I have a tenant that is violating his lease by having pets, he currently has 6 dogs, some kind of pocket puppy. He lets them go to the bathroom pretty much anywhere outside of the apt. The common areas, halls, stairways and basement are literally full of dog excrement. When I found out, I told him to get rid of the dogs and clean the place up. 2 days after the place was cleaned, I went to inspect and found dog poop (a couple of days worth) in the hall, and heard barking. Is my only option to evict? Is there some kind of court order I can get to remove the pets?
Also, they store the dog food in the basement and tend to keep the back door open...I think rats have taken up residence. I told him I putting poison in the basement but haven't done it yet for fear of harming one of the dogs...what can I do?
Editor's Response
You can certainly attempt to evict based on the lease violation. I suppose you could also go to housing court and seek an injunction against the tenant regarding pets. I have no idea how the judge would react to that request. From what I know about housing court, you can probably accomplish the same thing by filing to evict, talking to the housing specialist, and working out a deal where you delay the eviction process for as long as the unit remains pet free. For more information about landlord and tenant law, visit our Massachusetts Tenant Law Discussion Forum.
Pets, Tenant Violating Lease
Good advice by the editor. You may also file in the district court as well. I would take pictures of any violations to document your claims when/if you go to court.
Landlord Tenant Lawyers