How to Add a Pet to Your Lease

Pets in Denver Rental Properties

How to Add a Pet to Your Lease

Anytime we have a prospective new resident inquiring about renting a property from us and that prospective resident already has a pet, they usually are sure to ask about our pet policies upfront. But what if you don’t have a pet when you originally move in, and then later on would like to have a furry friend?

We commonly get an email from our current residents asking, “Would it be okay if I got a dog [or cat]?”

The answer is “Maybe.”

Here is the process to gain approval of a new pet. This process needs to be followed PRIOR to obtaining the pet and it is advised that you not purchase or otherwise agree to adopt/take on a pet until you have received written approval from us.

Contents

STEP 1 – Determine if you live in a pet friendly property

The first step is to determine if the property is a pet approved property. You can quickly do this by looking at the last advertisement information for the property that we listed in Zillow.

  1. Go to Zillow.com
  2. Search for you property address
  3. Read the ad text and see if it mentions anything about pets being allowed or not.

If the advertisement specifically mentions “no pets”, “pets not allowed”, or something similar, your property is unfortunately not approved for pets under any circumstance.

If you can’t find this information online, you can always ask your property manager.

Once you’ve determined that your property is pet friendly, this does not mean you can move in the pet. Proceed to the next step…

STEP 2 – Review pet approval criteria

Read our pet approval criteria by going to https://integrityrm.net//for-tenants/qualification-guidelines/ and scroll down to the section heading “PET ACCEPTANCE POLICIES”. This section lists what kind of pets may be approved and which ones are not approved. It also lists the deposit and fees associated with having a pet

STEP 3 – Make a formal written request for approval of pet

If your property is approved for pets and you believe the pet you plan to obtain will meet our pet criteria, the next step is to email your property manager with your formal request to add a pet to your lease and provide the specifics of the pet so that the property manager can consult with the landlord to get final approval. This request can simply be an email and in it you’ll need to include the following specifics to the extent you know them at the time of request:

  1. Pet Type (Dog, Cat, Other)
  2. Breed
  3. Age (at time the pet will be obtained)
  4. Weight (full grown)
  5. Pet’s Name

STEP 4 – Finalizing paperwork and fees

If your request is approved, your property manager will notify you of such and you will soon thereafter receive a Pet Addendum to your lease that you will need to review and sign. This will lay out your contractual requirements to take care of the pet, be responsible for any damage to the property caused by the pet, pay certain pet deposits and/or fees, and carry adequate liability insurance to cover any pet related injury to others.

The Pet Addendum is strictly endorsed and, considering that it’s a pretty short document, you should read it in detail to ensure you fully understand your requirements as a pet owner in one of our properties.

Our current pet deposit, fees and/or pet rent are listed on our qualifications page referenced in Step 2 above.

STEP 5 – Pet Comes Home

After all prior steps are completed, you’ve signed the Pet Addendum and paid the associated deposits/fees, you can welcome your new pet home.

Ben Parham on EmailBen Parham on Linkedin
Ben Parham
Ben Parham is the President and Managing Real Estate Broker of Integrity Realty & Management, Inc., a cutting edge real estate sales and property management brokerage operating throughout the Greater Denver Area. Ben also served as the 2018 President of the Denver Chapter of the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) and has served as a NARPM National Southwest RVP Ambassador. Ben is a U.S. Navy veteran where he served as a Cryptologic Technician (Technical) and was awarded the Joint Service Achievement Medal, two Navy Achievement Medals, and a Good Conduct Medal. He has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and is licensed as a real estate broker in both Colorado and Florida.