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Benefits of Pet Screening: A Crucial Step in Property Management
As a landlord, is it better to offer a pet-friendly rental space? It can be a worthwhile idea since there are plenty of advantages to doing so. For one thing, you’ll expand your market of prospective tenants as more and more people are becoming pet owners.
That said, you still want to protect your rental space from pet damage. You’ll also want to avoid creating any public disturbance or noise caused by a pet. So it’s best to screen the pets before welcoming them openly in your rental space.
Advantages of Welcoming Pets in Your Rental Home
There are many reasons why you might want to consider allowing pets into your rentals, they include the following:
Tenants are Inspired to Stay for the Long Term
Moving around with a pet can be exhausting since pets want to stay in familiar surroundings. Tenants who feel that their pets are living comfortably will likely sign a lease renewal.
Wider Tenant Selection
If you offer similar amenities to other landlords then you can stand out by accommodating pets. Not all are welcoming of tenants with pets. You can also design your rental home with features that make it livable for pets. This can lead to more prospective renters.
More Responsible Tenants
Pets need regular feedings, fitness walks, and checkups. Given these tasks, pet owners are bound to be responsible and won’t have a hard time following your rental property policies. They’re also less likely to risk infractions and they won’t want to displace their pets.
Defining Pet Screening
Why is it necessary to perform a pet screening? For the same reason that you screen tenants, you’ll want to do a background check on pets or hire a third party to do it on your behalf. It’s essential to know all the details of the pet, especially regarding its health, personality, and behavioral patterns.
It’s best to be fair and follow similar procedures with all types of pets. It’s also best to request the pet owners submit updated files when they plan to renew the lease. You can arrange for a face-to-face meeting, ask the pet owner to fill out an application, and request health screening documents. All this helps protect your property and other tenants.
Pet Screening Process
Landlords can design a questionnaire and conduct in-person meetings to screen pets.
Questionnaire
The questionnaire provides a ton of details that you need to know, such as:
Type of pet and its breed
- Weight of the pet
- Age of the pet
- Length of pet ownership
- Proof of pet vaccines
- House-training the pet underwent
- Pet behavioral issues
For tenants with dogs, you want to check if:
- They plan to spay or neuter
- The dog attended a training class
- The dog walks on a leash/ is leash trained
- The owner does a good job cleaning up after their pet
For people with cats check if:
- The pet has been spayed or neuter (or if there are plans to do so)
- The can is trained to use a litter box
- The pet has the right registration and identification
- The cat stays indoors
Meeting In-Person
While on paper, a pet can pass the standards you set, seeing it in person is critical so you can determine if the pet owner was being factual. But remember that pets get nervous when meeting strangers and may act up. It’s vital to manage your expectations. You can also choose to engage the services of a licensed expert if you don’t have experience interacting with pets.
Pet Clauses to Include in Leasing Agreements
Landlords need to make sure that lease agreements contain general pet policies or pet clauses if they decide to be a pet-friendly rental unit. You can make it simple by writing the type of screening applied and the type of pets permitted. It’s also vital to be straightforward with the fees and deposits that will be collected from the tenant.
Dealing with Pet fees and Deposits
Running a pet screening can be costly. You can recoup your expenses by collecting pet fees, though you won’t be able to charge them for a service animal. Make sure to do your research first before assigning a pet fee or pet deposit since some states ban non-refundable pet fees person in a green shirt counting a bunch of twenty dollar bills.
The three types of pet fees you can potentially collect include:
- One-time Fee: Commonly this fee can’t be refunded by the landlord and is collected right at the beginning of the lease. It covers the whole duration of the tenancy. Some states don’t permit non-refundable fees so it’s vital to review your local state laws first.
- Monthly Rent: Aside from the regular fee, pet owners may be asked to pay extra charges to cover pet damage.
- Deposit: This is collected on top of the security deposit requested at the start of the tenancy.
Guideline on Service and Emotional Support Animals
Each state may have different laws when it comes to the definition of service animals and their rights. Landlords should then review the local and federal guidelines. Under the ADA, a service animal is categorized as a dog who has been trained to carry out tasks to assist a person with a disability.
You can require a renter to present you with a letter issued by a mental health professional, where it states the potential resident needs a service animal. Ask for identification and records of the service animal for proper reviewing and verification. Note that you’re not allowed to go over the medical files of the tenant or ask them to give a pet deposit.
Bottom Line
You can reduce the risks of damage that pets can potentially bring by designing a reliable pet screening process. This can be done by a landlord or a third-party professional. Are you looking for a trusted property manager to take care of your rental property? If yes, contact Keyrenter Hampton Roads today!