11 April 2018

Pets in rented home

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Insight

author

Nikola Bakosova

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Renting for the long-term is a growing phenomenon, particularly for those who fall into the bracket of millennials or Generation Rent. And, if you’re a tenant renting for the long-term, you will be all the more eager to make your rental property feel like a home, adding your own personal touches to turn it into as comfortable a living space as possible.

This, of course, may include house pets. But different landlords have different rules and regulations when it comes to pets, which are typically set out in your tenancy agreement.

If you want to have pets in your rental property but your landlord is hesitant or non-committal, approach them (or the letting agent managing the home on their behalf), discuss their concerns and see if they might consider allowing you to have a pet. You need to explain why allowing pets in the home would cause them no hassle, bother or damage.

It should be clearly outlined in your tenancy agreement what the rules and obligations are when it comes to pets. That way, no confusion can be caused or mixed messages sent. If you’ve shown that you’re a good, reliable tenant who pays rent on time and treats the property well, your landlord may be more likely to allow you to keep a pet.

While your landlord may allow you to have a dog or cat in your rental home, they may choose to cover themselves against the risk of damage by asking for a higher deposit or upping your existing rent. This acts as their insurance policy if any damage is caused.

Dogs, the most popular form of household pet, can cause damage to walls and floorboards, make a mess of lawns and gardens, and chew skirting boards and furnishings. Cats, too, may cause damage to furniture, upholstery, carpets or curtains.

If you’ve been told by your landlord that pets aren’t allowed, it’s important that you don’t flout these rules. If you’re unsure, or if your tenancy agreement doesn’t make it expressly clear about what the position on pets is, ask your landlord about this rather than just assuming it will be OK and keeping pets in your home without permission.

At The Benyon Estate we do allow most pets within reason; check your tenancy agreement or get in touch with us if you’re unsure. If you are looking for a rental property in De Beauvoir Town,take a look at our available properties here.