I don’t know if it’s because I’m a clean freak or because I am a Virgo but I think basic cleanliness is the same as common sense. I also think that living with others, apartment buildings, roommates, etc, there is also that common sense that should be followed so that all people get along.
The two biggest problems that we usually face when it comes to tenants getting along and having to babysit them is their pets and their children. I have both so I can speak from experience.
Most landlords are unwilling to rent to tenants with animals for obvious reasons. Those one or two ruin it for everyone else. We currently have several of each kind. We have Shayla, a young, pretty girl with the cutest dogs that she treats as her children. She has been a tenant for about 5 years and not one single problem. We have never received a complaint about the noise or any poop in the 
yard, ever. She lives in a basement suite with both dogs, with several other tenants that have come and gone but not ever one single complaint. Even all her pictures show her suite nice and clean with the puppies inside. She is definately a dream tenant and very respectful of others that she lives with.
Then you have others who live like pigs. They allow their animals to piss and sugar all over the yards. The yards go from nice and green, to yellow from the urine as well as piles of crap all over the yard. Not sure how these people live but how do you walk out of your back yard every morning, walk by a pile of crap and go on to enjoy your day? What about the other people that also walk by that same yard and have to look at your poop all day long? Does the small not bother you people? Are you not embarassed for your neighbors to know how gross you are?
Our contracts that pertain to pets specify that if you do not pick up after your pet, you will get a fine plus the pooper scooper expenses from a company that comes to pick up your poo poo. One tenant found this clause “unconscionable”. Well, in the City of Vancouver, if you do not pick up after your pet, you get a fine. It’s not very often that you see people downtown walking their dogs, let them crap and then walk away. The City of Vancouver doesn’t find this fine unconscionable so why would this tenant? Should Surrey be any different? Just because you have a yard, it is not a giant litter box for your pet to crap all over and take away from the enjoyment of other tenants. Would it be okay if I pooped right in front of your door?
Then we have our tenants with the precious children. Now, I have travelled all over the world and there does seem to be two kinds of children: North American kids and the European kids. In Europe, the kids are out of this world! They are all very polite, always say please and thank you, help around the house without even being asked to help, their rooms are always clean, they do not talk back to their parents and sit there quietly reading books or playing with their toys. Oh how its different in North America!
The kids are left to run around all over the house on the hardwood flooring when there are tenants below. Of course, this noise travels quite well and you can hear every single one of their precious feet banging on the floor. The North American parents say, “oh, they are just being kids, you don’t expect me to tell the kids to stop running around, do you?” Actually, yes, yes we do! I also lived in those same houses and my toddler just knew not to run around. If he ran, we ran around like “ninjas” on our tippy toes so that the people below wouldn’t know we are home! We have fun with it and my child learned to respect to live with others. If you need to let your kids run around like animals then by all means, spend a little more and live on the farm where they can run around all they please.
The North American kids are left to run around, have their televisions cranked and make as much noise as they please. Ever have a conversation with a parent only to realize they aren’t even on the other line because their kid walked up to them and started tal
king to them so they took priority? Kids are allowed to just jump right in and interrupt the adults while talking…I still remember what would happen to me if I tried that as a child!
In order for all tenants to get along, no one should have to look at the other one’s poop. I think that’s common sense. We shouldn’t have to listen to those precious feet banging on the ceiling either. The children will grow up not only to respect others but respect their own parents.
This is my two cents worth.
Evelina
