renting with pets

[wcladymacbeth]

We own an apartment that will be empty after June for the first time since we've had it, so now we have to find a new renter. Our current tenant has an a-hole of a german shepherd that has done a lot of damage to the yard and our new fence. I WANT to allow dogs in the rental, but it was sort of a bad experience with the german shepherd. I don't want to put a weight restriction, because lower weight obviously doesn't mean less destructive. So how can I allow only well-behaved pets? Say that I have to meet the pet or something?

 

[LilahRoot]

I would just meet the animal and do a case-by-case basis. I know a lot of landlords require the dog to be a certain age. No puppies.

ETA It doesn't really all depend on how the dog acts. I have a very destructive little pooper and I keep him crated when I can't be watching him. I think that you need to find a very responsible person.

 

[lizzybeth727]

You could require the dog to have a CGC or something, just to show that the owner has put SOME work into training the dog and is less likely to just let it do whatever it wants.

 

[FoxyWench]

i would 1: have an extra pet deposit, dont make it too huge, but it should be enough to cover should something happen...
2: require references, most people renting with pets rented with their pets previously so ask for a reference from their previous rental and a vet.
3: reduce the pet deposit if they can provide PROOF of CGC, or other advanced obedience training.
4: MEET the dog.

you could also provide stipulations like the dog is not to be left out in the yard unsupervised

most people renting with pets know how hard it is to find a place that allows them and i know at least i was very willing to provide as much comfort to a landlord that would allow me to have the dogs...

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

You could require the dog to have a CGC or something, just to show that the owner has put SOME work into training the dog and is less likely to just let it do whatever it wants.

Thats not fair for dogs that fail for stupid reasons like whining.

 

[FoxyWench]

yeah i definatly wouldnt require the CGC, but id offer a discount for someone that could prove more training than just a puppy class...

 

[smkie]

People who rent and let their animals do damage and do not fix it themselves ruin it for all of the rest of us. I don't blame a landlord for not allowing pets. You don't know how awful that hobbit house was. SMall as a box and I did 5 years there. The only reason I lived there was because it was the ONLY one I could find to say yes to a good sized lab and a pointer pup. I had to have the landlord come over to the house i had lived in for 3 years and SEE that there wasn't any animal damage to get him to agree.

The first thing I do is put down runners, and BIG RUGS over anywhere that is high traffic. If I had my way I would cover it all up but I can't. I do not leave my dogs alone for long periods, if I am going to be gone more than a couple hours I have a doggy sitter. Your average pet owner either crates or chances it. I do not like crates so that is my alternative.

If i owned a property and was going to lease it out and I didn't have a lot of money to throw away I wouldn't allow pets. Or young teenage men! But you can't say that out loud.

IF I were going to gamble I would defiantly insist on proof of training. Gcc or something along those lines.

 

[NicoleLJ]

I am a renter and have always had multiple pets, usually large dogs, and never had a hard time finding a place to rent. Reason being is that each of my pets always have a resume. One for each of them. On it is a picture of the pet, their health records, id number for their liscense, breed type, training that they have, behaviours and also references from previous landlords and neighbours. All who will verify the behaviour of said pet when living at the previous place and how the place looked when I left.

Landlords like me so much that one of my previous landlords phoned me up a few days ago to let me know he has another unit coming avaliable. And I was the first person he wanted. This might be something you could request of your prosective tenants.

 

[CaliTerp07]

My landlord requested to meet the animal, and I told all about Lucy when applying for the place--her age, that she's 100% housebroken, that she's enrolled in advanced agility classes, etc. Proof that we work with her. I also gave them the name of our previous landlord, which they could contact to ask about the dog.

 

[Fran27]

Oh that stinks. What they do here is ask for a pet deposit and add $50 per pet to the rent.

 

[Pam111]

My last landlord visited my previous rental to see there was no damage

 

[Fran101]

I would require a pet deposit, when they move out and the house is in good shape, they get it back.. if not, you use to pay for repairs

 

[lizzybeth727]

Thats not fair for dogs that fail for stupid reasons like whining.

Well.... if you're in an apartment and your dog whines excessively and loudly, it could bother the neighbors.

 

[Saeleofu]

What I would do is ask for a "Pet Resume" listing all the training the pet has done, references from vet/previous landlords/tenants, and meet the dog. Also have a pet deposit and possibly even pet rent. I'd waive the pet rent for a dog with a CGC, and possibly lower the pet deposit, too.

The last place I was at was no pets. Since Gavroche was an ESA I was legally allowed to have him. However, I provided a resume including training/CGC documentation, vaccine records, etc. None of the people around me knew I had a dog until at some point they saw me with him. The landlord was impressed with him, and she doesn't even like dogs.

Also emphasize that all damage done by the pet is the renter's responsibility to pay for.

 

[sillysally]

i would 1: have an extra pet deposit, dont make it too huge, but it should be enough to cover should something happen...
2: require references, most people renting with pets rented with their pets previously so ask for a reference from their previous rental and a vet.
3: reduce the pet deposit if they can provide PROOF of CGC, or other advanced obedience training.
4: MEET the dog.

you could also provide stipulations like the dog is not to be left out in the yard unsupervised

^This.

I also don't think I would *require* a CGC. Reduced rate for one is good, but just because a dog can pass a CGC test does not mean that it won't dig, is housebroken completely, won't bark excessively, won't chew things up, etc.

Aside from that you generally have to be "doggy" to know about CGC tests (at least in this area)--even in most obedience classes they don't even mention CGC, or if they do they bill it as "a test your dog can take to be able to go into hospitals." I don't think that someone has to be a "dog person" to be a good renter with a dog. JMHO.

 

[CaliTerp07]

I'm pretty sure Lucy will never get her CGC, thanks to her leash reactivity. That doesn't affect her being a really good inside dog though. She's never chewed/dug/peed anything inside, ever.

 

[FoxyWench]

another suggestion, not for renting with pets specifically but in general, take pictues of the entire place, floors, walls doors ect before new tenants come in...that way any damages at the end they cant ty and claim it was already like that

 

[boneyjean]

In my experience when I rented, we often had a pet deposit per pet and it sometimes said it was non refundable, but since our pets never did any damage, we always got it back. I want to say it was $300 per pet. The last place that we rented, the owner told us he would let us pay one pet deposit even thought we had 4 pets (2dogs, 2 cats) because we had good credit and a great rental history with our previous landlords.

So I would get a pet deposit, ask for references, talk to the owners about their pets and if they are crated or what during the day and how they usually act etc, and maybe even ask to meet the pet. With one of my dogs, that may not have helped us. Even thought she is perfectly house trained and typically doesn't destroy anything (except baby toys that could easily be mistaken as dog toys), she takes time to warm up to strangers. I have always crated her and our other dog thought when we are away for their own safety.

 

[Lizmo]

yeah i definatly wouldnt require the CGC, but id offer a discount for someone that could prove more training than just a puppy class...

People don't have to take a class to train a dog. I think people put too muh emphasis on classes or titles. Just meet the dog and owner. I'm sure you'll know pretty quick what type handler/dog team they are. Meet at a park and ask the owner to do some simple commands likes come, heel, sit, stay, etc. That will tell you more than a piece of paper will, IMO.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Speaking as someone who rents with pets- our current landlords wanted to meet the dogs and required a hefty deposit for each animal (which to me was totally fine, I have BIG dogs).

I think it is extremely unfair to require things like a CGC- I have a dog that could never pass, but it doesn't mean that I don't have good dogs.

Coming from someone looking for a new house: it's a pain in the butt. Weight restrictions, breed restrictions. It sucks. Meet my dogs, see what we do with them and ask for a large deposit- I promise I'll take better care of your place than with someone who has a 15lb dog who doesn't know sit from stay and pees in the house...