This is a sponsored post. However, all opinions are my own.
As a landlord, you face certain challenges when it comes to vetting new tenants. How do you get trustworthy references, should you encourage those on benefits, and what about pets?
The problems for pet-loving tenants
When I rented privately for a while around a decade ago, I really struggled to find a family property that would allow my cat to join us. She was an elderly, quiet feline spending most of her days sleeping, so this was frustrating! I finally approached a prospective landlord with this argument and they agreed to her coming along with us on condition that I put right any damage she did.
Recently, my daughter’s friend has struggled to find a house share that would accept her cat, and I have friends who keep their dogs in their rented home in secret. The landlord is happy with his tenants because they pay their rent on time and are quiet, so he doesn’t bother to do inspections. The dogs are rarely, if ever, left alone and have never caused any damage. However, this is not an ideal situation and isn’t to be recommended!
New rules
With all this in mind, I was pleased to read recently that the Government has recently brought in new rules that mean landlords are no longer allowed to issue blanket bans on pets. A new standard tenancy agreement template – the recommended contract for landlords to use – has been devised to prevent landlords from automatically turning pet-owners away.
Instead, landlords will be given 28 days to reply to a written pet request from a tenant, and must give good reason as to why a pet cannot live in the property. These might include the property being too small, unsuitable because of a lack of a garden, etc.
I can understand these new rules making landlords nervous. After all, not many insurance policies cover for pet damage. In any case, landlords should always shop around and compare landlord insurance to see what’s available.
But really, are tenants with pets any more likely to be irresponsible than those without them? There are some advantages as well as some potential issues:
Pros
Tenants with pets may be prepared to pay a higher rent to a pet-friendly landlord.
Advertising your property as pet friendly may increase interest and allow you to rent it out more quickly. Currently only 7% of landlords do this, whereas 50% of the UK population own a pet!
Cons
Pets can and do cause damage. Chewing and scratching indoors, digging up the garden and barking issues are all potential issues.
However, the government’s legislation stresses the requirement for pet owning tenants to act responsibly and says that tenants will continue to have a legal duty to repair or cover the cost of any damage to the property.
Steps for landlords to take
The Dogs Trust Lets with Pets scheme recommends the following checks for landlord to undertake:
- Request a pet reference from a previous landlord, if possible.
- Check the terms of your freehold or lease to see if there are any restrictions on keeping animals at the property.
- Insert a pet clause into the terms of the tenancy agreement, allowing specific named animals only and for written permission to be obtained before any further pets are brought into the property.
- Insert a pet policy, laying out what is expected from tenants with pets whilst they are resident in your property. For example, dogs left alone for long periods may become anxious and chew furniture and fittings, so a clause could be added specifying that they should not be left alone for longer than four hours.
- Get as much information as possible about each pet via a pet information form. You could also insist on meeting the animal in its current environment to assess its behaviour and friendliness.
- Check with your current insurance provider to find out if damage caused by pets is included.
As a pet lover and owner of two cats and a dog, as well as being a previous tenant, I am really pleased that the government has taken steps to make it easier for pet owners to find a suitable rented home. Hopefully, landlords will realise some of the benefits of renting to pet owners too.
Kerry says
I am a landlord and have always allowed pets . I find on the whole they do less damage than children. At one time I was the only landlord to allow pets in my town . I welcome the change too as an animal lover x
shoestringjane@outlook.com says
Interesting! Yes, kids can be quite hard on a house. I remember my nephew falling down the stairs and making a hole in the wall! ( he was ok though )
Vicki says
I suspect the result of this will be to deter people from becoming landlords as it’s another hoop to jump through! I would be less averse to pets in a property used solely for letting but if it was my home which was let temporarily, because of allergies to pet dander, I would not be happy! Carpet/soft furnishing cleaning does not eradicate this problem! I am not a landlord or tenant but would love to have owned a pet!! Vicki
shoestringjane@outlook.com says
I think that would probably be grounds for refusal of pets TBH
T says
I was a landlord for 5 years and it was a new property that I let to a family. After about 3 years they did ask me could they have pets and I agreed with the normal stipulations that all damage will be put right at whatever cost to them. To be fair more damage is caused by tumble driers and tentants that don’t know how to open a window.
Julia says
I’m both a landlord and have 2 kids currently renting – one of which now has kittens so this is good news all round!
I was worried about the one with pets as she at uni and will be probably be moving around quite a lot until she is settled in a job. Her current landlord is ok, but is rather the exception.
My tenant has an elderly cat – the agent didn’t pick up on it at the time but while not a pet owner myself, I’m fine with it.
Interestingly my son, who started renting 6 months ago, was told by the agents that most places are let completely unfurnished these days (including white goods, which is a pain for someone newly starting out and not ready to settle in the first place they try!), so apart from the shell of the place, the only things to damage would be the tenants own possessions! For many years I’ve found that even when mine was let furnished tenants preferred to bring their own and asked for me to remove mine, so that further removes the anti-pet argument.
shoestringjane@outlook.com says
It does! You will end up with that kitten …