Tenant request to have a cat

Hi all,

I'm just after some help/opinions with the following:

Our tenant, who has been in one of our IP's for 6 months with good payment history and paying a fair rental, has asked to have a cat. My first inclination is to simply say "Yes", but I never make a decision without thinking it through. My potential concerns are:

- Damage to the property
- Breach of body corp rules (Is it likely that there is an over riding rule within the complex for this sort of thing?)
- Annoying the neighbours?

Lastly, is this the sort of thing that a tenant would normally expect to pay extra for? I am not in the business of ripping off my tenants, but if the market rate of rent for properties that allow pets is higher, then it might be fair to ask for an increase. In case anyone is willing to suggest a fair rental increase, the current rent is $255 p.w

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
YI

"Knowledge is Power"

I would just strike an agreement with regards to cleanliness of the grounds and dwelling.
I think an extra charge would be excessive.

Thanks Dan, I tend to agree with you on the extra charge point.

With regards to an agreement about cleanliness of grounds and dwelling, I think this is a little too hard to define and near impossible to monitor. I'll think about it some more though.

Any other thoughts/ideas?

Regards,
YI

"Knowledge is Power"

I had the same situation --- half way through the lease they asked if they could have a dog. I thought no problems, but then they had a cat and another dog 2 mths later. Then they asked if I could pay for a gate which the tenant would put up. Costs me $480 (bunnings special) and they put it up. They did a great job. They told me that the pets are never inside the house, until one day I had to drop something off and I knocked on the door. No one was home but the air cond was on and all the pets were sitting inside in air cond comfort. It was bloody hot outside.

2 mths after I paid for the gate they damn well bought there own home and moved out. This is when I realized the problem. They got the carpets professionally cleaned, however the day after it STUNK of dog/cat - pet smell. I rang the tenant and she still claimed the pets did not go inside, but man it did stink in the house. The place could not be rented as everyone kept saying it stinks of cats & dog. I tried everything until 1 month still no tenants, I replaced the 10 month old carpets. I now wish I charged more rent from the initial inquiry and asked for an additional 1 week bond. Maybe this may of changed there minds. 

If it's in a unit block and you give them permission, but the Body Corporate has a no pet policy you are bound to get into trouble with this situation. 

Goodluck with it.
 

Thanks for the reply Danny.

The unit has wooden floors so hopefully no pet smell, but I like the idea of holding a higher bond amount. My partner raised a point that there could be wall or floor scratch marks from the cat, so perhaps 6 weeks bond, instead of 4 might cover any contingency there.

I've left a message for my PM to call me tomorrow so i'll find out what they think is reasonable and let you guys know the outcome.

If anyone else has any suggestions in the meantime, i'd be happy to hear them!

Regards,
YI

"Knowledge is Power"

hi,

Get a pet bond. Write it into the lease get them to sign. Then get extra money as bond maybe $200. Then have a clause that states they must flea bomb when they leave and any damage that is caused by the animal is paid for. Pet bonds are really common in WA not so common over here but a great idea. Ask your agent, if they have never heard of it I can send you my current lease (where I live) nice and detailed or one of our IP's leases where the tenant has two cats. I have a cat which is a lot cleaner than my two kids. It doesn't draw on walls or spill things on the floor :) (Thank God for Goo remover!)

If you do it properly it is ok. If the tenant knows you mean business then it will be a lot smoother. Dogs are a different story, but in  units it is often too small a yard and you can say no on those grounds and still be reasonable.

D

Work Smart, Not Hard.

Another great idea D - I'll canvas that with the PM tomorrow as well...

Would you mind sending over a copy of one of your leases that has the wording for the pet bond in it?

I am now thinking:

- Make a point to the tenant that we are happy to keep rental the same
- Sign a new 12 month lease with clauses regarding damage caused by pets and a mandatory flea bomb or equivalent when they vacate
- Ask for an additional two weeks rent as an increase to the bond for any potential damage.

Regards,
YI

"Knowledge is Power"

I think 'D's idea is a good one. I agree that cats can be better tenants than chidlren, having said that, make sure that the cat is litter trained and hopefully not male as they are more likely to 'spray' their scent around.

I also agree that you need to ensure that pets are allowed by the body corporate.

i have read a number of articles regarding the benefits to landlords of being pet friendly as there are a number of very good tenants out there who have pets. Some of these people are professional people who even send their pets to 'pet daycare'  whilst they are at work so that they are not home alone casuing damage. (child substitutes i think) if memory serves me correctly there was even a story on this topic on either today tonight or a current affair. you may eb able to google it and see some other effective strategies for securign quality tenants who also happen to be pet owners.

cheers

Sonya

Thanks Sonya - I'll google it tomorrow to see what else comes up.

Regards,
YI

"Knowledge is Power"

I think your lucky they asked for permission - a lot of tenants have cats and just hide them at relatives on inspection day.

They sound like good tenants and if you have done your 6 month inspection and are happy with them then shouldn't be a problem, especially with floorboards.

The only other requirement I can think of is the cats registration number with the council and insist it be speyed.

Hmmmm Maree.....I used to hide the cats things in the boot of my car and take them to work. Then I would tell the cat to go and hide outside.  One day I came home and she was sunning herself on the roof. The house was so clean they never would have known we had a cat.

 I think they must be very good tenants. I never tell unless they ask (yes I must be a bad tenant!) But it is really hard to rent with pets. There is an automatic assumption that your cat will have kittens straight away (even if male or desexed) and that your cat will go on a home wrecking spree with cigarettes, a can of spray paint and all their dirty cat friends!

D

Work Smart, Not Hard.

Thanks guys.

PM will get back to me tomorrow regarding the additional bond and an alteration to the wording of the lease.

Will let you know how it goes...

Regards,
YI

"Knowledge is Power"

Hi Younginvestor,

Cats are quite harmless, I would agree to the tenant having a cat, and I wouldn't bother about extra rent or bond etc, you will find if you allow her a cat she will probably stay long term.
one thing I would check is to see if the body corp allows a cat, as you wouldn't want to say yes then the body corp say get rid of the cat, then your tenant will probably move with the cat 

Hi keiko,

Thanks for the suggestion.

Regards,
YI

"Knowledge is Power"

In my PPOR my cat has missed the kitly litter and got the carpet and a rug.  I pressure washed the rug, which had no effect on the smell.  I bought a product called Urine Off at $50 for 2.5 litres -not cheap but works if you pour heaps on the carpet.  The smell is nearly gone but not completely.  In a situation where the cat peed on the carpet a lot, you will never get rid of the smell without replacing the carpet and posssibly floor boards if it soaks in.

Put their litter tray in the laundry or less preferably the bathroom or even the toilet where there is a tiled floor. This should limit 'mistakes' I am currently toilet training kittens in our barbeque area, so if they ahve an accident it is no biggie. Anyone wnat a kitten??? LOL

Hi YI

We have fantastic tenant in one of our rentals (no body corp) with two outside dogs.  Suggestion for you - rather than say pets will be permitted in the agreement we specified the two dogs and their breed so that it cannot be stretched out further by the tenants to add more dogs, cats or other pets.

Good luck,

Tracey

Tracey - Love the idea about specifying the pets - Will remember this for the future! Thanks

Regards,
YI

"Knowledge is Power"

I can personally attest to the fact that enough cat/dog pee on floorboards, especially left to sit (like while mum and dad are at work), will soak into the boards.  It's a liquid, wood is porous - even if the floorboards are sealed it's probably not good enough.

Generally fine in winter, but in summer when those rooms bake on a hot day - peeeee-yewwww

You mention that you have floor boards!  I have 2 cats with me (which I dearly love) but they have scratched the life out of the flooring with their constant hooning through the house, and little spats at eachother.  When I eventually move and put my PPOR up for rent, then I'll need to have the floors buffed. 

In my complex, pets are not allowed, but as long as two criteria are met, I've never seen a problem. 1. Get permission from the landlord. 2. No pets are ever on common property.

Really, you can only allow for any pet if your property is suitable for a pet.  A friend of mine received an application from a tenant to have a german shepherd in a 2 bedroom unit in Inner West Sydney (to make her feel safer).  Not what I would call reasonable!!

I have an IP (house) and the couple has 2 dogs.  I didn't stipulate the breeds (that's limiting them if they ever need to replace a lost one), but I did stipulate the number and general size of the pets.  They also need to be outside at all times.  The lease says that the tenant will pay for any damage caused by pets - but my PM told me that we can't legally hold them to that.  Maybe that additional bond would be a good idea!

First inspection will be next week - hopefully you won't be reading a post from me on how a tenant trashed my house!!!

I have two rental properties where both tenants have cats. I don't mind cats (I have two). I live in WA. We charged a pet bond of $100 which is the maximum I can charge for pets, irrelevant of the number. The idea of the pet bond is that it covers for flea spraying, etc. 

I also specified in the lease that the tenants have permission to have x number of cats on the premises. Carpet cleaning is standard on exiting the premises and written into the lease. If there were fleas on vacation of the premises, I would flea bomb and take the costs out of the pet bond.

Cats are clean, way better than dogs (and I have three of them!). My cat litter tray stays in the laundry on the tiles so I would specify in the lease that it needs not to be put on carpet. Most cat owners wouldn't do it ... but you could get a feral who wouldn't think about it. Cover your bases.

I have had cats (and dogs) who destroyed the flywire on a screen door and window ... again, its covered by the bond.

I'm with other people here ... cats are way better tenants than some children (and I have two of them! LOL). I don't think you'd need to charge any extra rent, maybe a few dollars if you were really inclined.

Both tenants asked if they could have cats prior to moving in. In fact, one of the tenants emailed within a month or so of moving in to ask if they could 'petsit' her sister's cat. I had no problem with it ... I couldn't charge anymore bond. Had I not been asked and we discovered it ... I would have been less amiable about it.

On the issue of cats annoying the neighbours, cross that bridge when you come to it, if and when it comes up. My own cats, and those of my tenants are 'inside' animals. I don't let mine wander the neighbourhood and I think most responsible cat owners feel the same way.

It is hard to get a rental property with pets (and we all know why) so good on you for being flexible with your tenants and considering their request. All you can do is cover your bases by being as specific as you can in your documentation and explanations to the tenant.

I believe in honesty, approachability and flexibility and truly believe that is why I have such a fantastic relationship with my tenants!

A property investing paramedic blogging at www.ouchiemama.com.
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