A property manager has revealed the moment she discovered a tenant was secretly keeping a cat in a rental property – and issued a warning that every tenant must read.
Skye Taylor of Taylored Property Management in Adelaide made the discovery earlier this month during a routine inspection after taking over the property from another agent.
During the inspection, she immediately knew that the tenant had a cat because the unmistakable smell of cat urine filled the air.
‘It was so disappointing to see that the apartment smelled like cat urine. And when I questioned the tenant, I asked if you keep a cat here?
The tenant denied knowing anything about the presence of a cat in the home.
When Ms Taylor pressed further, the tenant claimed a friend had brought a cat to the property.
Mrs. Taylor didn’t flinch and replied bluntly, “Babes.” I can smell it.
She added that the tenant was clearly aware of their misconduct because they kept the cat in the house.
“They know they did the wrong thing, but it was so blatantly obvious that I can only assume they thought I was just as rubbish as the old cop and wouldn’t notice or call them out on it. ‘
Property manager and business owner Skye Taylor (pictured) described her encounter with a sneaky tenant who hid a cat during a routine inspection
She said it was “extremely disappointing” that the tenant chose to hide the fact she had a pet, especially given new legislation in South Australia allowing tenants to keep animals.
“I told her you have the right to apply for permission to keep a pet.
“But keeping a pet on the premises without permission is grounds for a trespass notice,” she said.
Ms Taylor said she now has to have a “conversation with the landlord” and ask if they want to go ahead with the notice.
“This is extremely disappointing when people are covering it up,” she said.
“Maybe you can’t smell it because you live with it.
“But I walk in and I smell it.
“As for the tenants, they know they did the wrong thing.”
She issued a strong warning to tenants who tried to harm the landlord.
“Tenants, please don’t think your property manager is stupid,” she said.
Many Aussies agreed that cat urine is ‘impossible to get rid of, especially if it has seeped into carpets (pictured file photo of a cat and litter box)
Australians were divided on the issue, with some claiming the tenant was at fault for failing to disclose that her cat lived in the property.
“It’s not that they have a cat, it’s that they were trying to trick you. Nothing irritates me anymore!’ wrote one.
‘Cat pee, or any animal pee, in a house is unmistakable. Cat pee is the worst because it crystallizes under the carpet,” one person said.
However, others said the woman had no choice but to lie about having a cat as she would likely not have been allowed to rent the property if she had disclosed it.
“Maybe people are hiding it because there is a rental crisis and property managers like you will just approve of people without pets,” one person wrote.
“Girls, have you ever considered that tenants might be anxious and terrified of being evicted?” another added.
Tenancy laws allowing pets on properties vary by Australian state and territory.
Many Aussies felt that the tenant would have been afraid of losing her home and that the real estate agent should have been more compassionate (pictured file photo of a cat and litter box)
In South Australia, tenants’ requests to keep a pet in a dwelling can no longer be refused ‘unless the refusal is based on a ground specified in the Residential Tenancies Act 1995’.
But it is also noted that it is grounds for termination if a tenant has an unapproved pet in the property.
In NSW, pets are allowed but permission rests solely with the landlord, but as approved property owners are not allowed to charge a higher deposit.
In Queensland, recent changes to the law mean property owners can only refuse a tenant’s request to keep a pet if there are ‘reasonable grounds’ such as bylaws, according to rentbetter.
But in Western Australia, landlords can ask for a pet deposit, but it cannot exceed $260, and property owners there are not required to provide reasons for pet refusal.
