The topic of whether or not to allow pets in your rental property is a complicated one for many landlords. While there is always a risk that pets can do damage to a property, banning them completely might not be the best idea.
The majority of tenants have at least one pet, and if you do not allow animals in your home, you’re eliminating a large part of your potential tenant pool. We recommend that you allow pets, with restrictions.
Pet Policy: Limits and Restrictions
You can limit the number of pets and even the types of pets that tenants bring into your property. You can say only one dog will be allowed or one dog and one cat. You can require that the animals be less than 50 pounds or at least five years old. You can be willing to allow dogs and cats but say no to exotic animals like birds and reptiles. If you do allow dogs, check with your insurance company before you permit any dangerous or protective breeds because sometimes they won’t cover that liability.
Pet Policy: Deposits and Pet Rent
There are several different ways you can collect a pet fee or a pet deposit. With a deposit, you’ll need to give the money back to the tenant at the end of the lease term when you have confirmed that the pet did not do any damage to your home. A pet fee is nonrefundable, and is paid for the privilege of having a pet. Some landlords also charge pet rent, which can be between $20 and $50 per month.
Service and Emotional Support Animals
The Americans with Disabilities Act protects individuals who need animals for physical or emotional reasons. You cannot prohibit tenants with disabilities from bringing their service dog or support animal into the property, and you cannot treat that animal like a pet. That means you cannot collect a pet deposit, a pet fee, or any pet rent. This is considered a reasonable accommodation that you’re required by law to make when your tenant or potential tenant has a disability. Be very careful with this; you don’t want to violate the rights of a tenant with a disability by treating their service dog or support animal like a pet.
If you have any questions about pets or service dogs or support animals, please contact us at 3G Properties Group. We’d be happy to tell you more about how a DFW property management company handles these issues.
