Having a pet is like having a friend. They offer you happiness, protection and love and have the ability to make you smile every time you see them, that’s why so many people would never consider moving somewhere without them.
However, when it comes to choosing a property to live in, many landlords might worry about the property damage, smell and potential problems with the neighbours if the pet is noisy. So here are the advantages and disadvantages that might help you to take a decision on whether or not to allow pets:
Reasons to allow pets in your rental property
- It is an opportunity to expand the number of potential tenants
A lot of people have pets so marketing your house as a pet-friendly may give you significantly more applicants to choose from.
-
Don’t forget about the deposit
A pet deposit is used to cover all the costs of the damage that could be caused by the pet.
-
Better relationship with your tenant
An understanding landlord will always be much more appreciated by its tenants. Responsible pet owners will make sure that your property is looked after as if it were their own.
-
It can improve your reputation
A pet friendly property can gain some community support which is very important considering that landlords can be associated with animal abandonment caused by the lack of pet friendly housing.
-
Responsible tenants will always make sure that your property is looked after
In most cases any damage costs are covered by the deposit and a responsible tenant won’t allow anything bad to happen to your property. Statistics show that there isn’t much difference between the damage caused by the tenants with and without pets, the risk is the same but with pets it simply looks more obvious.
Reasons not to allow pets in your rental property
- Whether we like it or not, SOME pets can be destructive
Sometimes, money can’t repair everything, pets sometimes do cause damage so if your furniture is special to you or is irreplaceable then think wisely before leaving at your property.
- The noise
Being considerate to your neighbours is important. A dog barking or howling because it’s been left on its own all day will be annoyance to the neighbourhood.
-
The smell
Some pets leave an odour from their presence, no matter how well-groomed they are. We would recommend that your tenancy agreement includes a clause that the carpets and furnishings are professionally cleaned and pet deodorised at the end of the tenancy.
-
Animals can carry fleas and mites and you definitely don’t want an infestation.
As we mentioned previously, make sure your tenancy agreement stipulates that your tenants professionally clean the property when they move out, ensuring that the carpets are thoroughly cleaned and treated for fleas and mites.
