Idaho Rentals and Pets
For many property owners it seems easy to say, “I don’t want any pets in this unit.” The cost of replacing carpet or potential damage is far too great a risk and will cost more than a pet deposit. The other side of the coin is that by refusing pets you can eliminate a large portion of your tenant market and a home can stay vacant longer. Idaho ranks 9th in the nation for pet ownership, 62% of households have a pet according to the US Pet Ownership Demographic Scrapbook by the American Veterinary Medical Association in their 2013 report. Idaho is also 8th in the nation for cat ownership. 34.6% of homes have cats.
Listing a property as no pets in communities with a large number of pets cuts your demographic audience by over half. After being in this industry I cannot tell you how many times we get an applicant that states they “have no pets” for a rental that is listed as no pets, only to discover that they have an animal from their past landlord or on social media.
It is much safer for a property to allow pets with increased deposits or rent fees and have money for repairs than it is to have tenants sneaking in animals. Pet owners are highly motivated to negotiate when it means keeping a furry member of the family with them. Applications will benefit from having pets listed, and pet references like veterinarians, or landlords with pictures of the animals on file. It gives a landlord a chance to screen an animal along with an applicant.
Policies are a landlord’s best friend when it comes to pets. It is smart to have regular inspections, your pet policy should state that damages found by pets will be billed to the pet owner at the time it is discovered and pets causing damage may be removed the property. Additional pet deposits for each animal is helpful. Requiring photos of pets and requesting pet owners carry an insurance policy that includes their animal is highly recommended. Landlords can also refine their policy and let potential tenants know if they have breed restrictions. Many landlord insurance policies also include breed restrictions and this kind of communication will save you a lot of time.
Some of your best tenants can have furry family members, it helps to have policies in place to protect your rental investment and not risk losing over half of the reenters in the market for your home.
