Lori Carr of Harmon, Illinois said she received a tip that her tenant was housing several cats in the house, breaking the agreement in the lease. Carr said she and her two friends proceeded to do a walk-through of the house.
Carr said she counted "at least 50 cats."
"There was crap everywhere," Carr continued, "The ceiling tile in the basement was falling down. The cats were in the rafters."
Carr said the tenant moved in the home on May 25, 2014. In the lease he was allowed to have "two cats."
The tenant said he was allowed to have 10 cats. He said because he was unable to get the cats spayed or neutered, his cats quickly multiplied. He claims he now has 20 cats.
As we toured the house, the tenant said he rescues cats and provides them with a better life. He added he has been giving away some of the cats.
"They are healthy and they are happy. This is not like something you would see on hoarders where there's 50 cats running the house with crap everywhere," the tenant said.
When asked about the alleged carpet damage, from the cats urinating and defecating, the tenant said the carpet was old and damaged when he moved in.
Carr said she is "drawing up papers" to terminate the lease, while the tenant said he's looking for a new place that will accept his cats.
According to the Illinois Attorney General's Office, Illinois tenants in a month-to-month lease must be given a 30-day notice before a lease is terminated. For a year-to-year lease, a 60-day notice is required.
Ron Gruenhagen of Quad Cities Rental Property Association, a non-profit group that advocates for the interests of landlords, said landlords should take the following precautions when renting out their home:
- Require a security deposit. This is often mutually-negotiated between both parties. In the case of damage, a landlord can keep the security deposit and apply it toward fixing damages left behind from the tenant.
- Do not allow pets, or charge extra rent to allow them. That extra money can be saved and applied toward damages.
