Owning a vacation home in Orlando, FL can be a great way to earn extra income. However, being a landlord means making some hard decisions, such as whether or not to allow pets in a rental property
If you've decided to let your tenants live with their furry pals, there are a few important guidelines to put in place. Today, we're sharing five tips to help you get started.
1. Require References
One of your tenant pet rules should be that all renters must have references from prior landlords and background checks. When you call, ask them how well they maintained their former home. Were their pets destructive or well-behaved?
While they might have new pets by now, this is a good way to gauge how they'll treat your property.
2. Use Discretion
Rather than posting a universal policy that applies to all pets, consider allowing pet-friendly rentals on a case-by-case basis. As you meet with each potential tenant, you can adjust your rules regarding the number, breed, and size of pets you'll allow.
For example, two non-shedding poodles won't wreak as much havoc as one oversized German Shepherd. If you're flexible with your guidelines, you can exert more control over the outcome.
3. Require Spay/Neuter
While you can adjust some rules based on the tenant, there's one mandate we recommend sticking to: spaying and neutering. Requiring this step not only prevents surprise litters from popping up around your unit, but it's also key to managing pet damages.
When animals are neutered, there's a lower risk of problems like aggression, territorial marking, and unwanted digging.
4. Request a Deposit
If you're planning to allow rental property pets, it's only logical to ask for a deposit beforehand. While you don't want to assume that anyone's precious pooch will damage your property, this is a smart way to safeguard against those unwanted costs.
You can have a separate pet deposit or wrap it into your rental deposit. This can serve as a reminder to tenants that there's money at stake and they need to be responsible.
5. Don't Forget Maintenance
When creating your tenant pet rules, remember to share how you'd like your renters to take care of and clean up after their animals. For example, you might require owners to pick up their pets' waste immediately or at the end of each day. Or, you may place a limit on how long pets can be left outside unattended.
Will You Allow Pets in a Rental Property?
Choosing to allow pets in a rental property is a personal decision. The best way to make sure things don't get out of hand is to have clear and simple rules in place. Think about the standards you'd like to set, and make sure all parties are aware of them before you move forward.
Creating and implementing these kinds of policies is only one part of your job as a landlord. Why not let us take some of the work off your hands? At Bahia Property Management, we can help you manage every aspect of your property, from advertising and tenant screening to maintenance and accounting.
Contact us today to learn more and get started!
