08 Apr Life’s Ruff – Your Guide to Pet Rental Policies
Pets and rental property don’t always mix – after all, you are loaning your space to tenants in hopes the property will be well-taken care of for the duration of a lease. Welcoming four-legged friends into your property runs the risk of additional damages, but at the same time, over 70% of Americans have pets. With that said, ruling out pets all together will drastically decrease the size of your potential tenant pool.
So, how does a landlord navigate welcoming pets while ensuring the property remains undamaged?
Many rental properties require an additional pet deposit at the time of security deposit collection. Others collect a small additional monthly pet rent to help offset any potential damages caused. Regardless of monetary security, gathering as much information as possible on the pet is helpful in deciding whether you’re willing to house them – cue: the pet screening.
Pet screenings are a simple way to gather information about a prospective tenant’s pet(s) when applying for a unit. Rental applications can request pet information as far as the type of pet, size, registration and vaccination history, behavioral history, training history, and a photo. This process allows you to gather information about the animal before accepting or denying their application, so you can make the best decision for your property. Should you choose to house the tenant and their furry friend, this information is also helpful to keep on file in case you need to reference it down the road for maintenance and staff.
Make sure you’ve brushed up on the local and state pet regulations before allowing just any pet onto the property. Dogs and cats are standard, but a monkey is a no-go – so do your reading first!
Service Animals
It’s important to know in advance the difference between pets and service animals. Primarily dogs, service animals are individually trained to accommodate the physical, sensory, psychiatric or mental needs of a disabled person.
Animals other than dogs are not nationally recognized as service animals, so be sure to touch base with state and local laws in regards to other types of animals. However, a disabled person does reserve the right to make an accommodation request for another type of animal if they are allergic or otherwise cannot have a dog.
In the instance of a service animal request, landlords can only ask to verify the animal’s status and inquire about tasks the animal is trained to perform. Tenants with pets that qualify as service animals cannot be required to submit a pet application, nor verify a disability.
Service animal owners also cannot be required to submit a deposit or rental fee on behalf of the animal, and sizing, weight or breed restrictions do not apply. Registration and vaccination requirements do still apply to service animals, and documents can be requested. Service animals may only be restricted if they are a direct threat to others.
Emotional Support Animals
An emotional support animal is not trained to perform tasks to assist a person with a disability, but rather to provide emotional stability. Emotional support animals do not nationally qualify as service animals, and therefore can be assumed as a pet in regards to rental property. Be sure to double check local regulations to verify there are no additional accommodations made for emotional support animals at the state or local levels.
More Bang for Your Bark
At the end of the day, your choice to allow pets on your property (and what requirements you establish) is really at your discretion. Just remember that accommodations for service animals must be made upon request, and in those cases, financial and demographic requirements no longer apply.
Tenants love their furry friends, and allowing them on your rental property is sure to widen the selection of potential tenants. Not to mention, tenants with pets tend to exemplify a certain degree of responsibility and security – two qualities that make high-quality tenants. Taking the proper steps to ensure the safety of your property while pets are living there is your right – just be sure the animal in question is considered a pet, and you’ll avoid the dog days.
