No pet policy - Maybe exception for birds in cage?

Question

Hi guys,

I'm about to rent a house to a couple of ladies, one of them mentioned that she would like to bring a bird, a budgerigar to keep in the house caged. Anybody has any horror stories for birds indoors?

Thank you.

Lisa Wicenciuk · Answer

I can't believe how uninformed some of these replies are-obviously from people who have never had a bird. I have had a sun conure for 10 years. Bird excretions have no odor whatsoever! They also are not damaging to flooring; however should be cleaned regularly, especially with carpet. Bird food causes no damage! Seeds? Really?Most birds eat pellets. Birds spend A LOT of time in their cage. They cannot be left to just roam around. Our bird's wings are clipped so no flying about the house either. They can be trained and need attention, as do dogs. Limiting the number of birds makes more sense than forbidding them; for example, no more than 2. It would even be okay to limit breeds; for example, no birds of prey. I believe a normal security deposit could cover 1 or 2 birds. If people are dirty people, they are going to trash the place with or without pets. Trust me, dogs & cats can do way more damage-mostly because their owners are not responsible and don't care. Finally, our bird is not noisy but some are-same thing can occur with dogs. Tenant needs to know they will not be able to bother other tenants-same approach as a barking/howling dog.

Levi T. · Answer

What amount of money in terms of deposit, application fees, and pet rent would make it worth your time??? That's the real question. It is what did it for me in the end. We pickup an extra $12,000 in additional income for pets per year, per 100 units. That's one extra phantom unit in rent per year, and no more damage than normal in the end. If you rent to a slob, they will trash your house if they have a pet or not. Require renters insurance that includes liability for 100k or more, and will cover pet damage. It's a win-win!

Bettina F. · Answer

Ask the tenant what kind of vacuum cleaner she owns.  Responsible bird owners know that scattered seed and feathers require a high quality vacuum.

My pet parakeet never stank!  They are fun little pets.

Roy Gutierrez · Answer

Reporting on the renters, been lucky, cleanest renter I've had!

Marcia Maynard · Answer

The budgeriger is also known as the common parakeet. They are charming little birds. Most owners of this type of bird will let their pet out of the cage from time to time.

Birds can be messy. They poop, can be smelly, lose feathers, pop bird seed out of the cage, and chew things.

Birds can be noisy. They chirp, sing and squawk.

Will this be a problem for or not? That depends on the tenant and their habits.  Are they a responsible pet owner? Are they willing and able to take good care of their bird? How clean do they maintain their home?

We've owned caged birds before without any problem. But we had a tenant bring in a caged bird without our knowledge and we discovered it flying around the bedroom. Had a little problem with that.

It also depends on you. Do you like birds? Are you willing to set up a written and binding pet agreement to help keep things in line? Would you benefit by charging extra for the pet? If you do accept a pet, I recommend charging extra rent ongoing. This then puts more money in your pocket to cover the inconvenience  and discourages tenants from wanting to add more pets.

Our pet agreement becomes an addendum to our rental agreement. I've uploaded it to the BP File Place. You may download it if you wish. Go to Tools > File Place > Other Documents > Marcia Maynard (uploaded by)

Paul Bowers · Answer

Is this a single family or multi?  I would be slightly more inclined to be okay with it in a single but in a multi you have a few concerns.  Firstly, will the thing chirp all day and night and drive the other tenants crazy?  Secondly, where do you draw the line with the other tenants.  "They have a bird, I want a caged snake".  "They have a snake, I want a ....."  It could be a slippery slope.

Tom S. · Answer

@Roy Gutierrez  Yes, feathers all over the house when they moved out a year later.  Also the smell of bird poop, unfortunately.

Bob B. · Answer

@Lisa Wicenciuk Good first post.

Marcia Maynard · Answer

@Roy Gutierrez The key is "Are they responsible pet owners?" You can be flexible and allow the bird. A parakeet is unlikely to cause problems. I like what @Bettina F. posted.  I disagree with the comment made by Thomas S.  The risk of monetary loss is slim. Dogs and cats are a greater risk, but also can be manageable.  Again it depends on the animal and the owner. If you choose your tenants well and have clear expectations from the beginning and do periodic inspections and follow-up on any problems if they arise, then you should be good.

No pet policy - Maybe exception for birds in cage?

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