Two Strangers Showed Up at Her Side Gate With a Golden Retriever Saying They Booked Her Backyard for an Hour, After Her Landlord Listed It Online as a Private Dog Park

A woman who rents an entire house was surprised when two strangers showed up at her side gate with a golden retriever. They told her they’d booked her backyard for an hour.

Her landlord had listed the fenced yard online as a private dog park, complete with photos of her backyard. When she called him, he said he could rent out the outdoor space separately because he owns the property.

Strangers at the Side Gate

At first, she thought it had to be a prank. Two people were standing at her gate with their dog, ready to come in.

They explained that they’d reserved the backyard. To them, it seemed like a normal booking.

She was stunned. Nobody had told her anything about strangers using the yard.

Booked Through an Online Listing

One of the visitors pulled up the reservation on their phone. The listing advertised the yard as a private dog park.

Pet owners can pay to rent private yards so their dogs can run off-leash. Some listings charge $10 to $30 or more per hour.

For a landlord, that could mean extra income. For the tenant, it meant strangers using the space she’s paying for.

Photos of Her Own Backyard

The listing included pictures of her actual backyard. There was no mistaking it.

Seeing her yard advertised online felt like a huge invasion of privacy. It was part of her home, and now strangers could book it.

She also worried about what could happen if visitors damaged the yard or left messes behind. As the tenant, she could be the one dealing with the fallout.

Renting the Entire House

She rents the whole house, not just the inside. Her lease specifically includes the fenced backyard.

That means the yard is part of what she pays for each month. She expected to have private use of it.

Rent for a house with a yard often costs more than a home without one. Outdoor space is part of the value tenants are paying for.

Landlord Admits It

She called her landlord, and he admitted he’d posted the listing a few days earlier. This was the first booking.

She was relieved she happened to be home. Otherwise, strangers and their dogs might have been in her yard without her knowing.

Her landlord argued that because he owns the property, he can rent the outdoor space separately. She strongly disagreed.

Offering to Avoid Her Hours

He suggested blocking off the times she’s usually home. That way, the dogs wouldn’t bother her.

To her, that missed the point. She didn’t want anyone using the yard she rents.

Having strangers come and go could also create safety concerns. She wouldn’t know who had access to the gate or when they’d be there.

Listing Still Up the Next Morning

She told her landlord to remove the listing right away. By the next morning, it was still online.

That made her even more frustrated. It seemed like he wasn’t taking her concerns seriously.

She worries more people will keep booking the yard. Each reservation could bring more strangers to her home.

Considering a Lawyer

She’s now thinking about talking to a lawyer. She wants to understand her rights as a tenant and whether her landlord can legally do this.

Legal advice can cost money, but protecting her home matters to her. She’s left wondering how to stop her landlord from renting out a backyard she already pays for before more strangers show up at her gate.

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