Prior to listing your home for rent one of the questions you will need to answer is whether you should allow pets or not. Here are a few pros and cons of allowing pets you might want to consider
Pros:
- According to the Humane Society as many as 72% of renters have a pet: this gives you a larger pool of people you can advertise to
- The tenant will be required to pay a pet deposit to help offset any damage caused and a pet addendum will be added to your lease
- Studies have shown that having a pet reduces stress and makes a place feel more like home, a happy tenant who is comfortable in your home is more likely to renew their lease
- The average income of dog owners is higher than that of non-dog owners (source: APPA)
- Decrease the chances of a tenant sneaking in a pet during the lease
Cons:
- Possible damage to flooring or home
- Odors or Allergens can stick to carpets or in ducts., in most cases allergens are not an issue when a carpet has been cleaned, but if you have severe pet allergies this could be a problem if you plan to return to your rental home in the future
- Your insurance provider may have restrictions on types/breeds allowed, be sure to contact them for their their specific regulations (and don’t forget to let us know if there are any restrictions so we can let applicants know too!)
- If you own a condo the association may have their own restrictions on number of pets allowed in a unit or size
Contacting an potential tenant’s current landlord is one of the steps we take during the application review process, this includes asking if there have been any problems associated with their pets. Knowing this information can help you make an informed decision when considering an application
Don’t forget, that while you can advertise your home as ‘no pets’ you cannot reject an application for handicapped person based on their service animal.