By One of the toughest decisions of being a rental property owner is to set expectations about pet policy. Will you allow tenants with pets? Some landlords are pet lovers but some are not. Many believe that pets can do harm to a rental place but there are also others who embrace the idea that pet owners are great tenants. This article will lead you to the pros and cons of allowing tenants with pets.
These are the reasons why rental owners should allow pets:
1. Wide variety of tenants – there is information that proves that the majority of tenants who are pet owners make more money. Turning your place into a pet-friendly property is like opening an opportunity to a larger pool of resourceful tenants. You may miss on a lot of money-making renters if you do not allow pets.
2. More revenue – renters with pets are just the same as tenants who don’t have one. They need a perfect ambiance and place to live so much as their pets, and with that, you can charge renters with pets extra bucks in the form of pet rent. For the love of their pet, they sure are willing to pay extra rental fees since they consider their pets as part of their family. It is legal for landlords to charge tenants with pets slightly higher.
3. Longer stay – tenants with pets hate the idea of transferring from one place to another and would avoid the hassle of finding a home applicable for their pets so the tendency is for them to stay longer in a place where their pets are allowed. They want to be sure that bringing in pets is within their renting rights and that they are bound by the laws incorporated in having pets inside a rental property.
4. Pet owners are responsible tenants – If a person is good enough to take care of an animal, chances are they will take good care of your property as well. Being a pet owner is a skill that requires a lot of time and attention. Thus, pet owner renters will likely exert the same energy and effort in taking care of your property and refer to it as a home.
5. Tenant honesty – if pets are allowed, tenants will not sneak in pets that you have not approved.
After the advantages of allowing pets in your rental property, you are probably more aware of reasons not to allow your tenants to have pets.
These are the five of the most common cons that are associated with having pets in your rentals:
1. Unwanted damage – one of the common problems, when tenants move out, is the amount of repairing and replacing items destroyed by pets. Fur babies like cats and dogs leave scratches on the floor, chew towels and carpets or urinate everywhere. Mites and fleas infestation is also possible, especially for those pets that are not well groomed. Please note that property maintenance is very expensive.
2. Other tenants may get annoyed – dogs’ nature is to bark or howl a lot, especially at night or when they find a person a stranger. This may somehow annoy other tenants who are in the middle of their sleep or busy doing their personal stuff. If this continues, it will lead them to no choice but to move. There may be tenants who are allergic to dogs and cats because they trigger allergens. They will be forced to transfer if their neighbor has pets. The best practice is for the landlords to notify tenants that the place they’re in is pet friendly and there is a possibility of noise and allergens.
3. Destruction– some animals are not friendly and may bite the other tenants or children living in the same place.
4. Stingy smell – some tenants avoid unpleasant smell from pets.
5. Noise – incessant barking of dogs in the wee hours of the night is very annoying and will give renters a headache. What’s even worse is that the barking may lead other dogs around the neighborhood to bark as well causing such chaos.
Final Words
It is highly imperative for landlords to screen all prospects of the tenancy. Ensure to check all the possibilities from the tenant should you allow pets in your rental property. Your main task is to find out whether or not there have been problems with their pets in the past. You can request for the renters to let you see and observe their pets first because the way their pet behaves can give you a hint or two about their behavior.
Lastly, ask your potential tenant a series of questions like who will be left with the pet, if the dog has any type of training, if it is licensed or if was it infested by fleas before. Having knowledge of the pet’s personality will somehow assure you and the other renters that it is not as damaging to have a pet in the vicinity.
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About the author:
Kat is a Molecular Biology Scientist turned Growth Marketing Scientist. During her free time, she loves to write articles that will bring delight, empower women, and spark the business mind. She loves to bake but unfortunately, baking doesn’t love her back. She has many things in her arsenal and writing is one of her passion projects.
