pets
- Thread starter shangb
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2007
- Messages
- 2,005
Hi Shang,
I am a fan of renting to those with A pet, you can get a little higher rent and (depending on the province you can get a `pet deposit as described by Sam in the previous post) in Ontario you cannot legally ask for that.
However it sounds like they have an awful lot of them running around. I limit mine to 2 at the absolute max if they are small. 1 if large. You have to consider who is living beside and below them for sound and often two dogs together get `fired-up` more often than just one and cause more noise and possible wear & tear.
I recommend you go over to their current place to meet them to see what kind of conditions exist, then you can guess what conditions yours will be in.
I am a fan of renting to those with A pet, you can get a little higher rent and (depending on the province you can get a `pet deposit as described by Sam in the previous post) in Ontario you cannot legally ask for that.
However it sounds like they have an awful lot of them running around. I limit mine to 2 at the absolute max if they are small. 1 if large. You have to consider who is living beside and below them for sound and often two dogs together get `fired-up` more often than just one and cause more noise and possible wear & tear.
I recommend you go over to their current place to meet them to see what kind of conditions exist, then you can guess what conditions yours will be in.
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2007
- Messages
- 63
Pet deposit is the way to go... if I`m not mistaken it is actually against the law to charge a damage deposit higher than the first months` rent, so the only way to get extra is through a seperate deposit.
QUOTE (DonCampbell @ Oct 19 2007, 10:43 AM) I limit mine to 2 at the absolute max if they are small. 1 if large. You have to consider who is living beside and below them for sound and often two dogs together get `fired-up` more often than just one and cause more noise and possible wear & tear. Noise can be a real issue - I once lived next to a townhouse where the residents has a small collie with seperation anxiety, and would bark incessantly when the owners were gone.
It wasn`t easy to live next to them.
It wasn`t easy to live next to them.
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2007
- Messages
- 2,803
[quote name=`shangb` date=`Oct 19 2007, 07:45 AM` post=`2347`]
A woman wants to rent my place that has laminate floors and carpets
She has a cat and 2 dogs "all very well mannered". I suggested a higher damage deposit and she was open to that depending on the amount.
What do you think?
Shang
[/quote
Proceed with extreme caution! I had a renter with 1 "well-mannered" and "completely house trained" ****zu. In fact, she had 2 dogs, one of which birthed 3 puppies. They COMPLETELY destroyed the 3 bedroom carpets and did some pretty heavy damage to the laminate too. (If urine is left on laminate, it will soak in the seams and swell. And oak coloured laminate is about the same colour as dog pee.) The smell was also horrific, meaning you may have a vacancy while you replace the carpets before you can even think of showing to prospective tenants.
Bottom line -- the damage deposit and pet deposit didn`t come close to covering the damage. On the plus side, at least I got new flooring at a discount.
Sherilynn
A woman wants to rent my place that has laminate floors and carpets
She has a cat and 2 dogs "all very well mannered". I suggested a higher damage deposit and she was open to that depending on the amount.
What do you think?
Shang
[/quote
Proceed with extreme caution! I had a renter with 1 "well-mannered" and "completely house trained" ****zu. In fact, she had 2 dogs, one of which birthed 3 puppies. They COMPLETELY destroyed the 3 bedroom carpets and did some pretty heavy damage to the laminate too. (If urine is left on laminate, it will soak in the seams and swell. And oak coloured laminate is about the same colour as dog pee.) The smell was also horrific, meaning you may have a vacancy while you replace the carpets before you can even think of showing to prospective tenants.
Bottom line -- the damage deposit and pet deposit didn`t come close to covering the damage. On the plus side, at least I got new flooring at a discount.
Sherilynn
L
lanedry77
Guest
Guest
QUOTE (BHoward @ Oct 23 2007, 09:14 AM) Recently I`ve learned of a REIN member who charges between $50 and $200 per month PER pet.
It was working for him.
What sort of monthly rental premiums is everybody charging for pets? I think I remember Don saying $50-$250/mo at the Edmonton quickstart, but that`s a huge spread.
We`re showing a property in a couple days, and have advertised it as pet friendly. It turns out that *EVERY* person to call has a pet - a clear sign of lack of pet-friendly places I`d say.
Anyways, I will definately collect a pet security deposit, but don`t know what sort of monthly premium is appropriate for a small or medium dog.
Can anyone offer some insight to what the Calgary market will bear?
Thanks,
David.
It was working for him.
What sort of monthly rental premiums is everybody charging for pets? I think I remember Don saying $50-$250/mo at the Edmonton quickstart, but that`s a huge spread.
We`re showing a property in a couple days, and have advertised it as pet friendly. It turns out that *EVERY* person to call has a pet - a clear sign of lack of pet-friendly places I`d say.
Anyways, I will definately collect a pet security deposit, but don`t know what sort of monthly premium is appropriate for a small or medium dog.
Can anyone offer some insight to what the Calgary market will bear?
Thanks,
David.
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2007
- Messages
- 163
We used to allow pet rentals but have completely abandoned it. We found there was simply too much wear and tear...one contractor brought in a blue light to show hidden cat urine stains...it was totally gross and on what had been brand new carpet! That was the end of our `pets allowed with depost` policy!
As a multiple pet owner, I allow pets. However I place the same restrictions on them as I do myself. I charge a pet fee, and also include in the lease that the tenant shall have the carpets professionally steam at least once throughout the term of the lease. I stress professional as their cleaners are stronger than the store bought brand.
I am also a multiple pet owner. I have a tenant in a recently renovated house, therefore the contract states no pets. However upon visiting my house to change the furnace filter, I found they had a small dog in the house. They told me it was a friends dog who was out of the country and it would only be there for a couple months. A few months later the dog was still there, when it came to renew the lease I gave them a rental increase letter with 2 options.
The new rent would be $75 more per month if the dog was returned to the owner who was apparently out of the country or the rent would be $125 more if they wanted to keep the dog. They chose to keep the dog and from what I am able to tell the dog is not damaging the property.
I also made them them fill out a pet application form where I they must state that the pet is spayed or neutered, all shots up to date, and have the people provide me with their vet clinic information. Also that this is the only pet allowed.
The new rent would be $75 more per month if the dog was returned to the owner who was apparently out of the country or the rent would be $125 more if they wanted to keep the dog. They chose to keep the dog and from what I am able to tell the dog is not damaging the property.
I also made them them fill out a pet application form where I they must state that the pet is spayed or neutered, all shots up to date, and have the people provide me with their vet clinic information. Also that this is the only pet allowed.
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2007
- Messages
- 61
We also allow pets, this is how we handle it:
1.) First we charge a non-refundable $200 pet application fee. In Alberta you can not charge an additional pet deposit if you are collecting a full months security deposit.
2.) We also charge additional rent in the amount of $25/pet/month. As a pet owner myself I know that having a pet is a lifestyle choice and I also understand that pets wreck things.
We also use discrection as to the limit of the number of pets per house hold.
3.) We state in our lease that if there are pets found on the property, whether the tenants or "babysitting for a friend..." the lease can immediately be terminated or rent increased by 50% immediately. We stress to our tenants not to lie about having pets, own up and pay the approriate rent.
4.) We also state that if the pets listed in the lease, for whatever reason, moved, sold, died...,leave, then the tenant cannot go out and bring a new pet in without the consent of the landlord. IE. Cat dies so they buy a pitbull...
These are how we have chosen to handle the pet issue as there A LOT of tenants out there who have pets and we don`t what to discriminate for having them, however we also want to protect our investment.
Hope this helps!
1.) First we charge a non-refundable $200 pet application fee. In Alberta you can not charge an additional pet deposit if you are collecting a full months security deposit.
2.) We also charge additional rent in the amount of $25/pet/month. As a pet owner myself I know that having a pet is a lifestyle choice and I also understand that pets wreck things.
We also use discrection as to the limit of the number of pets per house hold.
3.) We state in our lease that if there are pets found on the property, whether the tenants or "babysitting for a friend..." the lease can immediately be terminated or rent increased by 50% immediately. We stress to our tenants not to lie about having pets, own up and pay the approriate rent.
4.) We also state that if the pets listed in the lease, for whatever reason, moved, sold, died...,leave, then the tenant cannot go out and bring a new pet in without the consent of the landlord. IE. Cat dies so they buy a pitbull...
These are how we have chosen to handle the pet issue as there A LOT of tenants out there who have pets and we don`t what to discriminate for having them, however we also want to protect our investment.
Hope this helps!
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2007
- Messages
- 3
I grew up with big dogs (inside animals), and rent my properties to responsible pet owners. As pointed out, the cashflow upside is certainly there - pet owners typically pay a nice premium if you allow pets!!
However, unless we are talking about a hamster, pets do leave NASTY odor (not even talking about the "accidents" that can happen). They can permanently stain lighter colored carpets and may scratch your laminate or hardwood. I have my carpets cleaned professionally 3 times a year and they still aren`t perfect. I have even gone to the extent of putting booties on my German Shepherd so he doesn`t scratch the hardwood. There are no bad pets, only bad owners. Don`t believe this "well mannered" pet stuff.
If the increased rent doesn`t take care of cleaning (and possibly replacing your flooring every few years) then don`t get yourself involved with this headache. The info stated above is best case scenario with a responsible pet owner.... if you find an irresponsible one you are in for trouble!
However, unless we are talking about a hamster, pets do leave NASTY odor (not even talking about the "accidents" that can happen). They can permanently stain lighter colored carpets and may scratch your laminate or hardwood. I have my carpets cleaned professionally 3 times a year and they still aren`t perfect. I have even gone to the extent of putting booties on my German Shepherd so he doesn`t scratch the hardwood. There are no bad pets, only bad owners. Don`t believe this "well mannered" pet stuff.
If the increased rent doesn`t take care of cleaning (and possibly replacing your flooring every few years) then don`t get yourself involved with this headache. The info stated above is best case scenario with a responsible pet owner.... if you find an irresponsible one you are in for trouble!