Conference misery::feline_v1

    Have you thought about a temporary housing situation, I don't know if
    you want to move again and would be to do so in about six months.  If
    not, how do you think they would react to other cats?  I have three,
    (I just adopted Lucifer from this file) I have worked out a rent to own
    plan with my landlord.  Part of the agreement says I can have my pets.
    My landlord also knows I am in the process of trying to start a no kill
    cat shelter.  (not in the house, eventually on its own land)  But I'd
    be able to take yours if you are unable to come up with something.
    
    I think you should talk to your landlady.  I use to work for a lawyer,
    (don't quote me check this out first) if the pets were okay in the
    beginning and have not destroyed property or attacked any one, I think
    she may have overstepped her boundaries.  If she allowed pets before
    and there was no problem, she can stop new pets from coming in but I
    don't think she can throw the existing pets out.  Like I said I haven't
    worked for a lawyer for about 4 years now so that may have changed.
    In either case she should certainly give you more time.
    
    Please let us know what happens.  (my offer still stands).
    
    Kim
    

    Doreen, 
    
    Depending on where you live, your landlady may not be able to just
    decide that you can no longer have your cats.  It might not be a bad
    idea to call your local Bar Association for a referal to a lawyer that
    specializes in this type of thing.  Usually, you can get a free
    consultation and the lawyer can give you an idea of what your right's
    are as a renter.
    
    I think that your landlady might be able to decide this, but I am
    pretty sure that she has to give you more notice.  If you rent on a
    monthly basis, I think that she must give you 30 days notice.  
    
    Are your cats written into your lease?
    
    Before you make arrangements to place your cats, I would check and see
    what your rights are.
    
    Jo

      I would certainly check with a lawyer first!  This sounds very harsh
    to me.  Has there been a problem with cats?  Does anyone else in the
    building have cats?  Have they been asked to leave?  What reason did
    she give?  I would demand an explanation.  Hopefully the cats are
    listed in your lease, if they are you're that much ahead.   
    
                         good luck,  let us know how it turns out...
    
                                     Denise

    I'm with all the others.  Don't give up without a fight !!!!!  At least
    talk to your landlord and found out *why*...  Maybe it can be corrected
    without you giving up your babies.  Do check with a lawyer first.
    
    Hope everything works out ok.....
    
    Sandi and the Storm Troopers
    
    
    
    
    
        

If you are in New Hampshire you can call the following numbers
for legal advice on your situation:

NH Legal Assistance		1-800-562-3174
NH Pro Bono Referral System	1-800-852-3799
NH Fair Housing Assistance	1-800-622-7707

Also, I recommend that you cross-post your note in
TALLIS::REAL_ESTATE.  They can give you some really
good advice there.  Hit KP7 to add it to your notebook.

    I also find it hard to believe that your landlady can give you
    3 days notice to get rid of cats who have been ok up until now.
    
    If you get to the point of being afraid she'll come in and take
    them I am sure there are folks in this file who could offer a
    roof over their heads while this is being worked out.  In an
    emergency I could set aside one room for them, but I currently
    have 12 cats so would prefer not to have to do that.  
    
    Let us know how you make out.
      Nancy

    I agree with the above.  I can take Punz if you can't work anything out
    or if you want to place her temporarily while you work things out.  I'd
    fight this thing out to the end.  YOu can have all the visiting
    priviledges you want.  Don't be upset,  something will break for you.
    
    Lisa

	This might be a good place to mention the lawyer hotline which
	I've heard advertised on morning television.  I'ts a 900 number,
	which means it will cost some money, but might be worth it to
	get a quick answer to some basic questions.  I didn't write down
	the number, but I'm pretty sure it's this:

		900-776-6666

	If anyone else has seen this ad and can corroborate, please do.

	Sandy

    First of all thanks so much to all of you who are giving advice and
    offering to help.  I can't even begin to tell you how it makes me feel.
    
    Here's an update.  When I had signed the first lease, pets were o.k. 
    When the three of us signed the new lease for the new apartment we
    assumed that is was the same lease.  I know, I know what happens when
    you assume and that's exactly what happened.  When I called her to
    discuss this with her she mention that she added to the lease NO PETS. 
    Sure enough when I went to check this out there is was.  I ended up
    messing by self up all on my own by not reading the damn thing.  
    
    Her reason for not wanting the cats is that this is an old estate which
    she has had refurbished, (the upstairs apartment anyway, and this is
    where I am currently living.)  She didn't mind them downstairs because
    it hadn't been done yet.  The house has a very large enclosed porch
     which is where the cats are now.  On this porch she has antique
    furniture which she is concerned that the cats might ruin.  Mind you as
    an aside she doens't live at the house.  She also said that we don't
    rent this porch, although we enter through it.  She also does not want
    to rent it or accept $$ for it.  She is truly a very uncaring B*tch. 
    We rearranged some of the furniture on the porch just to make it look a
    little better and she came in and put everything right back the way it
    was.  It's amazing.  So that's my current situation.
    
    Someone at work has offered to take give PUNZ a home.  He recently lost
    his kitty and PUNZ looks just like her so he wants to love her.  I also
    have visiting rights and a constant flow of pictures promised.  So
    yes, I will miss my PUNZ terribly but I know Keith will take wonderful
    care of her.
    
    A friend of mine, who already has 5 cats is going to hold my other two
    until I can find a suitable home for them or till he goes crazy with 7
    cats.  So that at least helps me through the deadline.  I did speak
    with a lawyer who said being we signed the lease the only thing to do
    would be break the lease, but then start looking for another apartment.
     
    So for now, the furries at least have homes but I will still need
    something more permanent for Zeus and Jez.
    
    Again, everyone who has offered to help, I can't thank you enough,
    
    Doreen

    I still can't believe that this landlady can get away with this.  Seems
    to me that it was logical for you to think that cats would be allowed
    since you were living in one of her apartments with the cats.  Also,
    it seems to me that she should have been obligated to point out the new
    clause in the contract and discuss it with you.  She *knew* that you
    had cats.  She obviously thinks you are good tennants, since she is
    continuing to rent to you after having you in her other house.  So, it
    would be great if you could sock it to her by moving out and leaving
    her with a two places that need to be rented (with a depressed
    economy).
    
    Also, if you could prove that your cats did no damage to the other
    place, she may not have a leg to stand on with the damage issue.
    
    Jo  

    Also, I was once caught having a cat in a No Pets apartment, but since
    I leased on a month to month basis, the apartment complex had to give
    me a 30 day notice to get rid of the cat or move out.  This was in
    California, but your state probably has a similar law.
    
    Jo

    Jo brings up a good point.  If it were me in your situation, I would
    have done the same thing - not read the new lease in detail, and assume
    I could continue to keep my cats since they had never been a problem.
    
    Don't be so quick to kick yourself in the butt over this.  The way I
    see it, you aren't at fault.  If she doesn't want your cats there she
    should have discussed the situation with you prior to having you sign
    the new lease.
    
    And we are definitely in a depressed economy.  She should simply be
    thankful that she is currently renting the place.  If you leave, she
    may not be so lucky.
    
    I encourage you to continue to fight.
    
    
    --Roberta

It should not cost you very much to get an hour of a lawyer's time...around
here it runs approx. $30.00.  I'm sure a legal letter informing your landlady
that the matter of her sudden change of heart in reference to the cats and
her unrealistic deadline will make it clear to her she stands to lose if
she continues to be unreasonable.  As said, she is lucky she has renters and
may be much more cooperative IF she knows you won't just fold....at the very
least, she must give you reasonable time to place your cats as they were
there PRIOR to her changing the restrictions on the lease....if you find
a lawyer too willing to agree with her, suspect him/her as a property owner..
the LAW concerning these issues is pretty consistent in the USA.  I also
suggest YOU GET TO A PUBLIC LIBRARY and learn something about renter's rights
if you are a renter.  

This isn't just an issue of losing beloved pets (hideous, in my view) it is
about you knowing what your rights as a tenant are and making sure you are
not being pushed around through ignorance.  Get informed.  Put everything
you say to your landlady in writing, and insist, in writing, that she put
her notice about the cats and her explanation of why the lease has changed
in writing.  Make sure your correspondence is polite, clearly
organized and concise and KEEP ALL LETTERS.  Start saving money NOW to move.
When you get a place to move to, inform your landlady in writing, attaching
a copy of all correspondence, that you are moving because of her change in
lease requirments and you expect your deposit back - emphasize the heartbreak
and stress her unreasonably short notice to remove the cats caused you.....she 
won't fight you and she WILL give you your money back - 3 days for removal
of the cats is NOT REASONABLE and would never hold up in court.

LEARN YOUR RIGHTS AND DO IT IN WRITING.

    I'd just like to encourage you to keep fighting too.  While having
    signed the lease may make this more difficult, I still feel that she
    had an obligation to point out the changes.  If she claims that she
    did that your "reasonable" response is to say "Why would I do such a
    thing when I had three cats and you knew that?"  I've found that that
    type of arguement often works.  
    
    In this economy it can't be argued that you were in a tight situation
    and couldn't have found another apartment so you signed intending to
    break the lease.  If you make it clear that the cats are important to
    you and that you would NOT rent a place that wouldn't allow you to 
    have them, then it shows that it would not be "reasonable behavior"
    on your part to sign a lease knowing that it specifically prohibited
    cats.  Don't be afraid to tell people (lawyers etc) that your cats
    ARE very important to you and you consider them your family.  
    
    Good luck
    

    I agree that you still need to fight this lady.  Then I strongly
    recommend that you start looking for another place to live.  She
    just sounds like the type that within a month she'll start
    complaining about something else...(too much company etc)
    
    Nobody but Nobody could take my babies away from me...and I'm 
    sure you feel the same way.   FIGHT TO THE FINISH!!
    
     Good luck...and please keep us posted.
    
    Sandy
         

    Well,
    
    I did try speaking with her again, and she has not changed her mind. 
    
    But an update as to homes for them is:
    
    Punz is now with Keith, someone I work with.  She is very happy being
    an only cat.  When I had her with the other two she was always very
    quiet and would hide.  I would sometimes take her into the bedroom and
    she would liven up, but once she was out with the others she would
    hide.  Keith says that she is bouncing around all over the place and
    trailing him everywhere she goes.  Talking a lot a generally a very
    loveable kitty.  Could it be she is happier this way?  God I miss her
    though.
    
    Zeus and Jezebel are living with a friend of mine on an indefinite
    basis.  He loves them, they love him and his cat Tommy.  And I get to
    see them all the time, only difference is they don't live with me.
    
    So for now all has worked out as well as could be.  My only sadness is
    that I don't get to see Punz and there's no furries waiting for me at
    the door when I get home from this place.
    
    I can't thank all of you enough for your support.  In a month I intend
    to speak to my dear landlady again and see if I can once again try
    working out something, but it definetly does not look hopeful.
    
    Doreen

    I'm really glad you found a place for your kitties.  I hope that
    you won't let this landlady just get away with what she pulled.
      Nancy dC

    I'm happy you found a home for all those furfaces.  I can only imagine
    how much you miss them.  I couldn't imagine not having Flirtaysha.
    I just graduated from school with a BS in Criminal Justice and a
    concentration in constitutional law.  Unfortunately,  your landlady
    does not have to tell you about a change in the lease.  Most moral
    and decent people would have the courtesy of informing you.  It
    was up to you to read the lease first.  (I'm not blaming you by
    any means!  I've got burned myself for not reading the fine lines.
    I'm just stating what the law says.)  I would definately search
    the papers for another apartment.  Even though they say no pets
    most of the time they mean no dogs but they will allow cats as long
    you are willing to pay for damages and/or pay more than the asking
    price and/or leave a pet security deposit.  That is how I got into
    my apartment.  I'm agreeing to pay for any damages that my pets
    cause(although I don't know how they'll be able to tell since the
    place needs alot of work) or I can redo some of the wallpaper and
    fix the panelling(which is fine by me since I was planning on doing
    it anyway).  Good Luck and please keep us updated.
    
    Lisa