Should You Allow Pets in a Rental Property

People love pets. In fact, around 85 million families or about 67% of U.S. households own a pet.
While allowing pets in your rental property provides you with a wider range of prospective renters it also comes with risks. So if you’re wondering whether or not you should allow pets in your rental property, consider the following factors brought to you by Zenith Properties.

Pros of Allowing Pets in Your Rental

There are several benefits to allowing pets in your rental property.

• Gives your property access to more tenants: If you allow pets, you will appeal to a larger pool of applicants, giving you access to an extra 70% of tenants who own pets.
• Responsible tenants: pet owners are generally more responsible as taking care of a pet requires a lot of time and effort.
• Longer or more renewed leases: not only are there not many properties available for pet owners, but many owners simply don’t want to put any stress on their pet, so they don’t want to move often.
• Increased income: landlords who allow pets in their properties often make more money by charging tenants for pet deposits or pet rent.

Cons of Allowing Pets in Your Rental

On the other hand, there are some risks of allowing pets in your rental property.

• Damage to your property: cats and dogs may scratch or chew on walls, baseboards, or doors in the home. They can also leave stains or unpleasant odors.
• Noise disruptions: pets that make noise can be disturbing to other tenants or neighbors. Ask the potential tenant how much noise the animal typically makes or ask prior landlords if pet noise was an issue.
• Dog bites: as a property owner, you don’t want to be liable for any injuries, including pet-involved injuries. If you choose to allow pets in your rental property, you’ll want to require tenants to have renter’s insurance to cover liability for dog bites on the property.
• Allergies: if the rental property is close to other tenants, in the case of condos for example, allergies may be an issue. As a landlord, you may want to be aware of tenant allergies before allowing a pet.

Have Questions About Pets and Rental Properties?

We hope this information helps as you decide whether or not to allow pets in your rental property. If you do decide to allow pets, you’ll want to consider what your HOA allows and you’ll want to make your property pet-friendly. Moreover, you’ll want to screen tenants with pets and add a pet addendum to your lease agreement.
If you’re looking to market a rental property in Clark County WA, or simply need help wording your pet policy for your rental property, turn to Zenith Properties. Our trusted ream of property management specialists has helped homeowners and renters