Dogs/Pets & rentals - Melbourne - thoughts?

Quick request for feedback/thoughts ... My wife and I are moving back to Melbourne after 2 years in Sydney. We have a property in Melb but we're renting it and with a family on the way it may be too small (2 br) ... but right now we don't want to sell and upgrade until we have a better idea where we want to settle. Anyway ... we have been renting in Sydney for 2 years in the same place ... we have 2 dogs, small cavaliers ... we found it difficult but not impossible to find a rental and the landlords have been great. We offered $30 more a week (moved the rent from $850pw to $880), gave them a dog resume with medicals and references etc and we have allowed them frequent inspections as well as amendments to the lease.

Heading back to Melb I was wondering what you think the tolerance of dogs/pets is. Would you allow them in your rental? (our investment property renters have 2x cats) If so, any advice you can give us to ensure we can get a nice place but also accommodate our very precious dogs! We are looking at spending around $700-850pw and want ideally somewhere within 6k of the city.
Thankyou :)
 
As long as you are honest at the outset so the appropriate pets clauses can be put in place I think most landlords are accepting. It's when dogs magically appear that annoys us as nothing can be done!
 
what are your thoughts on whether PM's tend to not present applications with pets to landlords? We haven't had it happen with our place but in Syd I have heard of it happening a bit.
 
What's a dog resume? I've never heard of one.

I hope you find something in Melbourne. It amazes me that more people don't allow pets. They do less damage than kids and the tenants tend to be long term. We allow them in all of our properties and haven't experienced any dramas yet (touch wood).

Best of luck - I hope it all works out.

Cheers

Jamie
 
Dog resume is a weird concept ... basically a resume for your dog. Not so much their career to date (of sitting on the couch) but moreso breed, any info (health, age), training etc. Nothing too detailed but at least gives them a one sheeter on the dog.

The fear of PMs and landlords around pets seems more around urban legends than actual events. Frustrating as a renter but no big issue for us as landlords.
 
It amazes me that more people don't allow pets.

I agree, if you have an idiot tenant with a pet, the pet may cause issues. If you have an idiot tenant without a pet, they'll still create other issues. Have a responsible tenant with a pet, and I wouldn't hesitate to allow pets.

My experience with one my properties at the moment, is that I would have the first tenant who applied with a dog (and left the place spotless) anyday, over the second lot of tenants who didn't have a dog (initially, they later snuck one in), and created non stop problems caused by the humans.

For me, the big deciding factor will be references. If someone applies with good reliable references, with a dog, I won't hesitate to accept it.
 
Yes! I agree Biggles! Humans can cause way more damage than pets ... so it's more a judgement about the humans than the dogs ultimately. We do have references so hopefully that will suffice.
 
No problems with pets here either. Just wanted to add, its a good idea to make sure that pets are registered and you have those details recorded.
 
When I was working at home, my labrador Tessie had a very strenuous job. As her employer I have various comments...

Tessie ran security for the company, clean up crew for food spills and general door greeting duty (like they have at Bunnings, but far more enthusiastic). Great for door-to-door sales persons, etc.

Other roles Tessie has dabbled in include being a Lab Tester. You could say it's in her blood. Essentially this role has involved stress testing various household products for to determine at what point they are completely destroyed. Needless to say, manufacturing quality and robustness isn't what it used to be.

Some of the issues I've had with using Tessie for staff have included the following. She's been known to drink out of the toilet. She sometimes sleeps (snores) on the job. She's stolen other employees lunch (an entire tray of chicken comes to mind). She can be distracted or become board at work, causing a distraction to other staff (by insisting she's taken for a walk). On one occassion she assaulted a bank manager (I'm not sure if I can really fault her for that).

Overall I would be happy to employ Tessie in the new office, but building policy does forbid non-human staff.
 
in general dogs are better than kids. tenants are generally grateful of getting a place and will generally stay longer and resist increases. initial rents can also be higher.

although you need to make sure the dog will be well exercised and take it's owners into consideration. older couple with a docile dog, no worries. a professional athlete with a Siberian husky that will run it as required, no worries.

pensioners with two grey hounds - worries.
 
Dog resume is a weird concept ... basically a resume for your dog. Not so much their career to date (of sitting on the couch)
Would love to see one of my pugs resumes

- eating
- sleeping
- wrestling
- occasionally humping my brother

Cheers

Jamie
 
Sorry to go off on a tangent but....

pensioners with two grey hounds - worries.

Not so Ed Barton!

I have had 2 greyhounds for the past 6 years and they sleep all day. If you read up on them they are actually companion dogs - wherever the human is, that is where you will find the dog. They don't run around all day as they do not have the stamina! We have an acre and they spend most of the day lying in bed. I would gladly let my properties to anyone with greyhounds over little yelping lap dogs any day!
 
The absolute worst damage I have experienced with a tenant with a dog is some scratches on the outside of the back door, and some poo in the yard. Both were solved with about $15 in paint, and a shovel. That's what Bond is for after all.

I tell owners that 95% of tenants that go bad, don't have pets. Having a dog and being a good tenant are not mutually exclusive.

Not to mention that pet owning tenants find it difficult to move and usually are longer-term.

Obviously I wouldn't want to put a Great Dane in a studio apartment, but any reasonable requests - I side with the pet owner. Body Corporates can be exceedingly difficult when trying to get a pet approved for a tenant, but in a house - the owner is crazy to say "no pets".

So OP - I hope you find something without too much trouble!

Matt
 
I get the impression that many landlords are brow beaten into the no pets mindset by their property managers and dont really take the time to think about it.

I also get the impression that many managers dont like pets not because of damage etc, but because it adds extra work, and many are really just too slack and lazy to do more than the bare minimum to collect their management fee. Pets might require additional work, so stuff that, easier to tell landlords that tenants with pets are the spawn of satan and will result in your house being nothing but a pile of destroyed twigs by the end of the lease.

The way I see it, is people who have pets generally give a damn about something other than themselves, and people that care about things besides themselves make good tenants.
 
I have no problem allowing pets for my IP. I've always had pets myself and I would be more than happy to rent my place to someone like me :p

Also if tenants have pets, legally you can get them to get the carpets professionally clean when they leave which you can't do if they don't have pets.
 
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