I (26M) own my own home. Its 5 bedrooms and way more space than I need. I came into the house due to a death in the family and i’ve had it for about 2 years. I use 3 bedrooms, my room, my office, my video game room. The other 2 rooms I rent out. One roommate, I don’t know very well and keeps to himself. The other roommate is a friend from college.
The friend from college is a diabetic. He has a CGM and thats how he manages it. I honestly don’t know much more about his condition and don’t pry as its not my business. He recently informed me that he is getting a service dog that alerts for his diabetes. He’s supposed to get the dog next week.
I do not want to live with a dog, I don’t like them. I told him he can break his lease for a new place but he can’t have the dog in my house. Until this, it has been overall smooth sailing as roommates. He’s angry with me and supposedly looking into ways to make me accept the dog. He had a good situation at my house. He’s told me I’m an asshole for basically kicking him out because he is disabled. AITA?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> AITA for refusing my friend to have a service dog at my house? I might be the asshole because i’m not letting have his disability aid, basically am kicking him out, and might be ending a friendship over my decision.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
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Using his disability to force you to take his dog isn’t cool. NTA.
I don’t know if you’re an asshole or not but you can’t legally evict him for having a service dog. If he has a lease and you’re doing this above board, you’re probably going to have to accept the dog. If you’ve been doing it illegally, you might get away with it, but I see an IRS visit in your future. 🤷🏻♀️
Buddy you need a lawyer, he has rights that you clearly don’t understand.
Legally, you cannot kick a service dog out regardless of how much you don’t like it. Speak to a lawyer.
NTA. He’s not the only person living there, and service dogs are still dogs with all the problems that entails.
Did the lease he signed with you have a pets policy? Does your homeowners insurance cover pet-related damages?
You, as the property owner, are the one who will be, in the end, financially liable for any accidents and incidents. Protecting yourself first and foremost is unfortunately necessary in this day and age.
YTA and he can actually sue you for this. This is not a pet. They literally are there to save their lives.
YTA. Service dogs are medical equipment. You need to consult a lawyer to make sure your ass doesn’t totally get handed to you.
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YTA. Evicting someone for getting a service dog is illegal. You should apologize for your lack of awareness regarding service animals and what they do, then hope he doesn’t decide to sue you.
You’re living there. You’re not just a landlord you’re a roommate, who would have to deal with exposure to allergens. There’s no way you would never see the dog. The comments seem to be glossing over the fact that this is where you live.
NTA. If he signed a lease or not is not clear from your post, but you’ll obviously have to deal with fallout from this in one way or another, I’m sorry
YTA. Not much of a friend are you? In fact, not much of a human being.
Nope, NTA. If you don’t want to live with a dog, don’t live with a dog, service animal, or not.
YTA and you might have a date in court soon
This is not a regular dog. This is a specially trained animal and you should feel lucky to have it in your household. Plus, I’m not sure if you can evict him over this. Lawyer up and get informed.
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Anyone telling you you must accept a service dog is wrong. Because you own the house and are renting out rooms in the house you are not a typical landlord. Here are exceptions :
The FHAA does not apply to all landlords. Examples of where the FHAA does not apply are:
Buildings with four or fewer units where the landlord lives in one of the units,
Private owners who do not own more than three single family houses, do not use real estate brokers or agents, and do not use discriminatory advertisements.
PSA: There are different rules for renting rooms than there are for landlords renting out entire housing units. You’d need to talk to an attorney to figure out the rules that apply here
All these people who are saying it’s illegal are wrong. If you’re renting a room in your own home out you are generally not held to the fair housing rules that you would be if you were a commercial landlord. You do not have to make reasonable accomodations for a service animal.
That said are you an ah…. Depends. If you don’t want a dog in your home that’s fine. As long as you are reasonable about letting him break the lease and find a place I think it’s okay. You should have to have a dog in the house if you’re not comfortable and he shouldn’t be held to a lease where he can’t get a dog he needs. It’s a situation where there’s no compromise so you go your separate ways as friends. That’s about all you can do. If you try to kick him out right away and try to hold him to a lease payment that’s a bit different.
I get not wanting to live with a dog, but I think this is a possible lawsuit as others have said
Edited: I was mistaken. The Mrs Murphy exemption exists at Federal and State levels in this instance. Owner occupied housing with less than four units, not listed by a real estate agent, are exempt completely from FHA regulations at federal and state levels.
I still believe it’s a dick move, but you would be within your rights.
YTA.
Quoted from the Arizona housing code.
It’s against federal and state law.
Persons with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation for assistance animals
(service animals or support animals) under federal and state fair housing laws. Housing
providers cannot refuse to make a reasonable accommodation to, or modification of, their rules,
policies, practices, or services when the accommodation may be necessary to give a person with a
disability the equal opportunity to use and enjoy their housing.
If you never want a dog in your home, don’t be a landlord. You forfeit that option for service animals anytime you open your property for profit. You decided your home should be a business, the law says businesses can’t discriminate.
I just googled it a diabetic can get a service dog. Fuck my landlord I’m getting a dog. But yeah you could be screwed
YTA – 100%
Look into your states laws as well as the federal ADA laws. Some states you have to have so many rental units before you are forced to allow a service animal. Not to be confused with support animals as they are NOT covered by the ADA.
NTA. You’re talking about a home in which you live. Normal restrictions for landlords don’t apply to you.
Actual diabetic alert dogs are extremely expensive. If he can afford one he can afford to find another place. What I think is more likely he might be getting a dog that he’s going to train to do it, but most people don’t have the follow-through to train a service dog. That’s why they’re so expensive.
As a fellow type one, I’d have a lot of questions for the dude if I was personally dealing with him.
I forgot to mention it takes a hot minute to get a trained diabetic alert dog. If he just informed you recently and he’s getting it next week, it is almost certainly not a trained DAD.
You are renting a ROOM in your shared living situation – it does not make you an asshole to not allow an animal in your home.
owner occupied housing is not required to allow service animals. “The FHAA does not apply to all landlords. Examples of where the FHAA does not apply are:
I also rent rooms in my house – and already have a dog and a cat. Neither would do well with another animal added to the household.
Yta. If the law doesn’t require you to accommodate then that’s your prerogative, I guess. Service animals stay with their owner and well well-trained. It won’t be yowling all night and jumping on your furniture. If your abelist views are worth losing a friend over, then so be it. Hope your socks are always soggy for no reason.
The number of people who don’t understand that FHA doesn’t apply here because you live in the unit is honestly crazy to me. The only way FHA applies here is if you own 5 or more units. Otherwise, no, you do not need to accommodate the service dog, because the unit is owner-occupied.
NAH. This is just kind of an unfortunate scenario for you and your roommate. Ideally, you would be ok with living with the service dog but what if you had allergies, or some other condition preventing you from living with a dog? Anyway, I’d make sure to give him a reasonable amount of time to move out if it comes to that. It also wouldn’t hurt to consult with a lawyer before doing anything.
People need to brush up on FHA laws before immediately jumping the bandwagon.
Yes, you are. If it’s a service dog, it’s illegal to do that.
NTA, it is your house.
Cgm + phone is superior to dads in virtually every way, and you have offered to break the lease (I’m assuming it says no pets?).
People are rough.
As a dog owner my self, id say NTA.
You don’t want you house being filled with fur and what else dogs bring in – that’s fair.
I don’t think you can get your hand on a service animal just like that so I’d say your friend is a soft ah. He should’ve asked and planned before hand.
He did however not plan, and told you this, so id draft up a “time to move out whitin 3 months” eviction. Which should be alright cus I guess you have mutual sign up release right?
YTA, I feel sorry for you.
Every single person saying it’s illegal and just medical equipment are glossing over THIS IS OP’S HOME they just happen to rent out individual rooms, the “laws” ya’ll keep referencing don’t apply. OP has every right to not want ANY animal in their home whether technically medical equipment or not, it is still a dog and most are actively trained by owners they don’t just come perfectly well-behaved and even those that are trained prior still shed and have accidents, they’re not robots. Animals, ANY type, when being brought into a communal situation need to be approved by everyone living in said communal situation. NTA
NTA I don’t think you should have to live with a dog in your home if you don’t want to, just be reasonable and give him time to find another place
YTA, Big Time! You obviously know nothing about Service Dogs. It will not be wandering around your place. It will always be near its owner as it is trained to alert him of a diabetic emergency. You will hardly know it’s there.
Get over it! Be glad that he’s getting it.
YTA
Quick Google search and it seems the requirements are different for owner occupied buildings in a lot of states so OP may be correct.
Whole situation was handled poorly.
I get it, I don’t want to live with dogs and as much as they are classified medical equipment they are still a dog. What if OP has dog-related trauma, should they be forced to live with a dog that may be detrimental to their mental health?
At the end of the day OP is an AH for choosing to be a landlord without making their requirements very clear.
Renter isn’t an AH just sloppy for not doing their due diligence before telling OP.
NTA. It will be a partner that they will need to move in next.
NTA, your house your rules. There are plenty of diabetic people that do not have service dogs, they are helpful but not required for treatment. You are allowed to not like dogs even if others are against you because it is a really hot take.
NTA for not wanting a dog in your house.
If it develops that the roommate refuses to move and the law won’t allow you to evict him, you might want to consider selling the house. I’d check with a lawyer, but it seems like this might be a way to deal with the situation. You can buy another house with the sale proceeds.
Look up the “Mrs. Murphy” exemption to the FHA rules.
NTA he is one for trying to force you to live with a dog when you have made it perfectly clear that you don’t like dogs.
NTA. Dogs smell, service animal or not, I wouldn’t want that in my house either. Not liking dogs does not make someone an asshole. Some friend to not even tell you he was applying/eligible for one, it goes both ways.
NAH
First look up the laws regarding service dogs and landlords – for both commercial and private properties. I believe they are different. You’ll have to give him 30 days notice and you need to look up how the service animal figures into that.that up also.
Although you are kicking him out it’s not because he is disabled. If that were true you wouldn’t have rented to him in the first place. If you don’t like dogs, you just don’t like dogs.
YTA. Yeah you don’t legally have to allow it since you own the home. Service dogs aren’t pets but they are still dogs I guess, so you’re allowed to be an asshole about this. Still an asshole though. I would recommend you stop calling this person your friend, clearly they aren’t. I am actively allergic to some animals but if one of them would keep a friend of mine from potentially dying, I would move heaven and earth to accommodate them.
As a diabetic myself, his CGM is enough that he doesn’t need a service dog as an adult. And this is important, they just don’t give out service dogs in a couple of days. First, a dog that is trained to alert for any disability, including detecting low or high blood sugar, costs thousands of dollars. Then there is approval and training period for the patient that happens before a dog is matched. So telling you he’s getting one in a couple of days sounds fishy, unless he didn’t tell you for weeks that he had applied. He might just be getting a regular dog and calling it a service dog to get around your no pets policy.
Look up the long list of requirements for a diabetic to get a service dog in Arizona. It is very detailed. There is also Ability Dogs of Arizona which trains and provides them that will give you more information. Take that list and show it to your tenant. He has already told you his disability so you can ask him if he went through all the steps. Please give an update.
Lolol YTA. People here are talking about whether or not it’s illegal – which isn’t the point. The point is it’s a service animal. A well-trained dog that isn’t going to be peeing everywhere like a puppy.
If you told him how much you hate dogs and aren’t sure it will work and he might have to find something else / see how it goes it would be one thing.
But the guy is sick enough to be adjusting to this big life change and being thrown out?
Most of these answers are wrong. Please use Google or any other service to look up The Fair Housing Act. It requires ALL landlords, HOA’s and OTHER HOUSING PROVIDERS (such as the person here) You can only ask a service animal to be removed from a private home or deny it if the animal is out of control and the handler doesn’t control it, or if the animal is not housebroken. I fixed it for you all. And not only are you the asshole, you’re breaking the law
yta
You are a landlord and you need to follow the law. This isn’t about whether or not you like dogs.
Check with an attorney to see what your legal options are. The Fair Housing Act may prevent you from evicting a tenant that you have already entered into a lease agreement with, just for acquiring a service animal.
Service dogs are well behaved. Give it a try, it may not be a problem for you and it could save your friend’s life.
If you really don’t want a dog in the house, don’t renew his lease.
You say this is a friend from college. You’re not being a very good friend.
YTA
NTA but I don’t like you. lmao
I think you’ll be ok because of the situation. I’m pretty sure that landlords generally cannot discriminate though. I’d talk to an attorney.
He didn’t have the dog when he rented the room. He never told OP he was thinking about getting a dog. Just sprung it on him with I’m getting a dog next week. That was the AH move. I don’t know if he can this or not but I just think ESH.
What you are doing is legal but yeah, it makes you TAH.
It doesn’t matter if it’s not pet (which they absolutely are,also- they’ll always alert but they’re not always “on the clock,” as in they get to be a normal dog too). Someone doesn’t have to live with a dog if they don’t want to. They’ll have to deal with it for the 30 day notice they’ll have to give their tenet though
NAH
I would suggest consulting lawyer about ending the tenancy, because it does involve the roommate/tenant bringing in a service animal into your shared residence.
I could be entirely wrong, but I do think there are slightly different rules with you residing in the home, as it’s also your private residence and not a place you own and are renting out separately from where you live.
If you don’t like dogs you don’t like them. I was attacked by a dog as a kid and have the scars on my face to prove it.
I absolutely could not and will not ever live with a dog.
Also with it being YOUR house, it’s a real shit move for him to spring this on you without even discussing it with you.
You do you and try to drown out all the YTA bullies.
Anyone who tells me they “don’t like dogs” is an asshole.
YTA
I think we are missing a lot of information to understand the whole story unrelated to the service dog. The lease. Is there a formal lease that was signed, how long is the lease for and has he established residency at this address. If there is a lease when does the lease end? You could go through the eviction process but that might take longer than the lease. However, you not allowing him to renew a lease due to the service dog could get you fined by the government through the ADA. I don’t know the exact laws where you live but since it’s your house I’m pretty sure all the FHA does not apply. But I would get a lawyer and start the eviction process if you don’t want the dog there but it also depends on how long he’s been living there. If it does not meat the residency requirement that might be the fastest way. But without some of this information advice you are being given may or may not be accurate.
YTA. Diabetes is dangerous and you want to kick him out bc he has access to something that can help him better prepare for emergencies? You can set boundaries about where the dog stays, furniture, etc. without kicking him out. Service animals aren’t like an untrained adult dog or a puppy. They are highly trained so it would not cause any damage to your property. Normally I would say your house your boundaries but this is entirely different than a pet
I love how people act like a dog being a “service animal” suddenly makes them no longer a dog. They’re still an animal living in your house with all the cons that brings. NTA but cover your bases legally.
Yes, YTA, and kicking him out for having a service animal is illegal if you’re in the US.
nta but give dude some time to get his shit sorted,
ESH. He’s your friend and service dogs are extremely well trained, BUT, he didn’t inform you or ask and it’s your home. You suck because he’s s disabled and that’s the reason for the service dog, he’s not asking for a puppy for company or entertainment.
Yes you are-especially since it’s a friend.
You may not be legally liable but yes you are TAH. Its a service dog. Your roomate would be 100% responsible and the dog is expected to be properly trained to do its job. I understand not wanting a regular pet because they are not trained the same way a service dog is.
Info: did he discuss this with you at all before this?
People are saying “some friend you are” for not wanting to live with a service dog, but are glossing over the fact that it’s super shitty to wait until the week prior to tell your supposed friend, roommate, and landlord that that’s on the table from the second they started that process. Especially because getting a service dog takes way longer than a week so he had the time for this to not be such a surprise. That said, barring any issues like allergies or dog related trauma, I’d say give it a try before making an official decision if you want to keep this friendship intact. Service dogs aren’t like getting any other dog, and you might be surprised how little it will likely impact your life if you’re not just stewing in anger about it.
NTA – it’s your house and if you don’t want a dog in it then you shouldn’t have to live with one. Your tenant has the option of moving somewhere more dog-friendly
Very soft YTA. Look, I love dogs, but I completely understand why a lot of people don’t, and you have every right to not want to live with one. That said, you may legally have to if your roommate is a on a lease agreement (though this also depends on which country you’re in). That’s because, in a lot of places, service dogs cannot be denied by landlords. So, look into what your local laws are as well as the legal standings your roommate has. If he’s legally in the right, you’re just going to have to put up with it unless he agrees that moving out is the best option.
YTA. You don’t have a reason, just decided you don’t like dogs. Fine. You are within your legal rights, but you are TA to insist.
Does your contract with the tenor say ” No Pets?” Don’t know if that would help much. Also, if he has a CGM, he is or is able to monitor and adjust his blood sugar, that’s my opinion as a longtime CHM, pumper. I do get low blood sugar so maybe a service dog is necessary.
YTA. Legally, you cannot stop him from getting a service animal and disrupting his housing because you just dont want the dog there would be grounds for a lawsuit.
Its not like he’s getting a pet, a service animal is a medical device lol
Besides, anyone willing to put their personal preferences over my need for LIFE SAVING EQUIPMENT is not my friend.
NTA. Entitled people are toxic people. Get him removed ASAP. Toxic people shortens the lifespan of those around them.
NTA
Considering a diabetes support dog is easily $ 10 000 and takes months of training. It is pretty weird that your roommate wouldn’t have talked about it beforehand. He must have kept it a secret because he knew about your aversion towards dogs. Be careful, though, to not tap into discrimination territory when kicking him out.
YTA.
First, I don’t trust people that don’t like dogs.
Also, it’s not like you’re letting him live there out of the goodness of your heart. He’s paying you rent and he is getting the dog to help him with his medical condition. It can literally save his life and you don’t want that because you just don’t like dogs.
NTA.
I love animals (I’m a veterinarian), but you are not legally required to accommodate a service animal if you own the home and especially not if you live onsite.
I also don’t think you are a bad friend regardless of what others are saying.
Many people with diabetes are living and managing themselves without service animals, so not having one isn’t essential for their survival.
You’re not preventing them from having a service animal, you are stating what makes you comfortable in your own home and they have the option of staying and not getting a service animal or getting a service animal and leaving.
NAH, but you will lose friends in over this. And depending on where you live he can sue you for refusing the dog.
I have a service dog— you’re well within your rights to not allow a service dog in your own home if it’s not something you’re comfortable with. It’s a little bit of an asshole move to kick the friend out so last minute if he needs to be out before he gets the dog and the dog is coming next week, but it’s also an asshole move on his part to not make you and the other roommate aware of his plan to get a service dog, as it DOES affect other people you live with and is absolutely something they should know. He really didn’t give you much of any warning, so it’s not like you could’ve told him any further in advance that he needs to figure out a different living situation if he’s getting a dog, service dog or not.
Also, getting a service dog is NOT a short process or something you do on impulse. If he’s getting this dog already trained from a program, that often takes YEARS. There’s no way he hasn’t been aware of this for months, AT LEAST. He should’ve brought it up to you before finalizing things, and any reputable service dog organization would make sure that the client’s living situation is suitable and everyone in the home is in agreement before placing a dog. There’s no way that happened here, which in combination with the quick timeline makes me think that either the dog he’s getting isn’t actually trained yet and will essentially be a pet until training is actually done, or might be from a less than reputable/scam program. Either way, I’d be concerned. Anyway, NTA. You’re allowed to not want to live with a dog in your own home when you’re also living there, and since the FHA doesn’t apply in this situation you’re legally allowed to enforce that.
NTA. Plain and simple. No dogs in my house either but I like dogs that live in other people’s houses.
Yes, YTA, and a bad friend on top of it. Good lord.
NTA. It sucks for the guy but I don’t think anyone should be forded to have a dog in their house. I would do everything you can to accommodate him and support him moving though.
NAH, it’s fair that you don’t want to live with a dog, and also fair that he thinks since it’s a service dog it shouldn’t count. The lack of communication in the situation is probably the worst part of the whole situation. And the fact he immediately tried to legally force it upon you just shows you his nature. Bend to my will or I’ll make you bend to it. It’s not like he’s blind and absolutely needs it diabetes is managed so many ways.
NTA.
Not everyone wants to live with a dog, and he should have asked you if you were ok with it before signing up for one. A dog is still a dog, even when it’s trained to perform tasks. It still smells, sheds hair, gets underfoot, and adds chaos to a home. Service dogs also need time off to just be a dog. It’s a great medial assistance device, but he’s still going to need his machine. And again, it’s still a dog.
Idk where you live, but most countries have limits on ADA compliance in private spaces. You own the home and live in it, so you get final say on if animals (service or otherwise) are allowed in your private space. Your friend/roommate does not have a legal or moral leg to stand on.
If you were a landlord that didn’t occupy the property, then you’d definitely be TA. I could also see you being TA if this was strongly advised by his doctor. But again, he still should have asked you first.
Check the tenancy laws for where you live. Find out if roommates are covered or not. Make sure to refer to him correctly. Because if you switch back and forth, your roommate will possibly use anything to try and say and use tenancy/service animal/disability rules against you.
I don’t think he’s actually your friend if he was you wouldnt be kicking him out for a service animal. YTA.
I’ll just say – you are well within your rights to evict your college friend/tenant from your own home. Totally your right to not like dogs. However, this is AITA, and not legal advice. ESH. Friend/tenant should have discussed it way in advance and not assumed. Home owner just comes across as pretty heartless and crummy.
You’re the asshole. That’s illegal. Fuck yourself if you like, but its federal law. Enjoy that.
NTA, but you might want to look up if it’s legal. It might be in violation of the fair housing act. Not sure since you also live there?
YTA
You’re likely setting yourself up for legal troubles here, as having a service dog is not a permitted reason to deny housing in many places.
Legal stuff aside, not liking dogs is not sufficient reason to force a choice between housing and medical equipment.
Service Animal is not a Pet. You might not want a dog. But you could come to a compromise. I am pretty sure if he sues, he can get a nice settlement.
NTA people are being crazy on here omg
NTA but im pretty sure there are very diffrent rules between eu and usa, so depending where you are staying you might have a case. If usa, rip but eu you might have a chance.
YTA – a service dog for a diabetic can save that person’s life. It doesn’t matter what you or anyone else thinks he needs or what else he can do. This isn’t about legality, it’s about human decency. He now knows what a lousy friend you really are.
NTA. It’s your home, you get to say no dogs. Also, there’s no way he didn’t know this was happening until this week and he deliberately kept it hidden to put you in a bad spot. If you’re feeling generous you could give him 30 days and let the dogs stay for a few weeks while he finds a new place, but I think you’re within your rights since it’s a private home.
Asshole seems too strong but you might find yourself rather lonely. You’re not under any legal obligation to allow them to stay with the dog but I wanna hear some good reasons why you wouldn’t want a (trained) dog around, especially if it helps someone.
YTA, but so is your roommate
YTA
This dog is like any device for disabled people. Do you consider kicking someone out for its wheelchair? And you said that he is your friend?!
All because you don’t like dogs
Not because you’re afraid or allergic.
You didn’t even propose to test living with a dog before kicking him out.
You are a shitty friend and a shitty person
Not only are you the Asshole you will be in violation of Federal Law and he could end up with your house!!!!
If you have a lease with this friend is it in the lease? Did you mention this from the beginning? And did he bring this up to you or just say he is getting the dog without discussion?
A lot of people in here have no idea what they’re talking about. You are legally in the clear since it’s owner occupied and you only rent 2 rooms. NTA, you’re allowed to not want to live with an animal.
It takes a long time to qualify for and get a Service Animal. He should have told you about his plan LONG before he was assigned a dog.
Public places cannot ban service animals but I don’t believe private residences fall under that rule (depending on your State maybe).
The ADA says service dogs are to be allowed in any public place. It is not mandatory for homeowners to allow the service dog in their private home
You need to have a consultation with an attorney who deals with ADA issues.
In the meantime, make all of your communications with your tenant in writing via text or email. Documentation is essential.
They have a lease so it seems this is a formal relationship. If this is in America you can’t discriminate a tenant because of a service dog. A service dog is not a pet, it’s like saying you can’t have a wheelchair or crutches. Also they’re your friend, so YTA no matter what.
NAH no one should have to live with a dog if they don’t want to unless their own child (or step-child) has been prescribed one.
Sucks for your friend, but I wouldn’t want to live with a dog either.
Instead of asking Reddit, ask a lawyer. You should have one anyway if you’re renting rooms out.