Reasons Why Landlords Should Offer Pet-Friendly Accommodation
Investing in property to rent out is a lucrative venture as the demand for rental properties rises. The rental market is currently highly competitive, and as a landlord, it is important to consider what your ideal tenants need and want in order to find good, long-term tenants who will keep your property active and continue earning you rental income. These days, one of the main things that tenants want is to be able to bring their pet to live with them. During the lockdown of 2020, many people found that this was an ideal time to get a cat or a dog for their family and being able to find somewhere to live with their furry friend is often a top priority. Owning a pet has never been so popular, but many tenants still have trouble with finding somewhere to live where pets are permitted.
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New UK Rules for Pet Friendly Renting London
New renting rules in the UK now state that landlords must have a good reason to not accept pets in a property. Consent for allowing pets will now be the default for all tenancy agreements unless the landlord has a good reason to ban pets, and blanket bans on pets are no longer able to be used by default. Instead, landlords need to object in writing within twenty-eight days of receiving a written pet request from a tenant, and provide a good reason, such as in smaller houses or flats where owning a pet may be impractical or dangerous. To protect landlords, tenants will continue to have a legal duty to either cover the cost of repairs or make repairs to any damage caused to the property by pets.
Get More Tenants with Pet Friendly Rentals London
If you own a property in London that you are looking to rent out, being pet-friendly can help you find good tenants faster. Allowing pets will expand your target market to responsible pet owners with well-behaved pets who are looking for somewhere to live. Nobody wants to have to give up their beloved pets in order to find somewhere to live, and pet-friendly properties tend to be snapped up quickly.
Pet Friendly Flats in London Could Help You Find Better Tenants
Are you looking for tenants who are going to live in your property long-term and look after it? Allowing pets in the accommodation might help you find better tenants. Being a responsible pet owner demonstrates that somebody is not afraid of commitment, as you will know if you have a pet that they are your responsibility for several years. While owning a dog or a cat doesn’t automatically make somebody a good tenant, you can usually assume that somebody who looks after their pet on a daily basis is somebody who is responsible and committed.
Get Higher Pet Friendly Apartments Rent
Since pet-friendly accommodation is in very high demand, many tenants are willing to pay more to be able to find somewhere to live with their beloved pet. As a landlord, you can take advantage of the demand for pet-friendly accommodation by charging more rent compared to what your competitors who do not allow pets in the property are asking for. While tenants might be able to find housing cheaper elsewhere, the main advantage of choosing your property instead is that they are able to bring their pet with them without worrying about losing their deposit.
Cover Yourself for Damages with Pet Friendly Flats to Rent in London
Many landlords worry about the additional cost of repairs to the property that may be needed if damage is caused by the pet. Sure, dogs can chew at things and cats might be notorious for scratching wallpaper off walls; however, you can make sure that you are covered by charging a pet deposit to your tenants. Many tenants who have pets that they want to bring to live with them are more than willing to pay extra at the outset. Along with this, tenants also have a duty to repair any damages to the property that is caused by their pet. So, you do not have to worry about high costs if you get a tenant who has a destructive pet.
How to Prepare a Property for Renting with Pets in London
If you have a property to rent and want to improve your return on investment by allowing pets, there are a few things that you can do to make the property even more pet-friendly, making it easier for both yourself and your tenants to manage. While well-behaved pets are usually fine, all pets can cause some damage from time to time so it’s a good idea to try and minimise the risk of this as much as you can. For example, painting instead of wallpapering walls will avoid wallpaper being ripped off or scratched by bored pets, and make sure that wires are hidden away in trunking so as to avoid them being chewed through. Loop-pile carpets in rental properties are often a great choice since they are hard-wearing and cheap; however, if you are going to allow pets, it might be worth investing more in a type of carpet that animals cannot easily get their claws into, otherwise it will only be a matter of time before you will need to replace it.
What Pets to Allow in a Pet Friendly Studio Flat London
While allowing pets should now be the default in any tenancy agreement, landlords can refuse a pet on the basis of the property being too small. If you are renting out a studio flat in London, for example, then you probably do not want to allow larger dogs, for example, as not only will it be impractical, but it could also be dangerous for the animal themselves. It’s important to carefully consider your property when it comes to the type of pet that you will allow. Small pets like rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, and even tortoises and turtles tend to be great pets for any type of property since they do not require a lot of room and often live in hutches, cages and tanks, meaning that the risk of damage to the property is very minimal.
Vetting Tenants for Pet Friendly Rentals London UK
While many landlords are happy to allow responsible pet owners to rent their properties with well-behaved pets, this can often be one of the trickiest things to vet when it comes to tenant screening. Often, you will have to simply take the tenant’s word for it that their pet is well-behaved. Where possible, gain as much information about the pet as you can including their age, training, and anything else that might be relevant. Don’t assume that a small dog is always better than a large dog – in fact, small dogs can sometimes be more destructive and disruptive than a larger breed. Similarly, cats might be a type of pet that you are more inclined to accept due to them being smaller and less boisterous compared to dogs, but they can also cause damage with their claws. Preparing your property to be pet-friendly is the best way to make sure that any damage is minimised regardless of the type of pets you are able to accept.
Pet Tenancy Agreement Rules
If you are happy to go ahead and accept pets in your rental property, then there are certain rules that you may wish to include in the tenancy agreement. For example, you may want to put a limit on the number of pets that tenants can have in the property or require tenants to send a pet request each time they wish to add a new pet to the home. Many landlords also prohibit the breeding of pets from their rental properties. Even if your tenant is registered as a breeder, puppies and kittens can be highly destructive to a property. It may also be worth considering adding rules for how long certain pets such as dogs can be left alone at the property. Not only will this deter tenants who do not look after their pets well and encourage responsible pet owners to rent from you, but it will also minimise the risk of damage to the property from a bored animal.
Add rules regarding cleaning up after pets – make sure that tenants know that they are responsible for removing pet faeces from the garden area, for example. It is also important that the tenant knows what their responsibilities are when it comes to covering the cost of any damage that may be caused by pets. This could be in the form of paying a pet deposit when they sign the tenancy agreement and move in, or by making or paying for repairs as and when needed. Regular property inspections by either yourself or a property management company are recommended for tenants with pets in particular.
With more people deciding to get a pet and the rules around allowing pets in rental properties changing in the UK, it’s a good idea for landlords to consider being more pet-friendly.
