It is becoming increasingly common for landlords to allow tenants to have a pet in their property.
There can be many advantages and opportunities of allowing pets on the tenancy agreement, but before you decide, make sure you consider the following pros and cons.
Increase your chances of finding a tenant
In recent years, the percentage of people who searched for a pet friendly rental increased by over 200 per cent! It is fair to say that more and more Australians are owning pets, which means you will have a larger pool of prospective tenants to choose from. If you want to secure a tenant sooner rather than later, consider allowing pets.
Increased rent
Not only could banning pets cut you out of a larger demographic of people, it could also be a missed opportunity for you to charge higher rent. You can potentially increase your rent based on the high demand of pet friendly rental seekers. Look around your area and see how many pet friendly rentals there are currently available.
Longer tenancy
For most tenants who own pets, they are looking to secure something long term, as finding a rental that allows pets can be difficult and unpredictable. By allowing pets, you increase your chances of securing a responsible, reliable tenant on a long term lease who will go the extra mile to take care of your property.
Potential damage to the property
The biggest deterrent for landlords when it comes to allowing pets is the potential for damage to the property. Pets can scratch floors, leave carpet stains, disturb the garden and even leave behind a lingering odour. This can be a risk of allowing pets, however, with routine inspections and good communication with your property manager and tenants, it is easy to mitigate and control. You can also include in the lease agreement not to have the animals inside the house if you wish, which can help reduce any damage caused inside of the property.