surety bond instead of deposit

[Amy A.]

Has anybody used a surety bond company such as suredeposit.com in lieu of a security deposit? It seems like a good idea for tenants who have pets because coverage can be much higher than the amount I'm allowed to collect as deposit. If I allowed pets (and many tenants sneak them in anyway) I'd have many more applicants for my apartments. However, I realize that pets can cause extensive damage - it has happened to me before. I had some tenants never let their dogs out for months and the odor was incredible! However, as a responsible pet owner I understand how hard it can be to find a home when you own pets.

What's your experience?