicious Chow leaps on me out of nowhere clawing and snarling. He was not restrained in any way. Teenage son seems to think "restrained" means "we trust dog to not jump on you", where I think "restrained" means "on a leash or tie out".

This is how I discovered dog "bait and switch". I will never be stupid enough to believe anything a tenant says again. We may just make it a no pet rental in future after this experience. It's sad that stupid tenants make life harder for everybody.

But, no, I didn't know anything about an unrestrained vicious dog until I opened that door Monday.

K

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Re: How to handle if chose applicant? by Anonymous on June 22, 2012 @22:37	[ Reply ]

With all the dogs you have had and loved, you could not tell the difference between the bark of a cocker spaniel and a 100 pound vicious Chow? Really!