Many landlords are wary of embracing pet owners as tenants, owing to concerns about stained carpets and chewed door frames. But pet friendliness could be a major boost to your bank balance, as pet-owning tenants are often willing to pay extra rent.
You see them everywhere – in strollers, wearing little outfits, walking the streets, on social media. Pets have long been a household companion as 'man's best friend', and it's a lifestyle that is unlikely to change any time soon.
According to online rentals marketplace rent.com.au, over one third of renters are house-hunting with a furry friend in tow. These potential tenants actually link their profile to a pet, resulting in over 50,000 'pet resumes', with the majority being dogs.
Many Landlords fear the potential damage an animal can do – they can scratch the floors, stain the flooring and mess up the carpets as well as the pet smell penetrating the materials in the property. They can fear that in a high density apartment complex, the noise a pet can make could disturb the neighbours, leading to friction. For all of these reasons and more, Australian landlords generally have an unfavourable attitude towards pet-owning tenants.
There are many positives to leasing to a pet owner – first and foremost, renter loyalty. Tenants who find a pet friendly property may choose to sign longer leases. Furthermore, landlords might discover that, by becoming pet-friendly, they could pick up a sizeable amount of additional rent along the way.
The key to making such an arrangement work for both landlord and tenant is to foster openness in coming to an agreement. What is important from both parties is common sense and an understanding of what's reasonable. There is regulation now. If it's a strata-title building, than the strata corporation will have parameters around tenants and owners having pets.
Before renting a property, a tenant should seek permission from the property manager/owner to keep a pet.
A tenant can only keep a pet on the property if the tenancy agreement states pets are allowed. It may also state the number and type of pets that may be kept and whether the pet can be kept inside or outside the property.
Tenants should consider if the property is suitable for pets (e.g. enough room, fencing, pet doors) and if their pet could cause any damage to the property (e.g. torn screens or lawn damage).
The issue of Pest Control should also be considered.
A separate pet bond cannot be charged.
Ultimately, allowing a tenant to keep a pet on a rental property can have a lot of upsides. By allowing tenants with pets, you're appealing to a broader market.