What’s your policy on cats?

Question

What is your policy on cats in a rental & why do you stand for your policy?

Thank you!

Account Closed · Answer

@Justin Reader

$50/mo per pet plus $250 non-refundable pet fee due at lease signing

Adam Azam · Answer

I allow most types of pets at my rentals and charge $30/month/pet. I do this for the following reasons:

• 1.Very few pet friendly rentals makes my properties more desirable.
• $30/month/pet is more per year than most non-refundable "deposits" that other real estate investors charge. I don't get much push back, if any, from prospective tenants over the small monthly fee. I started off by asking for a pet fee of $250 which prospective tenants always complained about. Damage from pets is ongoing and should be paid monthly in my opinion.
• 2.I'm a pet owner myself and I couldn't imagine moving and leaving my cat behind... Pets become part of the family and I'm happy to offer rental properties that are pet friendly.

3. I'm not a lawyer, so this isn't advise in any way, but review your insurance policy for any restrictions on pets and/or specific breeds of pets. Some exclude coverage on "aggressive breeds".

I'll also include a let agreement as part of the lease agreement that allows the pet agree my to be revoked if the pet becomes a problem and violates the terms in the pet agreement.

Michael Noto · Answer

If it is a B area or better we accept tenants with 1 cat. C area or lower no pets period. We don’t want it to turn into Ace Ventura’s apartment.

Adam Martin · Answer

I have a hard no on cats but allow dogs for 30/month and 600 security deposit.  I am biased since I’m allergic but cats smell awful and can cause a lot of damage from the scent.  Some houses are fine with a cat but many are overpowering when you open the door and this is not a risk I am willing to take. I also do my own turnovers and most maintenance and it would be hard for me with cats.

Sharlene Mulchandani · Answer

@Justin Reader We allow both cats and dogs at our properties. We charge a one time, non-refundable pet fee - most landlords usually charge anywhere between $50-$500 for pet fees, which you can use for any damages. You can charge this fee, depending on the amount of risk presented by the pet. Additionally, we charge a small monthly amount for pet rent, where you can charge anywhere from $10-$80 each month. Pet fees (whether one time or monthly rent) are not legal in every state, so I suggest you refer to your state laws as well.

John Warren · Answer

@Justin Reader I charge $25 per month currently per pet, so I welcome cats. I draw the line at 2 pets in an apartment as anything more than that seems to be a bit much.

John Warren · Answer

@Justin Reader I feel like the cat is not the issue in these cases. Instead, the owner probably needed to be screened harder. Most of my tenants have strong credit and are respectful so I haven't had a lot of pet issues to be honest.

Nathan Gesner · Answer

In general, cats are more damaging to property than dogs. If they urinate in the home, the odor is very expensive to get rid of. Our policy is to charge a $300 non-refundable fee up front per cat and then $25 per month. That's still just a drop in the bucket if the cat destroys the carpet, but it's manageable.

Karl Schmidt · Answer

Adam Azam Investor from New York, NY

Ditto.

Aigo Pyles · Answer

I don't allow cats on my rentals. Cat urine has a lingering odor and hard to remove.

What’s your policy on cats?

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