Landlords who own pets typically worry about damage caused by poorly trained or negligent owners. Landlords may also have concerns regarding nuisance issues like barking or smell.
Landlords will usually accept evidence demonstrating responsible pet ownership, such as a resume or portfolio for your animal, references from previous landlords, and proof of renter’s insurance that covers pet-related damages.
Be Honest
Many landlords don’t like renting to pet owners due to fears their animals will damage the rental property. If this is a concern for your landlord, be honest and put their mind at ease by providing proof of responsible pet ownership – such as microchipping your pets, updating vaccinations regularly, training them properly or providing references from past landlords or veterinarians that your animals have never caused any damages or demonstrated positive behavior in previous housing arrangements or veterinarian offices.
Landlords may also express concern about potential noise, pest and cleanliness issues associated with pet ownership. If this concerns you, try finding solutions to alleviate them during negotiations – for instance if barking of your pet causes issues for others in the building; scheduling walks at early or late hours to limit disruption could help.
If you are concerned about cleaning up after your pet, discuss ways to train it to do it on its own regularly with your veterinarian. They can also write a letter of recommendation for you that can reassure your landlord of your responsibility as a pet owner and arrange a meet-and-greet so they can see how well your animal interacts with other people and animals.
Be Prepared
As part of your negotiation with landlords on pet policies, be ready to answer questions about your pets. They may raise concerns regarding wear and tear, noise levels or safety risks related to having a pet as well as possible odor or cleaning issues caused by its ownership. Furthermore, some landlords impose limits on which species of animal (breed size number etc) they allow and may even require deposits or additional rent payments as a deposit or additional rent payment.
Tenants should also be ready to demonstrate why their pets meet the landlord’s criteria, including providing documentation from a doctor or mental health professional regarding the relationship between emotional support or companionship and disability, or proof of training and obedience certifications. It’s also essential for tenants to remember that landlords cannot discriminate against service animals or emotional support animals.
Landlords may be unfamiliar with exotic pets and non-traditional animal species, so pet owners must be ready to answer any inquiries about them. A pet resume should contain crucial details, including vaccination records and letters from veterinarians certifying the health and well-being of their animal companion. Previous landlords or neighbors can vouch for the pet’s good behavior and responsibility as tenants; alternatively tenants could ask their landlords for a pet policy addendum in their lease agreement setting out its terms.
Be Flexible
Landlords often resort to creating pet policies as an effective strategy for attracting renters in today’s competitive housing market. If a landlord hesitates or insists upon charging pet rent, try showing why accepting pets may actually benefit both parties; data shows that pet owners tend to be responsible tenants (keeping their animal on a leash and cleaning up after it), with lower property damage costs than non-pet owners.
Landlords often worry about potential damage and nuisance caused by pets, but are also wary about finding reliable tenants capable of caring for the animals. Tenants can help allay landlords’ fears by providing references from previous landlords and neighbors as well as an extensive pet resume with vaccination records, veterinarian letters, obedience training certificates and any documentation supporting the animal(s). Furthermore, an agreement should clearly outline expectations.
If a landlord announces they no longer accept pets, tenants should seek legal assistance as soon as possible to protect their tenant rights. A tenant rights agency or an attorney could be helpful; alternatively they could request reasonable accommodation like increasing security deposits or increasing monthly pet fees.
Be Creative
Landlords may worry that pets may cause wear and tear on their properties, including inviting in unwanted tenants or interfering with privacy and comfort of other residents. Furthermore, landlords may question pet owners’ ability to train and monitor their animals appropriately as well as take responsibility for any issues that may arise.
However, you can persuade a landlord to allow pets by being creative and showing that you are an excellent pet owner. For instance, send the landlord an “animal resume,” with photos and descriptions of your animal along with certifications from obedience classes, references from previous landlords or even letters from managers at your office stating their approval of pets as tenants. You might also emphasize how tenants with pets tend to stay longer thus decreasing turnover costs and marketing expenses for landlords.
Some landlords may charge extra rent for pets, which should be clearly documented in an additional pet policy in your lease agreement. You can find pet agreement templates online that you can tailor to fit your circumstances before giving to your landlord. In addition, consider suggesting an extra security deposit dedicated to pets which cannot be withheld due to disputes unrelated to them – giving your landlord assurances that you are an honest tenant willing to cover damages caused by them.