If you own a rental property in Houston, you might have wondered if you should allow pets in your rental property. While there are benefits of allowing pets in your rental property, there are also risks involved. Conversely, we advise our clients to consider allowing pets in their rental properties on the condition that there is a standard tenant screening and rental property pet policy established beforehand.
Surely, you have a lot of question right now…
- What are the benefits and risks of allowing pets in my rental property?
- Which pet should I allow in my rental property?
- How do I mitigate the risks if I allow pets?
- How can I protect my rental property when I allow pets?
Let’s answer them one by one..
What are the benefits and risks of allowing pets in my rental property?
Benefits of allowing pets in your rental property
- Larger pool of potential tenants.
- Able to increase rent.
- Secure longer tenure from tenants.
- Guarantee tenant’s reliability in maintaining the property.
Risks of allowing pets in your rental property
- Foul pet odor anywhere – carpet, furniture, walls.
- Potential damages to doors, furniture, floors, carpets, walls, fence, or even plants.
- Triggered allergies to other tenants
- Noise and Injuries to other tenants.
Which pet should I allow in my rental property?
Not all pets are created equal. Each pet poses a different risk to your rental property. Aside from that, a rental property located in organized neighborhoods with homeowners associations adhere to state laws with regards to allowing pets. So before you decide to allow pets like fish, reptiles, birds or other caged animals in your property, it is best to check with your insurance and HOA first.
As a property owner, you need to make sure that you are familiar with the laws that apply in your state with regards to service dogs, assistant or emotional support animals. These animals are not considered pets as they assist their owner in their basic functioning in life. In this case, consider asking for proof of the tenant’s disability and their need to have a service animal during tenant screening,
How do I mitigate the risks if I allow pets?
Every landlord should consider all potential risks. A good property manager can help a landlord mitigate the risks, especially the cost of possible damages caused by allowing pes in a rental property. One smart way to reduce these risks is through creating a rental property pet policy, putting them into a “pet agreement,” and incorporate the agreement as part of your lease.
A pet agreement can reduce a landlord’s risks in allowing pets in your rental property and there are actually organizations like FIREPAW and CARP that provide clients with pet agreements and ensure that landlords avoid any losses. A well-written lease agreement with a clear pet policy is important during tenant screening as this informs potential tenants what you expect from them, as well as their responsibilities if there were any damages caused by their pets.
If you decide to allow pets in your rental, you’ll need to include the following in your pet addendum:
- Pet policy on…
- Type of pet allowed (include breed restrictions)
- Number of pets allowed
- Size and weight requirements
- Proper Identification, Licenses, and Vaccinations
- Pet rent (monthly fee paid in addition to the rent and may vary based on the amount and type of pets).
- Pet security deposit (refundable fee paid by the tenant before move-in and held by the landlord to cover any damage done by the pet during the lease).
- Pet fees (one-time, nonrefundable charge to the tenant in lieu of a pet deposit).
- Tenant responsibilities (e.g. Tenants must pick up after their pet; Other animals, such as birds or hamsters, will be appropriately caged).
How can I protect my rental property when I allow pets?
If you have decided to allows pets in your rental property after weighing the benefits and risks, the next crucial thing to do is to ask your insurance company and homeowners association (HOA) if they have any restrictions or disclaimers about renting to tenants with pets.
Tenant screening is a good way to determine if they’re a good fit for your rental property. While allowing pets in your rental property gives you access to a broader pool of potential tenants, it is also fititng to screen their pets before you approve and sign the lease. It’s not enough to just have a pet policy on your lease agreement, you may conduct a pet interview as well. This will allow you to meet the pet in person and confirm that it’s well-behaved and friendly (dogs and cats); or won’t cause any harm to other tenants (other pets).
How a Property Management Company Can Help You
Managing a pet-friendly rental property has a lot of benefits, but it can be challenging as landlords can get stuck in deciding whether it’s worth the risk. If you’re still uncertain about having a pet-friendly rental home, we can help you with your rental property pet policy and simplify rental property management for you.
Work with Apogee Properties
Apogee Properties is Houston’s leading real estate management company. We work and live in Houston and our property managers are local. We’ve been in business for more than a decade providing comprehensive property management services in the Houston region ranging from a studio condo to a multi-family million dollar estate.
Apogee looks forward to hearing from you and sharing what we can offer to your Houston property. Contact us today to learn more!
