House for rent - NO PETS ALLOWED

[catland]

Don't worry, this will have a happy ending.

My husband and I just purchased a house to use as a rental property (as part of our planning for our retirement). Anyway, he didn't want to rent to anyone with pets. Over the weekend, this nice young couple expressed interest in the place, but once they found out that no pets were allowed, they went away.

Now he's having second thoughts . I wish we could locate these people, but unfortunately, we didn't get a name or phone number.

We probably won't rent to someone with a dog (because it woudn't be fair to the dog - this property is very small and the back yard isn't fenced in), but now we will definately consider people with cats.

[moosmom]

Catland,

I'm glad you husband is having second thoughts about pets. Too many landlords refuse to rent to people with pets because of a bad experience with former tenants.

I have to say I am VERY fortunate that my landlord loves cats. I'd hate to have moved 663 miles to find out my landlord didn't want pets.

Dogs are high maintenance in that they need to be walked and/or need a yard to play in. Cats on the otherhand are very self-sufficient.

What you might want to do is ask for a pet deposit. This way, God forbid any damage should occur, they will be covered.

Good luck and know that you are doing a great thing by allowing pets. I don't know what my life would be without them.

[Nomilynn]

How about offering to people ONLY with pets. I can't tell you how discouraging it is to look for a place to live, and then find out that I couldn't have my babies with me. I'm so grateful that I live in a place where pets are allowed!

[moosmom]

I'm so grateful that I live in a place where pets are allowed!

Me too!!

[catland]

I think he was just nervous at first, he loves our kittes as much as I do, and some people don't clean up after their animals. I felt all along that I wanted to rent to people with cats - but I knew I needed him to realize this for himself.

When we bought our house, we had to remove all of the cat-peed carpeting because the previous owners never cleaned out their litter boxes.

We'll definitely keep our "no smoking" policy though. I think that smoking indoors is much harder on a place than a cat.

[Nomilynn]

Originally posted by catland
We'll definitely keep our "no smoking" policy though. I think that smoking indoors is much harder on a place than a cat.

AMEN to that!!!! Good plan

What about a pet deposit? People who are careful with their pets won't have a problem with that, because they know they will get it back anyway.

[catland]

Yes, we'll definately have a pet deposit. Like you said, responsible people will get their money back

[kimlovescats]

I think you have made the right decision. Nowadays, saying "no pets" is the same as saying "no kids"!!!!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Most of the big apartment complexes in the Chicago area will now accept pets with an additional security deposit, and there are limits such as 40 pounds on a dog and two cats - or something like that. Some places have additional security deposit plus a non-refundable fee. I think many of these complexes realized that many, many people have pets that they aren't willing to part with.

I'm glad your husband changed his mind. Good luck on finding some responsible kitty owners.

[batgirl1980]

Me too!!! Technically we're only allowed Mozart, but bach and eliza were with us already, so they just hitched a ride on in...

I HATE looking for a place only to read, or hear "no pets allowed". I know some people don't take very good care of their place, but REALLY. any responsible pet parent, will gladly pay a security deposit (and i pay a monthly fee too. geeze), to have their babies with them...and they know they will get it back because their the ones that DO take care of the place they live!

I can't count the number of places I looked at that said no pets, and although they had everything else we wanted, we said NOPE, because there was no way we would move without our babies!

[Karen]

Perhaps a pet deposit, and no mention of dogs or cats being allowed, just that all pets must be approved by you. The RIGHT dog owner can have a happy dog of any size even in an apartment (okay, as long as it's not a young, keep-me-busy-or-I'll-eat-your-furniture breed like a Border Collie!). I would go on a case-by-case basement, and you'll probably end up with grateful tenants and happy pets!

[RogueFerret]

One of my good friends got married last year and since they were just starting out, they decided to get an apartment. They set their wedding date and everything, but she didn't realize how hard it would be to find an apartment where they coud keep her husbands two cats! She was crying franticly and me and three other girls had to call around and try to find her an apartment before they got married! Luckily, to the releif of all, we found a good apartment that required a pet deposit which she gladly paid and wife, husband, and cats are all happy.

Believe me, people will appreciate an apartment where pets are allowed and most owners will take care of their pets for fear of being evicted and having to go through the same nightmare of finding a place to live all over again.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so glad to hear that you decided to allow pets. I also agree that there should be some kind of pet security deposit. I think that most renters with pets will take very good care of them. Good luck. Maybe the original couple that was interested in your place will come back when they learn that you'll now accept pets.

It is so sad when landlords say "no pets allowed"
We used to own an appartment at the Belgian coast. We went there almost every weekend. During July & August, we put it up for rent. We always allowed pets, but asked a deposit. We only had to keep the deposit once: a big doggie had torn of the paper in 2 rooms and had also been peeing on the carpet. The owners of that dog agreed with us! All the other periods went fine!!
We sold the appartment 3 years ago, as we were having our new house built and needed the money

[Barbara]

We had rented the apartment we're living in for ten years before we took the opportunity to buy it. Our landlord allowed pets and allowed us too to put a net round the balcony

And I was prepared to pay for the wooden balcony door which is one of Tigris scratching posts if we had moved out.