Over 90 million families in the United States own pets. Many of those families are also renters, so if you're a landlord, you need to consider whether or not you're going to allow pets on your property.
But how can you decide if you should allow pets in a rental property? In most cases, it's not a necessity; it's a personal decision.
We're here to talk about the pros and cons of strict pet policies for landlords. Read on to learn more.
When Do You Have to Allow Animals?
First, let's talk about when you must allow animals in your rental property.
If a tenant has (or requests) a support or service animal, you absolutely must allow it unless it would put "undue burden" on you. "Undue burden" is difficult to prove, and choosing to disallow the animal can open you up to legal trouble.
Emotional support animals and service animals are not pets. Even if you allow pets in an apartment, you can not apply your pet policies to those animals. In other words, pet rent, pet fees, and breed restrictions do not apply.
Downsides of Allowing Pets in a Rental Property
So what about pets? Are there any good reasons for not letting pets in a rental property?
We think that allowing pets is often the best choice financially, but there are a few reasons that a landlord may want tighter apartment pet policies.
If you have severe allergies and you live on the property, you may not want pets around. It's also possible that tenants would seek out no-pet apartments because they have severe allergies.
It is possible for pets to cause damage to rental properties. While most responsible pet owners will take good care of your property (in hopes of getting their deposits back), there is always the potential for bad apples.
Benefits of Allowing Pets in a Rental Property
So why should landlords allow pets despite the risks?
As we mentioned before, pets are common. If you want to fill vacancies fast, you may as well allow pets to expand your pool of potential tenants. It would be unfortunate to miss out on a great tenant just because of your pet policy.
When you allow pets, you'll also have a better reputation. Tenants with pets will tell their friends with pets about your property.
You also have the option of taking an extra pet deposit or pet rent. This will help you earn a bit more money on the unit and protect you against the cost of potential damage.
So, Will You Allow Pets in Your Rental Property?
Allowing pets in a rental property is a personal decision, but it's one that you shouldn't take lightly. Will you broaden your pool of potential tenants, or will you disallow pets to protect your property from damage?
If you struggle with decisions like these, or you need other types of help with your Denver property, we want to help you! Our experienced property managers can assist you with marketing, tenant screening, maintenance, and more!
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