Pet policy
Real Estate Investor · Fenton, MI · Member since 2008 · 946 posts · 153 votes
After gaining a little more experience it seems the two most common problems with house are water damage from various sources and pets. In a very short amount of time a dog can do large amounts of damage to a house and yard. They of coarse urinate, defecate, and then they dig holes, and run paths though the lawn. Worse yet is cat urine. Even charging a non-refundable pet fee does not truly compensate me for the time and materials to fix these messes.
How many of you have gone “no-pet?” Is it much harder to get a tenant to fill a vacancy? I used to like dogs and cats. Now I just see them as property destroyers.
You get a bigger share of the renter pool, many of which are lousy tenants with neglected pets who piss all over the place.
I'd say, don't let that "extra 50% tenant pool" blind you.
That phrase makes it seem like you're missing out, but the reality is, there are plenty of qualified people who don't own pets.
Do you guys who allow pets actually get more applicants who are qualified? people who NET 3x rent per month?
Are pet owners so much better?
Owning a pet is like raising a baby. There are costs that eat into their income.
I've had no shortage of people see my house and I have a no pet policy.
A weight limit on dogs has no bearing on whether they will tear up your house or not. 10 pound dogs piss all over the place too. and 50 pound dogs could be very docile.
One of these days, I'm going to do a pet experiment, and see how much better the applicant pool is.
I base pets on the house. If it has really nice hardwood floors, I don't allow pets. If the house is beat up, pets are fine. I prefer no cats and try to limit dogs to smaller ones. I charge an extra $35 per month per dog. I recently rented to someone with two yorkies and just charged $35 for both. They are tiny.
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I like the idea of pet rent.
Pets can easily cause damage, but so can kids and irresponsible tenants. In my area, I definitely limit my tenant base by not allowing any pets. I have too huge and nice of windows, plus light carpets nice wood floors. No way would I chance it with pets again. Even so, I think most average houses with older carpet and a larger deposit might be worth taking the chance for *responsible* pet owners with pet rent.
I don't allow cats. No way, no how. Actually, I no longer allow pets of any kind. I had a bad experience with a dog (well, really the dog's lazy owner that didn't train or take care of the poor dog). In an older house, I would consider it.
Most people around here have pets. My rental base is limited by refusing them.
Responsible pet owners might make responsible tenants with or without pets; I just haven't come across a responsible pet owner in my few dealings with tenants. Maybe a responsible person with a dog might keep the house nice, while an irresponsible person with no pets but kids (or just themselves might trash the house). I also worry about someone with a pet getting more pets.
If a house was a big money maker, I might take the chance and allow pets and just eat the cost (or let the larger deposit eat it).
If I was doing college rentals, I would not allow pets. I don't understand why college students get dogs during college, let them pee everywhere, then give the dog away (or take it back to the shelter) when the graduate. Sad.
Reminds me of that show Flip Men.
They bought a house totally destroyed from the inside out by cat piss.
They had to gut the whole floor and walls and primer everything.
We simply made it clear that we expect the house to be returned to us in the same condition we gave it to them less normal wear. We mentioned that we did have tenants in another house that did not do this. I guess we somehow scared her into not renting from us. I must admit that I have put a clause in my lease that gives us as landlords the option to have the tenants give up their dog if extreme damage is done.
Some may say that we have gone too far, but how is a landlord supposed to make money if after a tenant leaves the house smells of urine and the floors are ruined? My state only allows 1.5% of the monthly rent as a deposit. That is not enough.
A lease saying "give up your dog?" That's bizarre.
Even I wouldn't sign that.
I would try to come up with a lease that allows you to terminate the lease if the dog (or tenant) is causing damage. Plus, they get billed for the damage.
Can your increase the pet deposit?
I don't allow pets. But kids or tenants could cause as much damage as pets too.
If you have nice wood floors, say "no pets." Then you don't have to mess with it.