Pets DO cost more time, money and stress

[Sam Leon]

First, I have nothing against pets.  I do allow pets in some of my rentals, but I have to say, they DO add to my cost, yet I do not charge a pet fee.

Here is a list of things I have personally experienced a tenant's dog do.

• Dug out sprinkler heads pulled them off the lines.
• Yanked out sprinkler controller wires.
• Chewed off corners of interior doors.
• Scratches on exterior doors that looked like the XMEN Wolverine poster.
• Broke the lower portions of wood blinds.
• Bent or go THROUGH window screens.
• Yanked kitchen cabinet door hinges completely off.
• Removed 80% of paint off cabinet kick plates.
• Chewed off the bottom moulding of a refrigerator.
• Exterior door weather seal shredded to pieces.
• Dog poop all over the back yard when tenants agreed to clean up after each time.
• This is a new one this week - and I am still unsure how this could happen, can a dog's teeth be strong enough to put a dent almost a hole on the aluminum threshold of an exterior door?

A cat is definitely less stressful, but not trouble free.

• Cat food left out overnight invites roaches into the house.
• This I did not experience, but a friend who is a fellow landlord did - a tenant flushed kitty litter down the toilet and caused a blockage in the drain.
• One time I had to replace a central AC system, tenant had the cat in a bedroom, with door closed.  I told the crew, leave that door closed, don't let the cat out.  One guy accidentally opened the door, the cat shot out the room and disappeared outside.  They had the front door wide open as they removed the old air handler and brought in the new.  We spent the next two hours calling and looking for the cat.

Huge difference between a pet free rental and a pet occupied rental when you remove an air filter and look at it.  I have had buildings where new AC systems are installed at the same time, and without exceptions, the pet occupied units will clog and need acid washing sooner, and will break down sooner.

I no longer allow dogs but still allow cats.

What are things your tenants' pet did that cost you time and money?  Yes you can bill for the damages but it's not always straight forward.