Do you have a severe cat allergy & share washing facilties w/ a cat owner?

• By rcecapman
• Reply 3440754
• October 8, 2012 at 10:35 am
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So sorry to hear of your dilemma! The landlord probably should never have taken your deposit in the first place knowing about the cat dander situation. He probably feels better safe than sorry --- I don't know if there would be any issue w sharing a washer but I suffer from SEVERE cat allergies and it's been extremely tough for me to get the situation under control even w help of an allergist so I am sure the landlord doesn't want to expose her to any unforeseen events that could possibly trigger an allergic reaction or worse a full fledged allergic asthma attack --
Wish I had a more definitive answer for you, good luck ---

• By Ellie_M
• Reply 3441108
• October 8, 2012 at 12:14 pm
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Dander is a pesky thing, and would likely travel through out the building. I am not sure how the A/C or heat works, but even an open window upstairs would draw the micro-particles in. I do think it would get stuck in washer and dryer, too, even if precautions were followed. Its on your clothes, your hair, your hands, of course your furniture, etc. An attack could be serious, and even if it is just sneezing, itchy eyes, etc. it could be a problem to live like that.

Now, someone needs to talk contract law with you as you may have some remediation based on what was signed and promised. This I cannot advise on, but a landlord cannot break a contract in the same way a tenant cannot. Both parties must be whole. GOOD LUCK!

• By lin07
• Reply 3662109
• December 30, 2012 at 9:15 pm
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This sounds so crazy but I once was staying with a friend at one of her friends houses in New York and I had my own room as it was a big house. About an hour after retiring in the room I got up and said I am sorry but I cannot stay here as there have been cats in this room and I will have to go to the hospital in the middle of the night if I stay. She said the cats had not been there for 6 months!!!! Luckily it was a big house and she had a room where they had never been so I don't know about your situation but a serious cat allergy is overwhelming. Maybe they would let you move in if you do not use the washer and dryer but agree to do laundry elsewhere.

• By LovetoCrochet
• Reply 3663003
• December 31, 2012 at 9:18 am
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I am so sorry, this is a terrible situation. I am no lawyer, but if you entered into a contract, I don't see how he can go back on it now, when you haven't broken one of the rules of that contract. I have severe allergies and one of them is to cats. I have two different scenarios to give you.

One, I live in an apartment building which has four units in each. I am handicapped, so I cannot go downstairs to the laundry facilities, I have my own in my apartment. But, my upstairs neighbor had a cat and it didn't bother me living here.

Two, my brother got a cat several months ago. I told him that I would never be able to come to see him again. But, he bought the cat a couple of items that they go into and also a bed, and the cat really didn't care for it. I told him I would sell them for him on Craig's List. Well, when they were brought in, it took less than 5 minutes and I had a severe asthma attack, I almost ended up in the ER.

My building is pet friendly, but dogs don't bother me. What I find is that sometimes people come through smoking or while they are checking their mail they smoke and that comes through the door and will make me wheeze. In this apartment, we have hot water baseboard heat, so there is no transfer of what is upstairs.

I would talk to someone about your legal standpoint. I knew these apartments before I moved here, but if a person is that senstive, they should have taken that into consideration when they rented the place and moved to a single unit or a townhouse. They must have know the pet policy when they moved in and they accepted it and moved upstairs. I don't see where you are at fault at all. LTC