PM - Is it advisable to allow pets into your rental property?

It is natural for property investors and property managers to be wary of allowing pets into a rental property based on prior experiences or concerns over what damage could occur to the property.

Should you decide not to allow pets in your investment property, this should be incorporated in pre-tenancy marketing to avoid any confusion by prospective tenants which could hinder or delay the tenancy application process.

Should you decide to allow a pet in your rental property, some definite guidelines should be placed at the start of the tenancy and written as additional terms of the tenancy agreement so there is a firm understanding of the consent that you have granted.

Firstly, when checking the tenant’s reference, it is essential to confirm if the pet has lived in past tenancies and if so, whether the pet created a disturbance, nuisance or damage during that previous tenancy. It's also important to find out the number and type of pets.

Although near impossible to police during a tenancy, clear guidelines should be sought and made regarding whether the pet will remain outdoors at all times or will be allowed indoors under certain circumstances. In addition to terms such as the tenant fumigating the property and steam-cleaning the carpets at the end of the tenancy, restriction of the number and type of pets should be written into the agreement.

Experience has shown that by stipulating clear guidelines at the beginning of the tenancy, it is possible to have a harmonious pet-friendly tenancy.