I do not state I will not rent to tiny children upstairs of course...I show upstairs rentals to folks with small children if asked to. I take there applications if asked to. Most potential tenants knowing my" heavy duty noise rules", decide children in upstairs unit will not work. I sometimes offer networking with my fellow landlords with better situations for small children and pets if i have nothing available that will work for them .
However a owner/landlord can make the ultimate decision on who will be renting there units.
I clarify up front in writing(having all adults intial as they read) the rules for cleaning up there own dogs messes. I have rules of no outside dogs, only out while owner at home to monitor there noise level and there safety. I fence high fences to keep pups safe, and other dogs out of my yards!. I only allow inside vetted cats. Outside cats, must be on harness and leash or a small catio provided. In the triplex, I hire a guy to mow , weed, pick up trash ect... Each unit has there own little fenced area for there dogs. In single family homes, the tenant is responsible for all yard maintence... I gear my self towards responsible pet owners in first place. All pets must be fixed, all current shots intially, rabies ect.... quality flea meds monthly ( 9 mo out of year in Indiana), and ask for reciepts till i trust the tenant... Suggest fixes i know of for barking dogs , such as classical music, comfort zone plug ins, thunder shirts... Insulate center walls and ceilings with blow in insulation.... I specialize in multiple pets and restricted breed dog owners and have a very successful waiting list for tenants.... They arent on market for more than a day generally.. I do not charge extra for pets. I do not charge a monthly fee. Kids are harder on rentals, so if your gonna charge these fees , do it for kids too. Most of my houses have pets and a kids too! I use state farm and have no problems with restricted dog issues.... I require my tenants to carry renters insurance with the dogs listed. I require copies of all this imfo i have mentioned yearly. My tenants generally stay for over 2 years,(which is the length of my lease) till they buy there own places. If you spell every thing out up front it does help!..... I have so many applicants Immediately , I to pick the most qualified and matching tenants in multi units to allievate potential problems down the road. I look for pit bull owners ,they are quiet, great dogs. Pets in general cause less damage than children do.... ( 18 years experience). I put in upstairs units, pad and than thick vinyl roll in kitchen and carpet in bedrooms. Living room we did go with pad than wood on floor.(which mightve been a mistake) In all other units , we have either real hard wood, I can redo and tile, which is the cheapest resources we have found for rentals, and great for pet owners.. Carpet isnt cheap, and I dont like it. Id suggest a fence or decorative fence for the lady with the dogs pooing in her yard.. Oh yes we never allow tenants to fix anything in our homes. We do all the work period.. This way we know every inch of our homes. We are very proud of all our homes.
