>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: renting with ferrets
>
>I've had ferrets through 3 apartments now, and I have never told my
>landlords about them.  ...
>So...anyone have any thoughts on this?
 
Hi Becky and Heather,
 
I also went through living in an apartment where no pets were allowed and
when the apartment was being renovated, I was a nervous wreck about the
ferrets being discovered (this was also with a somewhat hostile landlord
who we knew wanted us to move so he could raise the rent more).  After
that experience, I swore never again, and my last two apartments have
allowed the ferrets and had them in the lease.
 
My strategy was to look first at apartments that listed cats as ok (or
better yet pets in general, but we all know how rare those are).  Then
after looking at the place and impressing the realtor/landlord with what
responsible people we seemed to be, I would mention that I had two
ferrets and that their behavior was very similar to a cat's, except that
they scratch less and make less noise and sleep more.  I stressed that
they used a litterbox, and that if there was ever a problem with mice,
the ferrets would efficiently take care of it.  Because of my own allergy
issues, we only looked at places with hardwood floors, so carpeting was
not an issue.  Yes, I stretched the truth about litterbox usage, and I
have no idea if my ferrets would go after mice or not, but I was
comfortable with what I was saying since I know that my ferrets aren't
going to cause serious damage to an apartment, and I keep things pretty
clean.  And so far, I've landed two apartments with this strategy (in
fact, one apartment even allowed six ferrets written into the lease,
as I had two and my housemate had four, but that was a pretty unusual
situation).  How many ferrets to tell a realtor or landlord about can
be trickier, but if it's at all manageable, honesty is really the best
policy.  I don't know what rentals are like in your area, but I had much
better luck with apartments in 2-family houses than with apartment
buildings, which generally don't allow pets at all around here.
 
Basically the important thing is to impress them with your demeanor and
level of responsibility before you even bring up the ferrets--dress
nicely (my husband and I are both pierced and tattooed types but we can
look presentable when needed), and this will sound silly but carrying a
clipboard with a printed-out checklist of things you are looking for in
an apartment impresses the heck out of realtors and landlords.  I don't
know why, but it does.  So act like you mean business before telling
them about your business :)  Good luck!
 
Regina
 
Regina Harrison  [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
http://www.channel1.com/users/regina/
blog: http://www.channel1.com/users/regina/zblog.html
 
Is that my business?  Well, what is my business?  Do I know?  Did I ever
know?  Let s not go into that.  You re not human tonight, Marlowe.  Maybe
I never was or ever will be... Maybe we all get like this in the cold
half-lit world where always the wrong thing happens and never the right.
--Raymond Chandler, The Little Sister
[Posted in FML issue 4037]