Council Properties and reptiles

[Ally]

Hiya, was wondering if anyone can help me, I want to know what is going on!
A couple of weeks ago someone mentioned that they were no longer allowed to keep reptiles in their council house and had to give their gecko to a friend, I didn't think to ask more at the time...
Since then we have been given (or bought from customers) 2 sub-adult iguanas, a non-feeding baby iguana, a frilled dragon, a corn snake, a russian ratsnake, two terrapins and a bosc monitor.
We have also been offered (for silly money) tortoises, geckos and beardies, and a big Nile Monitor for free - but where do you put one of those?! (Sorry Dave @ Luton Reptile Rescue - I gave them your number!)
Now, we do get things from time to time, and people try to get us to buy their pets for more than we sell them for, but never this many in such a short amount of time.
They have all had stories of unable to house/not enough time ect, but I was wondering if they were in any way connected to a change in council policy - or even stronger policing of an existing policy.
I'm not worried about finding homes for them, just wondered if this is a big things and should I be clearing out the quarantine vivs?!
Thanks for any help - local or otherwise!
Ally

[Barry.M]

Unless it's written into your tennancy agreement,and as long as the animals in question are not DWA listed theres no legal reason for a Council to tell anyone they must get rid of their pets,unless they are causing damage or annoyance to neighbours.Basically if it's not in the tennancy or the 1984 housing act they have no right to insist you get rid.

[Fangio]

Originally Posted by barrym

Unless it's written into your tennancy agreement,and as long as the animals in question are not DWA listed theres no legal reason for a Council to tell anyone they must get rid of their pets,unless they are causing damage or annoyance to neighbours.Basically if it's not in the tennancy or the 1984 housing act they have no right to insist you get rid.

You are supposed to ask for permission for animals under council tenancy. Personally though I said I had 2 snakes when I moved in here. I had 21 at the time + lizards +turtles. I then went and got a bengal cat and cut a big hole in the front-door for a cat-flap (without asking). The housing woman has been here but not batted an eyelid. As long as they don't get complaints they don't really care TBH.

[Maddie]

As said above, shouldn't be a problem as long as they are being cared for and aren't causing problems and/or trashing the place. We have a whole farm at our council house, however we have bought it over the last few months, so no more worries

[snickers]

> You are supposed to ask for permission for animals
> under council tenancy
I looked at the birmingham council tenancy agreement. There are a few prohibitions like DWA animals. You also can't keep 'unsuitable' animals. And you can only keep a reasonable number of animals.
I can't see why reptiles would be excluded. Unfortunately there is plenty of wiggle room if someone on the council decided that reptiles were unsuitable.

[linda.t]

Originally Posted by barrym

Unless it's written into your tennancy agreement,and as long as the animals in question are not DWA listed theres no legal reason for a Council to tell anyone they must get rid of their pets,unless they are causing damage or annoyance to neighbours.Basically if it's not in the tennancy or the 1984 housing act they have no right to insist you get rid.

i live in a council house and i've never had any trouble with having any pets.

[lindzey]

I live in housing assosiation which is basically same rules as the council... I've never had no problems... Aslong as the animals aren't bothering anyone and its not stated in your tenancy agreement, then it shouldn't be an issue...

Unless the council had received complaints

[Muze]

i only have tenancy restrictions on the amount of cats and dogs on mine.

My housing officer has been out to visit my property a few times last year (due to planned work they needed to carry out) and she's seen all the reps and inverts i keep and was quite interested in them...although she said she wouldnt keep them herself

[candoia aspera]

for councils in tyne and wear you you can only keep one snake and it can't get over 3ft in length. you can keep any ammount of lizards though.

you'll need to look at the individual agreement as diff councils have diff rules

[leogirl]

i check through the agreement when i signed it and i signed under the condition i couldnt get a dog (because im in a one bed flat with no private garden) and appart from that nothing noisey, smelly or would cause annoyance. It didnt say "no reps" or "no pets"