--174.192.x.xx

Since the tenants dog and two cats can do damage to your farm animals, I would ask them for a larger deposit to cover any injuries caused by the tenants pets. While a chicken may be worth a few bucks, medical bills can run into the thousands. So I would ask for a super large deposit or removal of the pets. --173.55.xx.x

I can't. I'm in Massachusetts. Pet deposit not allowed. Only security deposit equal to one months rent. --174.192.x.xx

No more talking make all communications form now on in writing via Cert. Mail w RRR & regular mail. --173.70.xxx.xxx

No more talking make all communications form now on in writing via Cert. Mail w RRR & regular mail. --173.70.xxx.xxx

--108.89.xxx.xx

Calmly, send a letter advising him of Happy Clause, unless he wants to indeed abide by the lease he signed. No more heated discussions! Just words on paper. --173.22.xx.xx

No more talking. Copy and paste the lease clause in a notification letter. Everything in writting. You should follow your own rules. Counrty people are just that! --66.87.xx.xx

I appreciate all the responses. And I agree, he seems like a very difficult tenant. They have been demanding and difficult since the day they moved in. It's too bad, like all tenants, they seemed like good people when I first met them. I worry what if he refuses to leave, and instead makes my life more difficult or damages the property, etc. Is it worth letting the dust settle for now and waiting for a future offense after this dispute? Or to incite him further by and acting the happiness clause? What recourse do I have if I give them the option to leave and they choose to stay and continue to break terms of the lease? --174.192.x.xx

And yes, when they came to see the property for the first time, I told them offense was being installed that week where they could let the dog off leash. I explained the fence would go from one back corner of the house to the other back corner. In the lease, it says the dog is only allowed off leash if contained by a fence. At all other times, in all other areas, the dog must be leashed. During our disagreement, he stated that he didn't know there was a fence going up. Then later in the argument stated that the fence I put up is much smaller than the one I explained to him when they moved in. It's not. It's exactly where I said it was going. Regardless, the lease plainly states that the dog cannot be on leash unless it is in a fenced in area so the fence is only to the tenants benefit, not to mine. --174.192.x.xx

Time to invoke the Happy clause. It will not get any better. If you shy away from it now it will only get worse. Put it in writing and maybe they will get the message. If not evict. --24.123.x.xxx

Here in the province of Ontario it became so difficult to be a smaller rental housing provider a lot of the houses which once upon a time were rentals are being sold then becoming owner occupied. Some of those houses on a farm were demolished. The broken rental dispute process along with the rent control system many have decided to leave the rental housing business forever. --74.220.xxx.xxx

--74.132.xxx.xxx

Sorry you have to deal with this. It's bad enough when they bring in all the animals, don't follow rules, etc but to have them messing with another part of your business-that's just wrong. Complete disrespect. --65.31.xxx.x

Cut your losses and get him out--he's only been there one month and already being a PITA. Life is too short. --65.114.xxx.xxx

Not it is not worth letting the dust settle. You would only do so in the hope that things would get better. They will not, and the speed with which they get worse will only increase if you are passive in the face of this defiant, lease breaking tenant behavior. You need to act now to give the tenant a clear choice: comply with the lease or go. Being nice and letting go of these issues will just set the scene for further troublemaking. What if they decide to move on to property damage, after they have got away with setting their animals loose? --76.69.xx.xxx

Rachel, back where I hale from in the North of Ireland we had the right to graze sheep up on a type of community mountain that is if you owned so many acres of aerable land down below,if a dog was loose up on the mountain and bothering sheep, you had the right to shoot the dog on sight,no questions asked. That would be a little different in America, @#But who knows check it out,where ,I don't know? I would evict this character on one of the lease clauses.You don't need the money that bad! Charlie...... ..... .... ... .. . --70.215.xx.xxx

Rachael, I presume there's an animal control in your area. where all dogs have to be licensed and if out of own fenced yard, on a leash ,if not then fines, check it out,might as well make it as difficult as possible. Charlie...... ..... .... ... .. . --70.215.xx.xxx

Thank you for all the responses. Wish I could follow the grazing laws of Ireland ;-) I will look into how to initiate the happy clause. My fear is they will ignore it and cause more trouble. So far even if I try to evict them due to the dog is have to first demand they get rid of dog and if they didn't within 48 hours I could move to evict. But I wonder how strong an eviction based on a dog issue really is. Thank you guys for making me feel less of a bad guy. --174.192.x.xx

In any landlord/tenant relationship, somebody will be in charge. If it's not you, it's HIM. --66.30.xx.xx

The "Just starting eviction" post is mine. Not sure how Rachel(MA) got tagged for it. --66.30.xx.xx

As others have said, you need to get rid of him now. I shudder to think of YOUR liability if a non-horse savvy loose dog causes injury to one of your horses being boarded or a rider. I love my Labs, and I live in the country, but I would never let my dogs be loose around horses. My dogs have not been socialized to horses, and your tenant sounds like an idiot not to see how unsafe this situation is. I would get a lawyer and notify him of his lease violation per your state's law to start on the eviction process for failure to follow lease terms. I would also call Animal Control if the dog were loose on your property. He has only leased the house and the yard. He and his animals should not be trespassing onto the horse farm. You will need to make this very clear to future tenants -- have them initial this lease term. This situation would also be very unsafe if you ever lease to a family and the kids start wondering over to pet the horses. --98.145.xx.xxx

--72.93.xxx.x

Maybe you should consider doing month to month leases after you get rid of this guy, given your situation with the livestock. --50.89.xxx.xxx

Unfortunately there is some ambiguity about what is considered tenants land and what is mine. The way the property is set up it wouldn't make any sense to fence the front yard in and create a clear fenced boundary, I can't explain it but trust me. The barn is mostly fenced off but I have rights to the surrounding areas as well and the surrounding areas are on the house side, if that makes any sense. The tenants and their kids can use the front yard uninterrupted but the bottom of the front yard is in my area though not fenced off - it's an imaginary boundary surrounding the fence to the horse paddock which is off limits according to the lease. That whole boundary thing is confusing, however, there is no ambiguity at all about the lease. The lease and addendum clearly state that the dog must be leashed or contained by a fence (the only fence capable of doing this is the back yard, the other fences are attached to the barnyard and included it its jurisdiction). The lease also states that tenants, dogs, etc. are NOT allowed in or around the barn, livestock, etc. Dog must be leashed when my dogs are on the property...Etc. Stuff like that. My pet addendum/horse liability release both clearly state these rules and the tenant HAS initialed/signed these terms. I like Aldo's Rules. I live in Mass. and therefore feel as though the whole renting experience is completely in the tenants favor and have to gain more confidence that I must steer. Month to months sound inviting but very hard to find anyone willing to sign one :-/ --73.149.xxx.xxx

Rachel,my youngest daughter lives in Weymouth,she rents the first house she bought on a month to month,didn't seem to have any problem getting a tenant.She doesn't like a regular yearly lease. Charlie...... ..... .... --70.215.xx.xxx

Yup! Live free or die! --73.249.xxx.xxx

--76.176.xxx.xxx

Rachel, like the man from New Hampshire said,there could be a law that crosses the borders,Old English Laws,who knows,you might be lucky.might have to brush up on your shooting skills with the double barrel.I have one.Bought it from a guy for $10 away back.In New Haven they frown on firing within city limits. Charlie...... ..... .... --70.215.xx.xx

Unfortunately I am back. After our first altercation, the tenants wife texted me and was very apologetic about the whole ordeal and said there was a huge misunderstanding. She said she loves the house and the property and will do anything to stay there. I am a moron apparently because I decided to let things lie for a while. Yesterday things came to a head again. Once more I found the dog running loose in one of my horse paddocks and completely out of view of the owner. I brought the dog back to tenant and told him the dog had to be in the back yard or leashed and tenant told me no. He then told me I was trespassing and he was going to call the police. I began walking back to my own area and he followed me menacingly, yelling and calling me names. He shook his arm at me and was extremely belligerent. I have a call in to my lawyer who will hopefully get back to me next week. In the mean time I am looking for support that I might, even in tenant friendly Massachusetts, have a case. Tenant is in clear violation of at least three points of the pet addendum and therefore in violation of the lease. What do I send the tenant in the way of a letter to get rid of dog or face eviction? Or is it wiser to wait until I speak with my lawyer? Thank you all for your patience. --73.149.xxx.xxx

WoW....there was no benefit for your patience. It is my most sincere suggestion that you put this ASAP in the hands of the best LL/ T you can get. --70.208.xx.xx

You already have a call into your lawyer, so probably best to let them handle this one because it sounds like your first. Take a deep breath and relax, you are doing just fine.... even in our tenant friendly state you will prevail. Very few LLs allow dogs in this state and I'm sure your tenants know that. They don't want to have to leave, they already told you that. Your lawyer will be sending the sheriff to their door with a Notice to Quit. That usually straightens them right out because they know you are serious. The worst thing you can do is ignore it because then you are allowing it and if it is a problem later then a judge won't care because you allowed the behavior. Avoid confrontation with the tenant, let him argue with the sheriff. Regarding the month to month, every tenant I have is on a MTM. If they insist on a longer term then I deny their application. Those are the ones who need the protection because they know the system already, only exception is applicants on voucher programs that require a year lease. --71.10.xxx.x

They aren't on a month to month :-( they're on a year lease through August. Does that matter? They also have kids. Thank you for your answer! --73.149.xxx.xxx

Well you hireda Lawyer so document all text and date conversations and prepare your case. That's a better use of your time. Relax. You are on the right path now. The man could be bipolar. Stay away from him. Mind your own business --66.87.xx.xxx

You might also ask your lawyer about getting a protective / restraining order against the individual who threaten you. --72.93.xxx.x

I only mentioned the children because I know it's more difficult to evict during the cold months if children are involved. Thank you all for the replies. Still waiting on the lawyer to call me back but I have been in touch with my regular lawyer who is advising me. --108.20.xx.xxx

Here, children and winter have nothing to do with it. --75.132.xxx.xx