Vetting Applicants with Pets
Good morning, BP Community.
I have been reading the forums about allowing tenants with pets. It seems the community is about a 50/50 split between allowing pets in rentals or not. I was originally leaning towards allowing dogs in our rental home, but not cats. However, we have had several applicants reach out about allowing cats, so now I am reconsidering. I know there are certainly good pet owners that take care of their animals. I have bought properties that have been trashed from animals (specifically cats), and I have seen the damage they can cause. I know many charge a pet fee + pet rent, but often that does not always cover the damages that could be caused by an animal. I have read that many landlords verify that cats are fixed, and also check previous landlord references, but I know there are some other ideas out there from this experienced community.
So, my question is, how do you vet an applicant(s) pets when considering them for your rental? I feel confident in my ability to vet the actual tenant, but not so much the pets. It's not like I can just walk in their current place and see how meticulous they are about their pet's health and hygiene.
Most Popular Reply
"how do you vet an applicant(s) pets when considering them for your rental?"
petscreening.com is our brokerage's tool for this. We charge the tenant a $299 pet admin fee at move in, and also require a $95 home inspection every 6 months. We have found that by systematizing our screenings, we are able to maintain a solid non-discriminatory process.