Allowing Pets in tenanted properties ? Make sure your rules are clear

 Renting property is more than just a business, you are providing a home to someone, potentially someone's family.  More often than not pets are a part of a family, and not ones that are easily let go.

As a landlord regulating pets may not seem like a big deal, but cleaning up after a renter who had a pet can be.  The key to making the arrangement work is being clear about your expectations, desires and rules up front.  Furthermore make sure that your rules are included in your rental agreement.

Use this guideline as a way to understand your rights as a landlord, and the responsibilities you should expect of a tenant.

Pets Yes or No?
You can't just make a blanket statement that you will not allow pets.  First the Americans with Disabilities Act allows for handicap assistance animals.  Second, elderly rights groups have lobbied, in some states successfully, that the elderly should have rights to animals for safety reasons.  Third, so many people have pets that you are limiting your potential renter pool too significantly to be an effective landlord.  What you can however do is set parameters to what pets you will and will not allow in your property, and for what cost.

Parameter 1 - Type of Pet
When we think of pets we typically think of dogs, cats, fish... maybe a bird or two.  However that is a western culture viewpoint.  Snakes, Iguanas and other reptiles are on the fringe in western culture.  But what about pot bellied pigs, chickens, geese, and all the other animals that are potentially domesticated?  Have you considered those? 

Don't be afraid to lay out what kinds of pets you will allow in your home.  Don't be afraid to be very specific.  Renters are unpredictable, you may stop by your house one day to find a chimpanzee and an elephant.  And I am not referring to the tenants... per se.

One way that landlords have successfully done this is to stipulate the allowed environments for the animals.  Aquarium / Terrerium.  Aviary.  One of those hamster tube things (very technical term I know).  This tends to contain the animals which limits their ability to "damage" the unit.

Another way that landlords have found a solution is to limit the size of the animal.  Less than 20 lbs.  Less than 20 inches.  While this doesn't limit the animal's ability to damage the property, it does minimize the potential volume of impact shall we say of that animal on the unit.

Parameter 2 - Number of Animals
Some people are convinced that they need a zoo.  You will rent to a tenant that says they have a couple pets only to find out that a couple to them means 6 cats, 2 dogs, 3 hamsters, 2 snakes, a pair o' parakeet, an iguana, 14 african cichlids in a 200 gallon tank, one monitor lizard, and a monkey.  The more disturbing thing is each animal will have names, personalities, and a background story completing the world of crazy in which your tenant resides.

Spell out exactly how many animals you are willing to allow.  There is nothing wrong with that.  You could even enforce many municipal guidelines, or maybe go beyond that.  Granted it is "their family" but it is "your investment."

Parameter 3 - D-E-P-O-S-I-T
No matter how much your renter protests, Mr. Fluffykins doesn't always make it to the litter box.  Even if he does, his cat-stink is unescapable.  Pet owners never notice their animal's smell because they are used to it.  However animals leave an odor that takes an extra effort to get out of the property.  That extra effort is going to cost you money, so you better get it up front.

Most states and municipalities do not have rules governing the maximum you can charge for pet deposits please read this - tenant rights for deposits .  Check with the local Apartment Association in your area to be sure, but get whatever you are going to need to repair the unit up front.  Think it out a bit ahead of time:

- Contact a carpet cleaner to get the cost of their services
- Contact a subflooring contractor to find out how often you are going to have to look deeper than the carpet
- Contact a plumber to find out the impact of pets on the pipes
- Contact a painter, because you are going to have to cover the animal rubbing against the walls.

Whatever these costs total to, add 10 - 15% to cover the probably increase in costs between your tenant signing the agreement / moving in and the time that tenant moves out.  Some landlords use a percentage of rent as their guideline (50% is common).  Whatever you decide to use, make sure it will cover your costs later on.

Pets don't have to be a major deterent to rent.  Luckily so far they aren't a protected class.  However if you are going to rent to tenants with pets, make sure you do several things:

1) Use proper and up to date rental agreement adendums that relate to pets;
2) Make sure you spell out your terms precisely to the tenant before they move in;
3) Get a deposit to clean up after the pet before the tenant moves in;
4) Keep on top of your unit to make sure that their "just a dog" hasn't turned into "just an animal sanctuary."

Provided you follow these rules, and keep all your agreements current with local laws, you should be fine in renting to tenants with pets.  Don't follow these guidelines... and good luck to you.  You are going to need it.