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New Flat, New Problems

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Dundee, home is in Dalkeith- Edinburgh
Hey guys, long time no see!

First off, my sincere apoligies for not being around, real life became very busy with uni, social life, work...just a whole mix of things.
I'd like to let you know that both Robin and Hamish are very healthy and happy - though sadly still not together! I tried again and it was clear they just weren't meant to be best of friends :(

Now...to my problem...there's no where else I could of went but here. The other girl and myself from our flat are leaving to get a flat just for the two of us in our last year of uni. We went flat hunting, I was all prepared to tell the land lord about the guinea pigs and question about pets - but both the girl and her parents suggested that I shouldn't say anything until we have a flat sorted and then do something about it.

Of course, we fell in love with the first flat we see, she gets sent the lease and she goes off home to look it over with her parents. Now I'm getting a message from her telling me that they're really funny about animals and if we breach their rules they can throw us out so I need to tell him (erm...I wanted to tell them from the beginning because I didn't want to cause problems!) and of course she's also moaning about them being in the living room because she's allergic of the hay. I house them on fleece so there is very little hay for her to worry about...but I can't argue. I am just infuriated she waited until she was home to send me a TEXT about it all and sounding really narky about it.

I am so worried I might not be able to keep the pigs this year...like...terrified the landlord won't let me. Even if I get a good letter of reference from my current landlord.

Can anyone help me? I know I don't have to live there or go with that landlord - Dundee is pretty limited on decent flats at decent prices for students. I've heard good things about this landlord from friends and we need someone and somewhere better than what we currently have. I feel I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I want that flat, I want to live with this girl. But I want to keep my boys, they're so precious to me. It's only for a year too which furstrates me so!
If I had to give the pigs up I don't even know if I have a friend I could trust to look after them as I do...and even then...those I could still live at home with parents who probably wouldn't allow them to take them.

Has anyone got a suggestion? 8...
 
I work as an estate agent in central London and have loads of people with pets. It's best to get the reference from your current landlord and speak to your new landlord explain that they are small animals abd are kept in cages. State you are happy for a clause to go in the contract regarding cleaning the property at the end of the tenancy. Also suggest that maybe * pay a slightly higher deposit.

Hope this helps
 
Those are great suggestions, thank you!
I will need to speak to the secretary at my current one on monday to give me a letter of reference (she likes me and might come and see how well kept they are). The higher deposit sounds like it could work too...I will certainly keep these things in mind. Thanks! :)
 
That's ok. Maybe suggestion the landlord comes and see the size of the cage etc. Our pet clause is to prevent people keeping dogs abd cats.

Only suggest maybe a week or two more rent
 
I would explain to the landlord exactly how you intend to house them, you could even send them a picture of your pigs' current setup. They're probably worried about animals damaging the furniture/fittings, so explain how you would pig-proof any areas they would be allowed out in. When I asked my landlord about keeping pets I offered to sign a separate agreement setting out what they expected of me with regards to any damage that my pigs might cause. You would want someone who is knowledgable about contracts to look over that though. They might just be worried about cats and dogs, so it's worth asking. Whatever you do, don't sign a contract which specifies no pets, and then keep them anyway, because then you will be very unpopular with your landlord!
 
what a shame, specially as a year without them is a long time in a piggy's short life, i really hope you sort something out sweetheart.
 
She sent a bit of a better text back to me explaining things in a nicer fashion - I will have to find space in my room for them. I'll just have to deal with their noise during the night...should be fine.
I think I'm most worried about tackling the whole landlord issue...if they agree to that then I can worry about space and where they go etc.

Thank you for your support guys - hope everyone's well :)
 
Hope you get this sorted.

I studied in Dundee :) Edinburgh is home for me too and my mum works in Dalkeith and I have friends that live there!
 
The noise should be fine, I had a fish before I got my pigs & that was far noisier! I don't hear my boys at all if I didn't see evidence of poops in the morning I'd think they slept all night...
 
I've slept in the same room as them once before and even with them outside my door the only noise I could really hear from them was the water bottle. But other than that they were pretty quiet I suppose!

I've got some photos of the set up prepared, going to tell him some things such as how I house them on fleece so there's less mess and less smell. Hopefully I can get some form of reference from my current landlord or at least the secretary tomorrow morning...I am so scared it's unreal. It's all I dreamt of last night and tonight it just keeps hitting me and I'm feeling a little tender about it.

Being stuck between a rock and a hard place isn't a fun thing :...
 
hey,
iv lived in dundee for a good while and seen a few landlords. most write... petsz..... on leases to put you off but for most is in terms of bigger animas not piggies. iv alwase been told no pets but because mine are not eating the furnature they pass on it. i hope * get it all sorted.
 
Yeah you'll be fine, I'm in bed right now 5 mins ago my boys were having a hypo race around their cage, soon as I put the light out & say night night not a peep. They've gone to bed like mummy ;)

Awful situation you're in, I couldn't give mine up. I'm sure your landlord will come round, it's not like they're gonna do any damage... Fingers crossed x
 
Great news peeps!

I went in with my reference, photos and everything...including an overdose of fret! He seemed to pick up on how paniced I was and despite the fact that he said that the flat was not insured for pets...he would acknolwedge me owning them, but not know anything about it. So basically...he's turning a blind eye to it. So long as in the future when they're doing viewings or if the maintenance man comes round they have to 'disapear', so I'll take them home or cover their cage or something.

I know it's technically not legal still...but he's the one in charge and is still giving me the permission to keep them in my room.

So thankful. That really has lifted a weight off my chest! :<>
 
We've had piggies at our rented flat whilst the contract says no pets... it has been a bit of a panic when we've had inspections and work done so I decided to own up to them on the new place we're moving to, the landlord had no problem however they are stated in the contract (even their names!) and it says about not letting them poo in the garden, and having a flea clean at the end of the tenancy! I think their standard pet requests must be cats and dogs! Maybe I should have kept quiet :)) When we had viewings on our current place, I pretended we were looking after them for someone, wrote a checklist and put it on the cage and hid all their supplies in my car :))

I'm glad you have sorted yours out now :)
 
This reminds me of when I was a student...my flatmate and I lived in this block of flats by "Unite" (privately owned flats, aimed at students), they would have maintenance and inspections quite regularly...to begin with we would be forced to put the entire hamster cage in a wardrobe and hope that Dennis didn't make too many gnawing sounds! But after a while we got friendly with the maintenance man, anyway...and he kept it a secret from the manager! Hahaha!
 
This reminds me of when I was a student...my flatmate and I lived in this block of flats by "Unite" (privately owned flats, aimed at students), they would have maintenance and inspections quite regularly...to begin with we would be forced to put the entire hamster cage in a wardrobe and hope that Dennis didn't make too many gnawing sounds! But after a while we got friendly with the maintenance man, anyway...and he kept it a secret from the manager! Hahaha!

I used to live in a Unite building, and would never recommend them to anyone, as their entire purpose seems to be to rip off students! It sounds like you had a better set of staff than us though. The maintenance guy once 'fixed' one of the chairs that had a broken leg by tying it to another one so that it wouldn't fall over, and he left the toilet in the middle of the bathroom for a week because he was off work (which is fair enough, but I'm sure he wasn't the only plumber in Aberdeen...). Then there was the security guard who told us he knew there was a drunk guy trying to kick our door in, and he wasn't going to do anything about it!

I've got loads of these stories, but I'm sure you don't want to hear them all :))
 
I would of fretted too much if I didn't tell the landlord - if there was a random inspection or the maintenance guy came round I would be terrified of getting in trouble (I'm a bit of a wimp!).
So I am so thankful to have it sorted and out the way. Stress free year ahead I hope!

Cheers again everyone! xx>>>
 
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