Pet Policies to Ruff?

[Paul DeSilva]

Hey BP fam,

Firstly, let me say that I am an animal lover who has grown up with and still has pets, heck my wife is in the process of opening up a non profit animal rescue. That being said I have seen the havoc that pets can wreak on a rental property and have had a no pet policy for the past few years. I have realized that we lose a lot of very qualified potential tenants because of our policy, so we are thinking about amending our policy. 

- What are your pet policies?

- Do you charge additional security deposit? Is it refundable?

- Do you charge a one time fee or additional monthly rent?

Just thinking about changing our pet policies so any info would be appreciated. 

Thanks,

[Anna Sagatelova]

Pet caused damage is almost always the fault of negligent owners, not inherent to the animals.

So, screen your applicants to prove to you that they are responsible and diligent pet owners.

Petscreening.com helps and is a good start, but I disagree a bit with how their algorithm "thinks".

Look out for things like out of date vaccinations, or a lack of medical records. You can ask how many pets they've had in x number of years (are they experienced pet owners? on the other hand, do they pick up and drop pets as they move around?). When you call to check their residential references, ask about the pets and damage. Ask your applicants how long they plan to leave their pet home alone on weekdays, and what their plan is for that time (free roaming? crating? dog walker?). Ask if their pet has any health conditions - and if so, how are they managing them? Dog diapers for incontinence, for example.

Overall, look for patterns of responsible or irresponsible behavior as it applies to their pets. In my opinion, that will give you a much better indication of the risk than breed or even weight.

Generally I also recommend a no puppy policy. Age does make a difference.

Good luck!

[John Teachout]

We charge a non refundable fee and monthly pet rent. Mostly as a deterrent but if people with pets want to rent anyway, at least we get additional funds to straighten things out after they leave. 

[Carrie Purkeypile]

@Paul DeSilva

I charge monthly pet rent of $25 PER PET.

[Adam Martin]

I add 600 to the security deposit that is refundable as I want them to have more skin in the game to want to get it back at the end and don't want to be limited to using the funds for just pet damage.  My lease is also worded that if they break it they loose the deposit so that's an extra 600.  I also charge an extra 35/month/dog.  I haven't had any problems as of yet and feel it opens a much wider pool of tenants and will hopefully make it less likely they will sneak one in.  I do not allow cats though.  I am biased since I am allergic and may be overly sensitive but I think the damage they do by smell is far worse than the damage you are likely to encounter from a dog.  I actively seek dog owners due to the extra income and add a fence if there isn't already one to help attract them.  

[Sharlene Mulchandani]

@Paul DeSilva If you're deciding to permit pets into your rental properties, an airtight pet policy is a must. I suggest charging a one time, non-refundable pet fee - most landlords usually charge anywhere between $50-$500 for pet fees, which you can use for any damages. You can charge this fee, depending on the amount of risk presented by the pet. Additionally, you can charge a small monthly amount for pet rent, where you can charge anywhere from $10-$80 each month.
Pet fees (whether one time or monthly rent) are not legal in every state, so I suggest you refer to your state laws as well.

[Paul DeSilva]

Thank for all the feedback everyone!

[Jennifer T.]

No dogs under the age of 1, ie no puppies.  Animals need to be housetrained.  There are also a number of dog breeds I don't allow.  No more than two animals, per unit.

I charge a $300 non-refundable animal deposit and $25/month animal fee (per dog).  I don't charge the monthly fee for cats, but do charge the deposit.

One thing that makes me more comfortable allowing animals is I don't have any carpets in any of my rental units.  Tile and waterproof LVP only.  I did have one unit with carpeting that was there when I bought the house.  But just replaced it with LVP after my last tenants left.