Are you a cat person or a dog person?
Or, are you neither?
When it comes to allowing pets in a rental property, even the most animal-friendly property owner can shy away from the idea of having tenants with pets running around their investment property.
We understand that pets can be risky. They can add to your liability and honestly - they can make quite a mess.
However, pet-friendly rental properties earn more money for owners in Richmond. They reduce your vacancy rate because the majority of prospective renters in your tenant pool have at least one pet.
What you need, in order to leverage the benefits that come with allowing pets while minimizing the risks, is a strong pet policy.
Today, we’re talking about pet policies in Richmond rental properties, and how you can protect your investment while still welcoming tenants who have furry family members with whom they’d like to live.
Why a Pet-Friendly Richmond Rental Home is Good Business
Still not convinced you even need a pet policy because you’re not planning to allow pets at all?
That’s a mistake. So, before we dive into the particulars about what to include in your pet policy, let’s talk about why you should allow pets into your rental property.
Maybe you have some beloved dogs or cats of your own. If you do, you likely understand how important they are. People consider them family members, and no one with a pet is going to move into a home that doesn’t allow animals.
A large majority of households in the U.S. have at least one pet. That includes rental households. So, if you’re renting out a property that doesn’t allow pets, you’re eliminating a huge part of your tenant pool. That could lead to longer vacancy periods. Pet-friendly rental homes in Richmond, on the other hand, will rent faster because you’re opening up your home to a much larger population of potential renters. This helps with tenant retention, too. Your residents are more likely to stay in place and renew their lease agreement when they have a pet living with them. They won’t want to pay another pet fee or spend their time looking for another pet-friendly rental home.
When you’re willing to allow pets, you’ll want to say so loud and clear. In your marketing and your listing, always mention that you’re willing to consider pets. This will give you the flexibility to deny a pet that you feel might be dangerous or not in good health. You’ll still attract pet owners to your property when your listing indicates that you are willing to consider their furry family member.
By saying “pets considered” instead of “pets allowed,” you’re leaving the door open but you’re also giving yourself the flexibility to say no to a Pit Bull or a litter of newborn kittens.
Establish Clear Pet Policies and Include Them in Your Lease Agreement
Here’s what’s most important about protecting your property: the pet policy.
Before allowing pets into your rental property, it's essential to have a clear and comprehensive pet policy in place. A strong pet policy will spell out the rules and restrictions that will apply to tenants with pets, as well as the consequences for breaking the rules.
Here are some of the things your pet policy absolutely must include:
Restrictions. You don’t want a tenant moving in with 12 cats. So, make sure the pet policy establishes a limit on the number of pets they can have. You can say only one pet per tenant. Or, two pets. Or, one dog and one cat. The exact parameters around what you’ll allow is up to you. You can restrict the animal type, as well. Maybe you don’t like cats but you’re fine with dogs. You can welcome dogs but not cats. Or, you can implement size and age restrictions. Only pets that are at least two years old, for example. Or, only dogs that weigh less than 20 pounds.
Pet fees, deposits, and rent. Your policy should also include any additional rent or fees required for pets, such as pet deposits, monthly pet rent, or non-refundable pet fees.
Leash and pet waste expectations. You can require that dogs be leashed when outside of the property. You can also require that their waste is not left in the yard, but disposed of properly.
Be specific in what you’ll allow and what you won’t allow. This will reduce confusion, set expectations, and allow you to hold your tenants accountable to the pet policy they agreed to when they signed the lease.
Your pet policy should also require that inspections will take place.
Conducting pet inspections is a vital step in protecting your rental property from potential pet damages. Schedule a walk-through at least once during the lease term, perhaps a few months after the tenant and their pet move in. You’ll want to provide plenty of notice, and you’ll also want to make sure that this inspection is written into the lease agreement and your pet policy. Virginia tenants have the right to privacy and quiet enjoyment, so you’ll need to be transparent about your reasons for entering the property.
Inspect with the tenant present, and check for any potential hazards that could be caused by the animal, such as scratching, chewing, or digging. Periodic inspections ensure your property is safe, and any damages caused by the pet are repaired.
Address Dangerous Dog Breeds in Pet Policies
Anyone who owns a Rottweiler will tell you that their dog is just as sweet as can be.
Insurance companies don’t believe them.
Most insurers keep a list of dangerous dog breeds, and they will not cover any incident that involves the dog on your property. The list includes dogs you’d expect, such as those Dobermans and Pit Bulls. It also includes Rottweilers, Alaskan Malamutes, Great Danes, Siberian Huskies, and others.
This does not mean you have to forbid the dogs - it simply means you have to be aware of the insurance that will not apply. If you’re going to allow a tenant to move in with one of these breeds, require tenant liability insurance which will protect you against any claims after a dog bite.
Screen Pets and Owners
To reduce the risks associated with allowing pets in your rental property, it's essential to screen both the animals and their owners rigorously.
Screening pets involves checking their vaccination records, ensuring they have proper identification, and establishing their temperament through a pet interview. You can ask for a photo of the pet so that you can easily identify the animal if you happen to be at the property making repairs or conducting a maintenance walk-through.
A Brief Reminder that Service Animals are NOT Pets
You won’t find any federal, state, or local laws that say Richmond rental property owners must allow pets into their rental properties. A pet is completely unregulated and as a landlord, you can make your own rules. However, service and companion animals are governed by two specific federal laws: the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Both of these laws protect tenants with physical, emotional, and intellectual disabilities against housing discrimination. According to these laws, you cannot deny a tenant the use of a service animal or a companion animal, which is most frequently an emotional support animal or a therapy animal. You have to allow those animals because they are accommodations, not pets. Think about it the same way you’d think about a wheelchair. You cannot say “No wheelchairs” when you’re renting out a home. This is the same reason you cannot say “No service animals.”
Pets are totally your decision. If you do allow pets in your rental property, we have established some of the best things to include in your pet policy. We’ve recommended that you charge a pet deposit or a pet fee. You know you can also charge extra rent every month and call it pet rent. That’s what you’ll do for pets. However, these additional charges are not permitted when your tenant has a service or companion animal.
Navigating the desire for pet-friendly rentals with the need to protect your property does not have to be difficult, as long as you have a clear pet policy in place and some experience managing homes with animals in them. We can help you. Contact us at PMI Presidential for any pet policy needs or questions about Richmond property management.
