Pet Ban and LandLord/PM feelings (apartment, lease, tenant, renters)

[PacificFlights]

This topic:
//www.city-data.com/forum/dogs/...mon-sense.html
got me thinking, Why do you as a LL or PM limit, restrict or ban pets in your rentals?
Is it personal, insurance, experience with damages, fear of liability ????

Assuming you had no insurance or other legality that forced you to make the decision you did, do you think allowing pets of all sizes, shapes and breeds will be more or less benficial to you in renting the units?

(I ask that we don't make this a pet lover or breed this-or-that debate but a pure business discussion, Thanks)

[PacificFlights]

I ban pets of all types because:
1. The insurance company has a list of restricted breeds and tryiong to explain why I accept some and not others isn;t wotrth the headaches from tenants.
2. Experience shows units with pets suffer more damges than those without and once again the headache of fighting with a tenant over damages isn;t worth it.
3. Majority of prospective tenants specifically are looking for a no-pet complex and I have no preoblems renting.
4. and I have heard horror stories about LL whom let someone have a hamster and next thing you know that person wants to have a horse int he apartment.

[512ATX]

I got rid of one of my dogs because I feared the liability if Mongo(Pitbull) would rip the place apart while i was away. couldn't afford it.

[TexasHorseLady]

We won't be allowing pets in future. We didn't originally, on advice of our property management company. Then a tenant wanted to have a rescue dog, outside only, and he'd been an excellent tenant, so we allowed it - no problems. Then a couple wanted to rent and had two dogs that they swore would NEVER come inside, and we allowed it.

Somehow, without ever coming inside, those two dogs managed to destroy the carpet, rub dirt all around the living room walls right at dog level, and chew the front off of a kitchen drawer.

So, no more pets.

Understand, one reason we moved out here to the country from that house was because for Christmas, 1995, my husband told our daughter and me that all he wanted for Christmas was for us not to bring anything else into the house that eats, and by August 1996 we were living in a house on 55 acres (well, none of the new animals come in the house!). When we lived there we had five cats and a Great Pyrenees and a mouse and some salamanders and some fish. So it's not like we don't like critters! But when we lived there, those critters weren't allowed to destroy the house.

[CarlitosBala]

I allow a small adult dog, around 20 lbs max. With a non-refundable pet-deposit on top of the standard security deposit. No aggressive breeds though, ever. No cats either.

I have had dogs all my rental life, and only had minimal issues once (which we fixed ourselves prior to move-out).

Once people find a nice place that will allow their 4-legged "kids", they are likely to stick around for several lease renewals, as finding another pet-friendly apartment can be problematic.

Although, it IS hilarious that people tell you "Oh yeah, our doggy is only 20lbs", then you find out its a 7 week old Pitbull-Mastiff mix.

[round4]

No pets. They tear up stuff, ruin carpets and flooring. Not the pets fault, it's the owners...But, the liability is too high.

I own dogs, but, I trained mine.

[DowntownHarrisburg]

Originally Posted by PacificFlights

4. and I have heard horror stories about LL whom let someone have a hamster and next thing you know that person wants to have a horse int he apartment.

But a hamster is *just like* a horse! They both have four legs, a head, they both drink water, they're both vegetarians, it's practically the same animal! And you let my neighbor get a cat, which is EVEN MORE like a horse! WHY ARE YOU DISCRIMINATING AGAINST ME??!?!??

Seriously though as a tenant I would rather have an all-or-nothing rule. All pets or no pets. All cats or no cats. All dogs or no dogs. All cats, no dogs. All dogs, no cats. Naturally you'll have to make allowances for ADA compliance.

[sware2cod]

Allowed cats and they ruined brand new carpet by thinking it was the litter box. Then the tenant threatened a lawsuit when there was a deduction from the security deposit for this damage.

No longer a landlord...not worth the hassle for me.

[RowingMunkeyCU]

See... that whole "non-refundable pet deposit" and "pet rent" thing is just a bogus money grab. Any damages can just be taken out of the regular deposit, or if the amount of the damages is greater than the deposit... you can simply take the tenant to small claims court.

All you have to do is provide some simple before and after pictures along with the original receipt for the carpet (in the case of carpet damage) and 2-3 quotes from repairmen for other damages. If you maintain proper records just like any other business, you'll have no problem winning your case; if you don't... than it's nobody's fault but your own.

If you have breed restrictions per your insurance carrier... just say so. Heck... make it easy and just provide a copy (or an excerpt) of your insurance plan to potential renters. It's really not that hard.

As far as the oddball tenants who let their animals destroy the place... it's really not any different than the tenants who let their kids destroy the place. You simply take them to court to recoup the cost of repairs.

People really need to be less afraid of the court system... take some time one day and go sit in on some civil cases (or criminal, they're actually pretty interesting). Provide adequate proof and win. It's that simple.

Being a good landlord is a full time job. Too many people get into it expecting to just get handed free money every month and never (or rarely) having to put any money into upkeep or repairs.

[lawmom]

But an upfront fee is guaranteed, whereas you could take a tenant to court, win everything you asked for, and never be able to collect. Winning a case is about 1/5th of the battle.

I do believe that non-refundable fees are illegal in some states, however.