If you're a landlord in Merced County who is thinking about allowing pets in your rental property or a tenant who wants to bring your furry family member along when it’s time to move, we have some information to share with you that can reduce the confusion that often occurs when we’re talking about pets and rental properties.
Sometimes, owners wonder whether the risk is worth the reward. And, tenants will struggle to find good rental homes that allow their dogs and cats.
Here’s the hard data: there are more people who have pets than people who don’t. Not allowing pets in your property is only going to extend your vacancy time and cost you money. The majority of renters in Merced County and beyond are looking for pet-friendly properties. They’re willing to pay pet fees and pet rent.
According to a recent study, over two-thirds of American households own a pet, making
pet-friendly rentals a must-have for many people.
We like the idea of pets in properties, especially when there’s some good pet screening taking place and a strong pet policy. Both landlords and tenants need to be mindful of the potential issues that can arise when pets are involved.
Before deciding to allow pets in your
rental property, it's essential to put together a pet policy that will govern how you approve pets and what you expect once a tenant moves in with their pet. Specific rules can and should apply. If your lease agreement does not address pets, it may be wise to create a pet addendum that outlines specific rules and expectations for pet owners.
Remember that you don’t have to allow every single pet. For example, dangerous dog breeds are often disallowed because your insurance company may not cover you. Include this in the pet policy so tenants know that they may not be able to move in with a pack of Pit Bulls.
It’s also reasonable to place a limit on the number of pets you’ll allow a tenant to have. That could look like one dog and one cat or two cats or just one animal per resident.
You can restrict size and age as well. Perhaps you only want adult dogs or cats and you’ll prohibit puppies and kittens. You can say that you’ll allow dogs that are less than 20 pounds. Include these requirements in your pet policy and always ask tenants what kind of pets tenants have on the application. When you’re going through your screening process and talking to former landlords, ask about the pets those tenants had.
Many landlords will collect a pet deposit in addition to the security deposit but the problem with that is you’ll have to return the deposit if the pet doesn’t cause any damage. With a pet fee that’s nonrefundable, you get to keep the money. We always recommend a separate fee for every pet. So, if a tenant is moving in with two cats and a dog and your pet fee is $200, you should collect $600 in pet fees from that tenant.
You can also charge pet rent. That might be $25 per animal per month. This will increase your cash flow and make renting to tenants with pets more profitable for you. It can also pay for the additional cleaning you may have to do when the tenant moves out.
Many landlords want to ensure that pets are well-behaved, vaccinated, and well-trained before they allow them to live in their rental properties. For this reason, it’s an excellent idea to perform pet screenings or require tenants to provide documentation that their pets are up-to-date on vaccinations and spayed or neutered.
Screen your pets as carefully as you’ll
screen your tenants. Ask for vet records. Talk to former landlords who can tell you how the pet behaved.
You can also
perform inspections throughout the leasing term to ensure that the property isn’t damaged by the pet.
Another key consideration for landlords and tenants is insurance coverage.
It’s perfectly acceptable to require tenants to carry renter's insurance that covers damage caused by pets. Renter’s insurance is a good idea anyway, and it’s especially important when your residents have a pet. You can require that your tenants show proof of liability insurance that covers their pet's potential to injure other people or pets.
As a tenant, you’ll want to make sure that you review your renter's insurance policy to ensure it covers your pet and any potential damages. This type of insurance isn’t expensive, and it will provide a lot of coverage and peace of mind.
The final consideration for landlords and tenants is to keep communication lines open.
Keeping an open dialogue can prevent potential misunderstandings, conflicts, and ultimately help create a positive rental experience for everyone involved.
As
property managers in Merced County, we’re always helping rental property owners protect themselves and their properties - even when pets are involved.
There are many factors to consider when it comes to pets in rental properties. As a landlord, it's essential to understand the benefits of allowing pets and then set clear rules and expectations, perform pet screenings and inspections, and require liability or renter's insurance. As a tenant, it's important to understand your lease agreement, be transparent about your pet, and follow all pet-related guidelines and rules.
By working together and keeping communication lines open, landlords and tenants can create a positive and pet-friendly rental experience.
We’re happy to share our pet policies and ensure that both landlords and tenants are comfortable with their pets and their properties. Contact us at Wisdom Property Management & Realty, Inc. We lease,
manage, and maintain investment properties in Merced, Atwater, Livingston, Winton, and Delhi.
