It's a reality in the 21st century that people love their pets. Approximately 68% of US households currently have one or more pets. Whether these are cats or dogs or other animals such as rabbits, chinchillas, ferrets, or guinea pigs, Americans love their pets. People often refer to their pets like family. Mostly, if many people can't rent your rental with their pets, they are not going to be interested in renting your property at all.
As a landlord, that can put you in a tough situation. There are two sides to this. One is that these pets get viewed by their owners like family. If they can't move their entire family into the rental, they're not coming. Two is that from that landlord's perspective, pets can cause massive damage to their property and cost them money.
Charging Deposits for Pets:
Many landlords mitigate this problem by charging fees for pets to move in as well as additional monthly payments for the pets to stay at the rental. For example, currently pet fees are $250 - 500 per pet (cat or dog) and usually an additional $10 - 30 per pet each month added to the tenant's total bill.
Landlords can also add further limits on pets such as the following:
- limiting the number of pets (e.g., 2 pets per unit)
- determining which types of pets to allow
- determining if there are fees for caged/contained pets
- determining if they allow reptiles/small animals
These are just some of the choices you can make as a landlord. It's your property, so you ARE in the driver's seat when it comes to determining your rental's pet policies.
4 Renovations to Make Your Rentals Pet-Friendly:
Considering a large portion of people who rent from you will have a pet/multiple pets, you can also consider how you set up your rentals. Making rentals "pet proof" can help cause you more expense in the long run. Saving that money can make allowing pets in your rentals feel like a little bit less of a daunting task.
The following are 4 renovations that you can make to your rentals that allow them to be more pet-friendly for your tenants and less expensive for you as a landlord:
Choose Vinyl/Linoleum/Tile Floors:
Choosing vinyl, linoleum, or tile floors allow for easier cleaning-ups from pet's accidents and eliminate the risk of messes soaking into and standing carpet that will otherwise need to get replaced. This flooring are mo durable and can likely stand the test of time with pets better than carpet or other absorbent surfaces.
Use Shelves/Wall Hangings As Decorations:
Using shelves or wall hangings to keep items away from pets who might otherwise become a little too curious can help limit the risks that you have of the pets damaging your property. That also provides places for tenants to store sharp objects or anything that might have chemicals in it (such as cleaning supplies) that may otherwise be harmful to their pet.
Install Thicker/Heavier Blinds in Units:
Not only do the thicker and heavier blinds block out more light and allow tenants to get better sleep, but they also make them more durable and discourage pets from munching on them as a teething toy. Not having to replace your blinds every time a tenant moves out not only saves your money but also makes having pets in your rentals seem like less of a hassle.
Use Non-Textured Furniture:
If you provide furniture in your rentals, consider getting furniture made out of materials that resist biting, chewing, and gnawing and don't chip or stain easily. Consider non-textured furniture as pets won't become as interested in chewing on plain surfaces as they are on textured ones. Other alternatives include metal, plastic, and resin furnishings, which can all withstand the chewing of pets.
These tips can help keep your unit less likely to suffer from chewing damages that a pet can cause. It keeps more money in your pocket and allows your tenant to have their pets, which keeps them happy and helps you reach a wider audience.
Conclusions:
In the end, this balance is about protecting your property and satisfying your tenants. Allowing pets in your rental allows you to make more income and market your rental to more tenants. These design strategies can also help you as a landlord by making your rentals pet-friendly and keeping you from having to fix too much pet damage done in your rentals.
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