Is this unreasonable?

[Monkeyslacks]

Our lease expires on Aug 18th and our landlord is selling the condo. The realtor wants to put a lockbox outside with the key in it and allow brokers to show the place while we are not there.

We have a large parrot that I don't want to take someone's finger off and generally just don't want people going through our home when we aren't there. Is it unreasonable to not allow the place to be shown when we're not there? How does the showing generally work when places are sold while still occupied by renters?

[gvibes]

[ QUOTE ]
Our lease expires on Aug 18th and our landlord is selling the condo. The realtor wants to put a lockbox outside with the key in it and allow brokers to show the place while we are not there.

We have a large parrot that I don't want to take someone's finger off and generally just don't want people going through our home when we aren't there. Is it unreasonable to not allow the place to be shown when we're not there? How does the showing generally work when places are sold while still occupied by renters?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty sure you don't have to let people into the place unless the lease says so.

[bennyk]

yes, check your lease.

if you're renting, you probably have to let them in, if they give 24 hours notice.

bk

[Diplomat]

24 hours is pretty much standard practice here in Ontario. Check the lease agreement, but you also would want to check the legislation in your area since it trumps the lease agreement.

That said, just say you want 24 hours notice of anyone coming in because of your bird. The landlord should be fine with it. Bust his balls if he disagrees.

-Diplomat

[-Skeme-]

Leave a note that tells them not to bother the parrot. Or train the parrot to tell them.

[somethingstupid]

put a lock on the cage

[Dynasty]

[ QUOTE ]
put a lock on the cage

[/ QUOTE ]

Birds shouldn't be kept in enclosed cages.

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
put a lock on the cage

[/ QUOTE ]

Birds shouldn't be kept in enclosed cages.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why are pet birds different than pet hamsters?

[Dynasty]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
put a lock on the cage

[/ QUOTE ]

Birds shouldn't be kept in enclosed cages.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why are pet birds different than pet hamsters?

[/ QUOTE ]

Birds are socialable animals. A parrot in particular will bond with a person. Keeping it locked up is cruel.

Hamsters are just rodents. They aren't even good pets.

[bennyk]

can you train a bird to be...like, housebroken? wouldn't they fly around a lot?

bk

[Dynasty]

[ QUOTE ]
can you train a bird to be...like, housebroken? wouldn't they fly around a lot?

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a bird which looked just like this guy:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v720/DynastyPoker/blue20budgie206wks.jpg

His cage was on top of a table. I kept the roof off all the time during the day. Unless something interested him elsewhere, he alwasys stayed in the cage or on the branches/swings suspended above the cage or on the table itself with his toys, rocks and stuff.

Occassionally, I'd find a few nuggets other than in his cage or on the table. But, it was hardly a hassle.

[bennyk]

Dynasty,
i want to get one of these (http://www.penguinwarehouse.com/index.php) but i'm afraid of the modifications i'll have to add to my apartment /images/graemlins/grin.gif

bk

[brassnuts]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
put a lock on the cage

[/ QUOTE ]

Birds shouldn't be kept in enclosed cages.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why are pet birds different than pet hamsters?

[/ QUOTE ]

Birds are socialable animals. A parrot in particular will bond with a person. Keeping it locked up is cruel.

Hamsters are just rodents. They aren't even good pets.

[/ QUOTE ]

Birds are the worst pets of all. Mainly because I agree they shouldn't be caged. They can fly. For God's sake, let them be free. If you have a bird, they should be kept outside and able to fly away if they should feel like it.

And, yeah, hamsters are gay. I don't think any animal should be kept in a cage, though, for what it's worth.

[Chairman Wood]

[ QUOTE ]
Or train the parrot to tell them.

[/ QUOTE ] My favorite solution

[Chairman Wood]

You just sold me

[thirddan]

i was hoping this was a weird joke...

[Chairman Wood]

[ QUOTE ]
Q: Do penguins mate for life?
A: Usually yes. However, some scientists report 'divorce rates' of approximately 10 to 20% with the occasional 'unfaithful' penguin. (Seriously!)



[/ QUOTE ]
Happens to us all

[Enon]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
put a lock on the cage

[/ QUOTE ]

Birds shouldn't be kept in enclosed cages.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why are pet birds different than pet hamsters?

[/ QUOTE ]

Birds are socialable animals. A parrot in particular will bond with a person. Keeping it locked up is cruel.

Hamsters are just rodents. They aren't even good pets.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you care for the health of your parrot it can be the ultimate cruelty to leave your parrot out while you're out of the house only to find that its hurt or killed itself while you're gone.

[Monkeyslacks]

Here is the applicable provision from the lease:

[ QUOTE ]
Resident agrees to allow Owner to enter apartment at reasonable times with adequate notice to show the premises to prosepctive tenants.

[/ QUOTE ]

My position is that the only reasonable times are when we are home. We certainly need to let people see the place and want to accomodate the sale, but I'm not comfortable with a keybox outside that gives access to anyone who is a realtor.

We have a lot of nice stuff and the presence of real estate brokers who we've never met is an inadequate assurance of security. Furthermore, I don't hear well and if someone rings the bell and I don't hear them, I don't want to get out of the shower and find people wandering around the condo.

Even if we lock her up, the parrot is likely to remove the fingers of anyone who puts their hand in the cage. There is strict liability for injuries caused by wild animals meaning that the negligence of people who come into our home is not a defense. A parrot is probably unlikely to be found to be a wild animal, but I don't really want to expose us to the chance of liability or lawsuits.

Perhaps I am too untrusting. Would you mind people realtors coming into your place without your presence?

[Monkeyslacks]

[ QUOTE ]
If you care for the health of your parrot it can be the ultimate cruelty to leave your parrot out while you're out of the house only to find that its hurt or killed itself while you're gone.

[/ QUOTE ]

Personal experience? Have you gotten an African Grey yet?

[RicktheRuler]

They can show your apartment pretty much whenever they want most of the time.

[RicktheRuler]

[ QUOTE ]
Birds shouldn't be kept in enclosed cages.

[/ QUOTE ]

Off topic, but very true. I hate to see birds in cages.

[RicktheRuler]

[ QUOTE ]
Why are pet birds different than pet hamsters?

[/ QUOTE ]

Birds can fly.

[Anders_G]

[ QUOTE ]
Birds are fly.

[/ QUOTE ]

FYP

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
can you train a bird to be...like, housebroken? wouldn't they fly around a lot?

bk

[/ QUOTE ]

I've known numbers of people who have loose birds, including veterinary professionals. Their birds crapped and pissed all over the place. Their homes stank.

And this coming from someone whose parents owned a pet shop, kennel, and quarantine, and who grew up surrounded by animals and their poop and spent literally dozens of hours a week cleaning it on a large scale. It got to the point where I literally could barely even smell poop anymore.

I STILL thought the homes of people who let their birds loose stank. A LOT.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
put a lock on the cage

[/ QUOTE ]

Birds shouldn't be kept in enclosed cages.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why are pet birds different than pet hamsters?

[/ QUOTE ]

Birds are socialable animals. A parrot in particular will bond with a person. Keeping it locked up is cruel.

Hamsters are just rodents. They aren't even good pets.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you care for the health of your parrot it can be the ultimate cruelty to leave your parrot out while you're out of the house only to find that its hurt or killed itself while you're gone.

[/ QUOTE ]

Animals raised as pets are usually in substantial danger let outside. It's generally assumed that a pet cat or dog will survive and perform reasonably well in the wild; that's one reason so many people who get tired of their pets release them onto the streets. The pets usually don't live long. Declawed cats can't climb up trees and don't necessarily know when they should, nor can they protect themselves. Pet dogs and birds don't know how or where to find food, if any can even be found. Traffic kills a lot of pets. Here in California, owls and hawks and coyotes go through them quickly, especially through cats.

Pets also catch a great many diseases from outdoor activities and contacts, another reason why cats and dogs given outside access typically have far shorter lifespans.

Pet animals, if you care about them or wish them to have a decent lifespan, need to be kept indoors or have their outdoor time monitored or even leashed. They're no more adapted to the wild than we are, and considerably less smart, knowledgeable, or adaptable.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
They can show your apartment pretty much whenever they want most of the time.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, according to the law in some places, you definitely need written warning, sometimes 24 hours, unless there is an emergency.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
Here is the applicable provision from the lease:

[ QUOTE ]
Resident agrees to allow Owner to enter apartment at reasonable times with adequate notice to show the premises to prosepctive tenants.

[/ QUOTE ]

My position is that the only reasonable times are when we are home. We certainly need to let people see the place and want to accomodate the sale, but I'm not comfortable with a keybox outside that gives access to anyone who is a realtor.

We have a lot of nice stuff and the presence of real estate brokers who we've never met is an inadequate assurance of security. Furthermore, I don't hear well and if someone rings the bell and I don't hear them, I don't want to get out of the shower and find people wandering around the condo.

Even if we lock her up, the parrot is likely to remove the fingers of anyone who puts their hand in the cage. There is strict liability for injuries caused by wild animals meaning that the negligence of people who come into our home is not a defense. A parrot is probably unlikely to be found to be a wild animal, but I don't really want to expose us to the chance of liability or lawsuits.

Perhaps I am too untrusting. Would you mind people realtors coming into your place without your presence?

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a coin collection stolen before. The realtor may be quite professional, but it's quite common, even desirable, to let customers wander around by themselves, discussing things privately. And that means total access to everything you've got. There's nobody who can guarantee the character of who the realtor brings in; certainly the realtor can't. And the people brought in will have a pretty much perfect opportunity.

If anything is harmed or goes missing, you will have no way to prove it.

Be cautious. Be home. Take time off work. Arrange with your landlord for a reasonable time. If you have a good relationship with him, this might be easy to work out.

At any rate, you are probably not legally subject to being barged in on, so even if you can't schedule viewings after you are home from work, you should work it out with your boss that you may suddenly have to ask for a day off sometime in the next week or month or whatever, and then just take the loss and/or discomfort. Alternatively, perhaps you could work it out with a trusted neighbor or relative to be around at the set time.

[Hoopster81]

All fine and food until he decides to fly into the window and break its neck. That's what happened to my parakeet. Supervised exits from the cage are OK, but the cage is there for its own protection.

"maybe you should have clipped it wings" - hypocrite

[34TheTruth34]

[ QUOTE ]
Or train the parrot to tell them.

[/ QUOTE ]


PotD!

[Monkeyslacks]

Here she is. She has her wings clipped and we generally leave the door to her cage open all day and close it at night. We've had her for 4.5 years and she is definitely a happy bird. She is well-adjusted and gets plenty of attention. There is certainly no smell to our home and she is very clean. We have to replace the liner in the bottom of her cage every couple of weeks, but that's it.
http://img198.echo.cx/img198/9655/birdcage5rt.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)