A Landlord’s Guide to Pets in Your Property

7 Nov 2018

by Shabari

Owning a property is never without headaches. At some time or another you will get that call about a burst pipe or broken boiler and unless you have a management agent that will deal with it for you, it’s now your problem. Well, burst pipes and broken boilers are one thing, but what about an escaped boa constrictor?!

Pets in your property can be a hassle. That said, many of us in the UK have dogs or cats we consider to be members of the family and with property lets becoming longer term the need to allow for pets is becoming more widespread. That doesn’t mean you can’t just prohibit pets but, if you do, you may find you restrict your market for new tenants.

A reasonable compromise is to allow for a specific pet, to be defined and identified at the outset and then set rules around this animal. For example, specify where the animal is kept, what happens to it during the day, what happens if it becomes a nuisance to neighbours, who pays for professional cleaning at the end of the tenancy or damage caused during its occupation.

In addition to often requesting a higher deposit, a detailed schedule of condition will allow you to prove any damage incurred by the tenant or their pet.

Please contact our experienced lettings team for a further advice.