
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 11, 1994                    TAG: 9406100599 
SECTION: REAL ESTATE WEEKLY                     PAGE: 20    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: William Mazel and Albert Teich Jr. 
DATELINE: 940611                                 LENGTH: Medium

PETS PUT RENTER IN DOGHOUSE

{LEAD} Q. I rent a three-bedroom house in Virginia Beach for $950 a month. I've lived there almost a year, and my relationship with the landlord is a friendly one.

A couple of months ago, I got married. My wife has a dog. Unfortunately, my landlord has had several bad experiences with tenants who owned dogs.

{REST} The landlord is willing to renew my lease only under these conditions:

I must pay a $500 deposit in addition to the $1,850 the landlord already holds.

The house must be periodically inspected for carpet damage. To do this, a professional will probe the carpet right down to the pad for stains.

The dog must be neutered by a vet of the landlord's choice, presumably at my expense.

I would like your comments on these conditions, particularly the requirement to neuter the dog. I spoke with three veterinarians, all of whom said neutering will not automatically prevent a dog from staining the carpets.

The dog is housebroken and tame. We feel the neutering requirement is an unnecessary one on the landlord's part. Please tell me what you think.

A. Your situation warrants several comments. First, you have already given your landlord $1,850 as a security deposit. That is $50 less than the maximum deposit allowed by the Virginia Residential Landlord-Tenant Act.

Thus, if the act covers your rental, the landlord's request for a $500 additional deposit is illegal.

State law allows a landlord to inspect the property at reasonable times. Still, the code has no details on carpet inspections - you and the landlord will have to work out an agreement. The landlord will probably expect you to pay for the inspection.

Also, the law says nothing about pet neutering as it pertains to a landlord-tenant agreement. You will have to decide whether you like the property enough to comply with this requirement.

Remember, the landlord, too, will have to decide whether to keep a prompt-paying tenant with a dog or take a chance on the quality of the next tenant. You and the landlord will have to weigh your options.

by CNB