Are you struggling to find a tenant? It might be time to allow pets!
Are you struggling to let a house? Then it might be time to let go of the reins and allow pets!
In a report compiled by the Pet Food Manufacturing Association (PFMA), 45% of UK households have pets, with 25% owning dogs and 19% owning cats.As renting becomes the preferred method of living over buying, how do nearly half of the UK population find living accommodation?
More often than not, landlords are unwilling to risk the extra wear and tear that comes from having pets in a home. Depending on the tenant, at the end of a tenancy it might mean more cleaning and maintenance.
However there are many benefits to allowing pets to stay in your property.
Firstly, very few landlords will allow pets, meaning that if you’re willing to take the risk, you could be providing a service to a niche market. According to a recent survey by Dogs Trust 78% of pet owners struggled to find a property to rent. This means you are more likely to find a tenant and you can ask for more rent for the pleasure of hosting their beloved pet!
Tenants that are lucky enough to find a landlord who allows pets will try harder to take care of the home. There’s a good chance you’ll never even know there was an animal in the property! Dogs are also a good form of security which can help to add an extra layer of protection to your property.
Lynsey Alston of pet charity Dogs Trust says “Landlords could advertise their properties as ‘pets considered’ and take each prospective let on a case by case basis. There are also several options to add in as clauses to the tenancy agreement to ensure tenants are responsible pet owners who will be considerate of the property.”
“You could ask for a higher deposit to lodge with your chosen scheme adding the specific pet clause to the tenancy agreement.”
If you allow a tenant to keep a pet at your property make sure you specify which pets you have given permission for and how many. And that if a tenant wants any further pets then written permission should be sought first. You should also have a clause written into the contract saying that they must thoroughly clean the house at the end of a tenancy.”