All Forum Posts by: Marshall Rousseau

Since pets are not mentioned on the lease then pets are not allowed. I would look at the problem the same as when the lease indicates the number of persons named on the lease who are allowed to reside in the rental unit. If tenants are not listed on the lease they are not allowed to live in the unit. If pets are not included in the lease they are not allowed to live in the unit. 

Of course, you also have the problem with Companion Animalls where your your tenants can bring goats, chickens and horses in your unit and you can't do nothing to stop them. I have a clause in our Lease Agreement that states that any tenant who wants to bring in a Companion Animal must get approval directly through our attorney and so far this has deterred every tenant from pushing us to accept Companion Animals.

I am guessing they your tenant is claiming he (or she) wants to bring in a friend's pet only a few times a month, but the pet will be their permanently and every time you see the pet your tenant will tell you it just happens to be that time of the month when the pet is visiting. Just say no and nip the problem in the bud.

Being in California is one more reason why you should allow pets. Evicting someone for violating a no-pet policy would be difficult and expensive. Why not take the argument away by letting animals in and earning some extra money? You should obviously set limits to the number/size/type of animal, but make some cheese! If you allowed no more than two animals, each under 20 pounds, and charge $100 per animal, I bet you could still find plenty of applicants. That's an extra $2,400 a year. If you're still concerned about damage, charge a really high deposit on top of it.

If you insist on forbidding animals, consider expanding on your no-pet policy to include "visiting animals" and some hefty fines for violations:

1. ANIMALS. No mammal, reptile, bird, fish, rodent or insect shall be permitted on the Premises, even temporarily, without prior written approval from Landlord. Animals must first be registered with Petscreening.com and approved by Landlord prior to placing on the Premises. An unauthorized animal shall result in a violation fee of $200 per unauthorized animal. Tenant will be charged an additional $50 per animal, per day, until compliance is verified by an in-person inspection.

Are you still reading? The best thing you can do is buy "Every Landlord's Legal Guide - California Edition" by Nolo. Make sure it is the California version! Full of practical advice, sample/editable forms, and points you to the specific laws (updated annually). You should also consider joining the California Apartment Association. It will probably cost you less than one hour with an attorney and can save you a lot of headache. 

Anything in writing will be sufficient, particularly if you can get the tenant to acknowledge it. This could be a formal addendum, or it could be an email or even text.

"Dear Jane, I'm sorry but your friend will not be allowed to bring the dog. As we've discussed before, this is a "no pet" property and that includes animals visiting, even for short periods of time. Thank you for understanding."

Pro tip: over 50% of all renters have at least one animal. The vast majority of animal owners are responsible people. Because pet-friendly properties are harder to find, you can charge a premium. Tenants are willing to pay more and stay longer. With 400 rentals managed, I seriously can't remember the last time an animal was responsible for causing more damage than the deposit would cover. It's been many, many years.

Instead of rejecting them, figure out how to monetize them and increase your earnings.