Tenants with pets

[Ruff investment]

Pet bonds. That sounds like a good idea. However, here in Victoria, the maximum bond you can ask is one month. Therefore, you can't ask for a pet bond as well. Well that is my understanding. Tenants can hand over a pet bond, if they are willing, to try to make the LL more comfortable with renting to pet owners.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm learning as I go along.

 

[devank]

Same in QLD too. Max of four weeks bond.

 

[goonandtell]

Pet bonds. That sounds like a good idea. However, here in Victoria, the maximum bond you can ask is one month. Therefore, you can't ask for a pet bond as well. Well that is my understanding. Tenants can hand over a pet bond, if they are willing, to try to make the LL more comfortable with renting to pet owners.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm learning as I go along.

For a property over 350? you can ask for what ever bond you want, i am looking and a common response i get to asking about a dog is 6 weeks bond. If we get in and then ask for a dog they can't ask for more bond but then we risk them saying no to a dog.

 

[fokas]

They could end up being fantastic, but could just as easily be the opposite.

Tenant of mine who recently left, had a dog and quite a few reptiles (reptiles were contained) and he turned out great.

If she appears great in every other way and you are still concerned, it's worth getting their existing address and sending a family member over to knock on their door (under the pretence of looking for someone) and have them give the place the smell test as well as look down at the floor inside of the entrance.

I'm serious .

I am amazed at what seems to be the limited amount of faith there is left in people these days...

There's risk mitigation, and then there's paranoia.
Dug up holes can be filled up, grass grows back and reptiles won't hold wild parties until 4am that spill out onto the street. IMO focus on screening the tenant's references and your gut feel when you meet them.
Most reasonable people will be so grateful for a steady home with their pet/s, whether furry, scaly (or otherwise) that any accidental damage will be attended to before vacating... and if the tenants turn out to not be reasonable, there's insurance.
This isn't to say I'm naive and in denial of how pathetic and disgusting some people live (with or without pets mind you)... I'm saying that at times some comments towards a potential tenant JUST because they have pets come across as quite ignorant, and as if all pet owners should be viewed with caution and expected to pay through the nose for the privilege of owning pets. Make the requirements unreasonable and you'll end up with people sneaking in pets anyway.

I don't believe pets are the biggest threat to our investing journey, and after seeing the "effects" of multiple dogs (8 in the backyard at one stage of a 4 bed/1.5 bath place) and upwards of 60 reptile enclosures, I would hate to think that anyone here is potentially missing out on having a long term tenant who can't fathom relocating with that many animals, who is a responsible pet owner that dutifully accepts rent increases, pays on time and keeps the place clean and in good repair.

Food for thought?

(Not necessarily directed at weg).

 

[weg]

I have no problems with pets and advertise pets allowed, but like PEOPLE, it always pays to do thorough checks (I don't scrimp here - the more thorough the checks the easier life is as a rent collector).

Going to the house was a suggestion. Fb/google is another .

 

[kinga4610]

Hiya Melbournian

I do have a heart (too soft though in my hubby's opinion)..problem is there is another tenant in the granny flat behind...she is only a young lady and she works late...i don't want her to be frightened by a fierce dog...

Is the granny flat and the house seperated by fencing? I think these dogs are very friendly and tend to jump up on people because they are so happy to see them. Unfortunately only an owner can love their dogs the way they do. If it was a house on its own, I probably would allow. But the granny flat behind bothers me. You could lose the tenant in the back due to the dog belonging to the front.

Kinga

 

[virgo]

Dogs

Hi Everyone

Thanks for all input....BUT PM made a big mistake ...the dog is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier (i think it is quite old : 8 years old...)

dog lovers: what do YOU think of this dog?

(BTW tenants themselves checked out okay)

 

[kathryn d]

Hi Everyone

Thanks for all input....BUT PM made a big mistake ...the dog is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier (i think it is quite old : 8 years old...)

dog lovers: what do YOU think of this dog?

(BTW tenants themselves checked out okay)

Dog is old..no problem.
Life expectancy is 10-16 yrs.
If you are concerned about this breed (and I am) you could stipulate this dog only is permitted.
Before another dog is brought into the rental, they must have your written permission

 

[Tillie]

Generally we allow pets, but dogs only if they are friendly and not on the dangerous species list (e.g. american pitt bull terrier). Also we mention to the potential tenant that generally fences are dog proof but only if the dog is not 'highjumper or tunnel digger' and it will be their responsibility if a dog escapes and causes a damage.

By the way we had never had any problems with pets. Actually I have seen worse damage caused by the kids than dogs/cats a and also as many here already mentioned the tenants with pets tend to stay longer.

 

[Tillie]

Hi Everyone

Thanks for all input....BUT PM made a big mistake ...the dog is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier (i think it is quite old : 8 years old...)

dog lovers: what do YOU think of this dog?

(BTW tenants themselves checked out okay)

Or it is Staffie! Common pet dog. Mostly friendly but if not trained well can be boisterous and 'jumper'. (I suppose any dog can be like that if not trained ), but for some reason I have seen a lot of badly behaving Staffies, (but pls note not angry), again owners fault. Often Staffies are confused with american pitt bull terriers. They look tuff and even dangerous with big head and mouth but as said they are mostly friendly family dogs.

 

[fisherman]

Bear in mind that the first bark and the complaint lines run hot at Council. Similarly, there is intolerance of cats crossing neighbours' boundaries. Animals are becoming housebound 24/7. That brings a new set of problems for tenants who are not organised and keep up with the cleaning.

On the other hand the following tenants have a right to demand fresh, clean housing with nothing to affect their sense of smell or possible allergies, which are common.

Just saying that the default must usually be 'No'. It is incumbent upon the tenant to show evidence and faith and rhetoric don't count. That shouldn't be a problem at all for those who have kept pets in previous rentals. Similarly one of their friends are going to be reticent if they proposed to borrow his car and take the pooch on the back seat as well.

Where a PM is professional, s/he would have qualified the tenant first before asking the question.

 

[INVSTOR]

I've grown up with a couple of staffies and my mum bred once. They are hyper until they are three, then settle down heaps. What I mean by hyper is they get excited meeting new people. As they get older they still get excited meeting new people, but settle after 5 mins. Ours had champion bloodlines, a few of my friends have had them and they've all been pretty much the same. There's two types, American and English if I remember right, ours were the bigger type which I think is American. They are more common.I wouldn't be worried if the tenants seem great.

 

[INVSTOR]

Actually, looking at some pic's, ours was English, and the more stockier, common type.
http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/1999/archives/25/roadtests/dog_breeds/staffordshire_bull_terrier
As Burke says, they are a common dog. I've got pics of my babies, young kids crawling all over their staffies, so don't really agree that kids need to be 8+ though. My friend with a 4 and 5 year old has a one year old staffie with no probs except their dog is purely outside dog and digs holes. (but I think most dogs would get pretty bored under those circumstances)

 

[Ideo]

Staffies are great dogs.

I'd be more concerned about a small yappy fluff ball, accompanied by it's small yappy owner.

 

[fisherman]

The size and breed of dog are almost irrelevant. Dogs grow after approval and most are bitzers. How could you argue about particular breeds or 'small' to the Tribunal? Maybe specify a weight limit and say registered, but how to enforce? How to enforce 'the promised 'outside' dog?

It is not the dog that needs to be qualified it is the owner.

What supporting evidence should the applicant be providing to the PM because all will start with the "It is only a small dog" to get approval when the big issue is their previous record managing a rental house and a dog. By managing I mean keeping the rental clean, undamaged and pest free.

 

[geoffw]

You should have seen a rental application I got the other day,

she has a cat, a dog, 2 rabbits, some rats and a snake

So a cat, a dog, and cat food.

 

[Property Meister]

So a cat, a dog, and cat food.

or snake food, snake food, snake food, snake!

 

[geoffw]

You can of course have a special clause in your rental agreement allowing cats on the property.

Otherwise know as the cats clause.

 

[chrispy]

I once heard Hugh Worth describe Staffies as the Clown of dogs. My son has had 2 and both have been very clumsy, funny dogs, fall off couches, walk into steps, but the loveliest dogs ever, very faithful, love company, want to be with someone constantly.

My son currently has a 3 yo who misses him so much when he is at work she looks for things to annoy him...tears up cardboard, etc.

Chris

 

[virgo]

Pets

HIya

I have decided to accept the tenants with the staffy dog; no pet bond allowed in Sydney but tenant has agreed to pay me extra $30 in rent per week for 6 months and i will reimburse them at the end of the lease if the dog does no damage to the property...

i have also included some extra pet clauses in the lease agreement...

We will see
j