WHY WON'T MANY HOME OWNERS ALLOW PETS INTO THEIR RENTED PROPERTY?

[Feline Costumier]

It's not about the agencies, it's the landlords. Granted, it's a default stance to advertise properties as no pets but at the end of the day they work for the landlord and all final decisions relating to the property falls to them.

So it's no the agency that is anti pets necessarily, but the landlords they work for.

As a former property manager the way I go about it is I try to rent privately, make no mention of the puds until I meet the landlord and get them wrapped round my little finger. The cats become a non issue usually when they've met me.

With agencies it can be a bit trickier as it is much easier to say no to their agent than directly to their prospective tenant. In those instances you have to really butter up the agency, offer higher deposits, carpet cleaning (although it is usually quite standard to have a carpet cleaning clause in agreements these days) and ensure you have an abundance of great references.

[Millys Mum]

Claire, many agencies state no pets but if you approach them nicely and offer a larger deposit and carpet cleaning when you leave some will relent 

[Claire_smc]

We're planning on moving house towards the end of this year and this is one of the main things I'm worried about. Our landlord now is really relaxed about pretty much everything, he basically said 'as long as you pay the rent on time and don't trash the place, do whatever you like'. I think it's massively frustrating that small children are allowed but there is a blanket ban on cats, in my experience children are far more destructive than most animals, but of course you can't ban children from living in rented properties. Plus if your pet does ruin anything, you pay for it out of your deposit anyway, so why does it bother the LL, it's not like they'll be out of pocket. I think I'm going to have to rely on Si's negotiation skills when we move, I'm terrible at anything like that, but like Dizzi, Pepsi coming with us is the one thing I'll be absolutely insisting on, I'd happily live in a box if it was the only place they had that allowed cats! I have loads of friends who've snuck cats into 'no cat' student houses and they've had so much hassle over it it's unreal.

[Tiggy's Mum]

I know this is an old thread - but I'm deeply upset that someone thinks because I rent a house (my income's too erratic and unproveable for a mortgage) - I shouldn't be allowed to rehome a cat....

It's a very ignorant and offensive attitude to have toward a large section of society.

I don't think anyone thinks that dizziblonde  If they do then they are without a doubt the ignorant ones! I think the thread is more about landlords having the standard 'no pets' clause but as you and many others have found, if you make an effort it's always possible to find somewhere to rent with pets 

[dizziblonde]

I know this is an old thread - but I'm deeply upset that someone thinks because I rent a house (my income's too erratic and unproveable for a mortgage) - I shouldn't be allowed to rehome a cat.

My cat has always been kept with the consent of the landlord/letting agency, and before looking for a new place to rent the first brief we said to the LA was "Don't show us anywhere that won't allow the cat to come with us please - it's non-negotiable" - it took a phonecall to the owner of this place to get his consent - but he waived the no pets clause very quickly - granted we have a somewhat elderly disabled cat and not some kind of feline adolescent asbo case. I've paid astronomically high additional deposits, I've had to beg and plead - but I've managed to keep the tripod with me in rented houses for getting toward a decade now... in no way has she been mistreated or disadvantaged (I specifically homed an indoor only cat because I originally lived on a busy street).

Following the "don't offer forever homes if you rent" logic - she'd probably still be mouldering in a rescue centre - overlooked and difficult to home, instead of curled up hogging the entire sofa like she is right now.

She has also never caused any damage whatsoever to a house, has never had fleas (she's indoor only) - with a daily schedule of sleep, relocate downstairs to sleep, snore while sleeping, move back upstairs to sleep - how could she?! Our current LL is even allergic to cats - but consented to having her in here on the condition the carpets get professionally cleaned before we leave (they'd have to anyway - they're cream), previously we've had to pay extra deposits (although my mum did wangle a 25% reduction in that on the grounds a 3-legged cat had 25% less claws to cause any problems - still can't believe she had the cheek to try that one on!).

I can understand how people end up in a situation where they're faced with having to give up a pet though - if you're in a situation of having to find rented accomodation quickly and don't have the time to wait around and be selective about where you go - then you may not be as lucky as we've always been when moves have been initiated by ourselves and pre-planned... if the LL wanted this place back we'd only have 2 months to get somewhere found, arranged and moved to - but worst case scenario would be we'd have to temporarily lodge the tripod with one of her adoring fans while we found somewhere for her. We've got plans, we've got safety nets in place - why should we be denied the mutually beneficial relationship we've had for the best part of 10 years because we rent?

It's a very ignorant and offensive attitude to have toward a large section of society.

[DolceNGabanna]

The bad thing with the pet friendly places is that most others got dogs, and bark a lot and are the ones enjoying the shared gardens etc so me and my cats stay indoors because we don't like them and when we get out they bark and scare us    although most people have children and sleep so just like my cats I start waking up at 10pm and am thinking I may take them to the garden at that time, by night...

As it is I didn't tell my landlord but he didn't mention it and its not a part of the contract..... anyway there are no carpets or furniture and the cats got SoftPaws so I don't see why they would kick me out for that. Hopefully the landlord will never notice.....

I wanted to mention that but my boyfriend said no, if they don't ask don't say anything.....

And I agree we may be caring and treat our pets well but there are many others who let their dogs bark all day and night and that bothers neighbors, or cats go astray with someone else's furniture so I also get why landlords think twice.

[Steph85]

i'm in a shared student house and we had a major mouse problem last year. our contract says no pets but my landlady has let several students in various houses have pets and she let us have a cat as both pest control and company. I offered to pay extra rent if the cat ruined anything but most of the furniture in the house is old and wrecked/ruined anyway lol. We're hoping she'll let us have another cat now Oli is gone and i'll do the same agreement.
I've found that our accommodations officer at the college doesn't like pets which is why she says no pets in the contracts, but ultimately it is down to each individual landlord/landlady with us for a decision because they are the ones we pay the rent to, it's their house, and so therefore their decision.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Easily done cc 

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

No Gill I was viewing the members list, and clicked on a link obviously without reading the date on the thread. No offence meant to anyone here 

[Feline Costumier]

It wasn't about being off topic! Am I typing in Dutch or something! This is quite an old thread, last post being January. You posted on it today talking about the suitability of tenants as pet owners.

All I did was ask if there was anything in particular that had prompted you to bring the subject up and change it from the original topic which had been discussed, in January.

Shall I just not bother having an opinion if it dares differ from other posters or question what has caused the subject to come up?

Well obviously I did, I dont think there is anyone else here with my name?

And I dont think my statement was amied at any purrs member? Which I know it wasn't 

Once again, are you making up things I have said? Did I anywhere accuse you of pointing the finger at anyone in particular?

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

The point is cc that you are avoiding is why have you suddenly posted on a thread which is nearly a year old without any posts................nothing to stop you of course but that was the question, did something prompt you to do this?

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

Well obviously I did, I dont think there is anyone else here with my name?

And I dont think my statement was amied at any purrs member? Which I know it wasn't 

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

As Shona says the majority of privately rented tenancies are 6 month contracts so to say people privately renting shouldn't have pets excludes a hell of a lot of potential owners. I've privately rented in the past on a 6 month tenancy (although I stayed a lot longer), if people care about their pets they'll find somewhere that allows pets and if they're given notice on that property they'll find somewhere else that allows pets - simples!

Exactly Helen, if someone loves their pets enough they will try their hardest to take them with them  

As for the staying on topic Shona, rarely most threads do.

[Feline Costumier]

I could not and would not move into a place where I couldn't take my animals- I just couldn't do it! I know some people can get stuck in sticky situations but at the end of the day I dont think you should be offering a forever home to any animal if you only hold a lease for 6 months or so- you cannot guarantee what is going to happen to yourself after those 6 months, so I dont think it fair to put an animal into that situation also IMO

I also know animals can be very distructive and this is more than likely the reason landlords dont want animals in their homes. I honestly believe you should not get an animal if you have a set time within the property and there is a possibilty you cannot take them with you when your time is up. Hard on the owners yes but I feel its even harder on the animal if they are left to roam!

So you didn't post this?

I was referring to the above post you made today which in my interpretation was you saying tenants wouldn't necessarily make an ideal pet owner. I did not say you were a homeowner, I was commenting on the basis of what you posted.

I am not on the attack, I have a difference of opinion and as such questioned it.

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

Shona- I am a tenant myself so how could I possbily be saying tenants make bad pet owners? Which was what you were trying to point out.

I feel tenants with pets get tarred with a nasty brush, particularly by landlords, or just by being a tenant (as shown by CC, not having a go, just an observation). No matter whether you rent or own, a bad apple is a bad apple. Owning your own property does not make you a better pet owner than those who rent.

Was it not? 

[bunglycat]

Also just to add to this as a tenant  for many years now - some Housing Associations do not allow pets and i have had many a debate with them over it .
One offered me a place and when i said about cats -they immedietly said -not allowed -ask why and no real reason -i told them they could keep it - they couldn;t believe i would go elsewhere - so i ask them if they also said -no children -they said of cours we allow children - my reply -well they cause a lot more damage than my cats ever would and apart from that -i have my own furniture anyway !!!
I have had a few like this and i flatly refused them - i now have 5 here with a big garden , the landlord knows and i have never seen him - he has never once in 11 years come to inspect the house -but i can truthfully say - if he came anytime -he wopuld see its kept immaculately -although a bit full with scratching posts and litter trays 
If i had to move -i would stay here until i could get somewhere to take my cats even if it meant hanging in here - but no plans to move just yet .

[Tiggy's Mum]

As Shona says the majority of privately rented tenancies are 6 month contracts so to say people privately renting shouldn't have pets excludes a hell of a lot of potential owners. I've privately rented in the past on a 6 month tenancy (although I stayed a lot longer), if people care about their pets they'll find somewhere that allows pets and if they're given notice on that property they'll find somewhere else that allows pets - simples!

[Feline Costumier]

I'm afraid it is fairly common for letting agencies and landlords to discover tenants have fled owing rent and leaving behind their pets

If you care to read Shona it was Trigger, who mentioned the situation, and as for my posts everyone is allowed their opinion 

I didn't say otherwise. I was just curious as to why this thread had been resurrected, if there was something that had prompted you to be thinking about it as it was a thread about landlords and you brought up the topic of tenants being potentially bad pet owners. My comment was referring to your opinion about tenants possibly being unsuitable pet owners in general, whatever the reasons for the landlord not wanting them.

I also offered opinion on Trigger's comment. My post was not exclusively a response to you, I jsut happened to ask you a question at the end which I guess led you to think the whole post was bout you, it wasn't.

I also did not say anything about you being a tenant or a home owner! Where did I say that?! I made no assumption as to your situation, you are assuming I have by reading something that isn't there. You brought the subject up and I was offering my opinion, the whole point of a debate, no?

I can assure you my reading skills are just hunky dory! My posting something that is 100% clear to all reading as to its intention, can be questionable

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

It makes me so mad when people use that as an excuse, that's how our Pepsi came to be with us, because her owners had to move house and left her behind. It just shows that most people care more about the perfect house/flat than they do about their pets, if they loved them that much then they would find a house where they could stay together. Although if they just leave them to wander the streets and fend for themself instead of giving them to a shelter or rehoming them themselves, then they can't care about them that much anyway?

My thoughts exacty!

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

I feel tenants with pets get tarred with a nasty brush, particularly by landlords, or just by being a tenant (as shown by CC, not having a go, just an observation). No matter whether you rent or own, a bad apple is a bad apple. Owning your own property does not make you a better pet owner than those who rent.

I am also a tenant, I do not own my own home! Facts dear and my opinion still stands!

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

I'm afraid it is fairly common for letting agencies and landlords to discover tenants have fled owing rent and leaving behind their pets

If you care to read Shona it was Trigger, who mentioned the situation, and as for my posts everyone is allowed their opinion 

[Claire_smc]

The house I'm currently living in has a 6 month lease, of which there is only a few months left. Although we will probably extend it to another 6 months afterwards, I don't think that this should mean I'm not allowed to keep pets! When we move out of this house, we will be moving into another house that is pet-friendly, no questions asked. It'll probably be harder to find one, but I'm sure there's plenty of places out there, it just means you have to put a bit more effort in. I think private landlords are the way to go, all the companies I've been with had a strict no pets rule (although they were student houses, so kind of expected) but when I asked our current landlord if it was ok to keep a cat in the house, he said 'All I'll say is what I don't know won't hurt me. Just make sure it doesn't bring fleas in'  

 It makes me so mad when people use that as an excuse, that's how our Pepsi came to be with us, because her owners had to move house and left her behind   It just shows that most people care more about the perfect house/flat than they do about their pets, if they loved them that much then they would find a house where they could stay together. Although if they just leave them to wander the streets and fend for themself instead of giving them to a shelter or rehoming them themselves, then they can't care about them that much anyway?  

Another point is having a cat in a house where they're not allowed. My friend is in a house rented by a student letting company, they don't allow cats and she has to hide Sweeny when they're coming round. Unfortunately they've come round unexpectedly a few times and saw the cat, and told her she has to get rid of it I looked after him for about a month the first time she was told this, in the hope that if they came round to check, they'd see the cat wasn't there anymore and assume  he'd been given away, after which point we'd sneak him back into the house. All went according to plan, apart from the fact that they came round to look at some problem with the house about a week after we got him back in and saw him again   So she's going to get into big trouble and risk being made to get rid of her cat, I don't think it's worth the risk personally, you're bound to get caught sooner or later

[Feline Costumier]

Having worked in the lettings industry for, ooh, about 3 years now I can say I have never had to deal with an abandoned pet. No, I tell a lie, once and it was for an evicted tenant in New Zealand who hadn't asked permission to have pets in the first place. If someone is going to abandon or neglect a pet it doesn't matter where they live! What about those that have their house repossessed? I'm pretty sure a lot of pets get abandoned in those cases too.

Damage caused is the issue and it's not down to the letting agent. Don't get me wrong, there are some that have that as standard but that's more to do with it being a bit of a nightmare if you advertise as pet friendly, you get so many enquiries based solely on that whereas it's about quality of tenant. All a tenant with a pet needs to do is what others here have said, be honest about it from the start, have good references and possibly offer slightly more of a deposit. As Ruth says, pet friendliness differs across the country. It was a bit of a nightmare in London, we really struggled with finding properties for people with pets, myself included, whereas in Edinburgh, I enquired about a lot of properties and only 2 came back as a no go with the cats.

I feel tenants with pets get tarred with a nasty brush, particularly by landlords, or just by being a tenant (as shown by CC, not having a go, just an observation). No matter whether you rent or own, a bad apple is a bad apple. Owning your own property does not make you a better pet owner than those who rent.

Just curious CC, what prompted you to start the discussion about tenants and abandoned pets?

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

Yes then the pet is left for the landlord to sort out, which brings us back to why get a pet in the first place!

[Kay and Penny]

I'm afraid it is fairly common for letting agencies and landlords to discover tenants have fled owing rent and leaving behind their pets

I don't think all pet bars are to do with possible damage

[koscha (Ruth M)]

Have to say that the situation re renting and pets in the Rhonnda Valley is much more open....i've had people offer me houses with no issues about the cats. Have just declared interest on a very nice place, if the letting agency try to stomp around about the cats, then all it will take is one phone call from landlord (he was the one who stated upfront they were welcome) will set 'em right.

More often than not its the letting agencies who are the 'pet unfriendly' ones in this issue...they are often the officious callous ones- I have been upfront re the boys, and have offered standard cleaning/bond clauses...landlords have bitten my hand off!  Shame thier houses left a lot to be desired 

Though having said that Portsmouth was horrific for pet freindly housing.  Makes me worry for Keli, if my useless lazy ex. gets thrown out by his dad for taking the p**s once to often....

[Feline Costumier]

The first thing we said to both agents when we were looking for a new place was... must allow pets and must be on a quiet road... and subsiquently, we were only invited to view properties that fitted that. We found it really easy to find the perfect place for us. I would never move anywhere that wouldn't allow me to have my babies and I know we would find the right place even if we had to look around a lot. We signed on with every letting agent in the area which meant that we would have a good range to look at. Letting agents want your business so if it comes to it, they will help persuade landlords if they can't find any of their properties that already allow pets.

Here, here!

I could not and would not move into a place where I couldn't take my animals- I just couldn't do it! I know some people can get stuck in sticky situations but at the end of the day I dont think you should be offering a forever home to any animal if you only hold a lease for 6 months or so- you cannot guarantee what is going to happen to yourself after those 6 months, so I dont think it fair to put an animal into that situation also IMO

I also know animals can be very distructive and this is more than likely the reason landlords dont want animals in their homes. I honestly believe you should not get an animal if you have a set time within the property and there is a possibilty you cannot take them with you when your time is up. Hard on the owners yes but I feel its even harder on the animal if they are left to roam!

That's good in theory CC but most tenancy agreements are for 6-12 months (usually you can renew/extend but that cannot be guaranteed) as a standard so it would mean virtually no-one who is a tenant should be taking on pets. The longest lease I have had is a year. The more important thing is to make a commitment that no matter what happens the animals go with you. It's not impossible to find somewhere that will allow pets so there is no excuse really, just a cop out those that say they can't take their animals with them. In those scenarios, the person hasn't tried and has put their own needs first. I have been a tenant with pets for four years and have always found somewhere for us to live, even if it means sacrifices for myself, they come first.

But you have to bear in mind that just because you own your own home now, doesn't mean you will in a years time. We view it as a more secure situation but things can change in the blink of an eye and those people can be in the exact same position as myself as a tenant.

No-one can truly guarantee anything, we can just make a commitment to our animals no matter what situation we are in.

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

The first thing we said to both agents when we were looking for a new place was... must allow pets and must be on a quiet road... and subsiquently, we were only invited to view properties that fitted that. We found it really easy to find the perfect place for us. I would never move anywhere that wouldn't allow me to have my babies and I know we would find the right place even if we had to look around a lot. We signed on with every letting agent in the area which meant that we would have a good range to look at. Letting agents want your business so if it comes to it, they will help persuade landlords if they can't find any of their properties that already allow pets.

Here, here!

I could not and would not move into a place where I couldn't take my animals- I just couldn't do it! I know some people can get stuck in sticky situations but at the end of the day I dont think you should be offering a forever home to any animal if you only hold a lease for 6 months or so- you cannot guarantee what is going to happen to yourself after those 6 months, so I dont think it fair to put an animal into that situation also IMO

I also know animals can be very distructive and this is more than likely the reason landlords dont want animals in their homes. I honestly believe you should not get an animal if you have a set time within the property and there is a possibilty you cannot take them with you when your time is up. Hard on the owners yes but I feel its even harder on the animal if they are left to roam!

[clarenmax]

I do have an address, as something came to him at our address, which I actually opened in error, and it had his 'full' address on it too, so would have been rude not to keep a note of it before forwarding the letter to the agents 

[Feline Costumier]

so wrote to the landlor direct (as they have to provide their home address in the agreement

Wow, you were lucky with that then!

On all of the flats/houses I've rented, its always been c/o the managing agents as they don't want any direct contact 

We have one landlord that insists on this but legally you are entitled to have your landlords details. If asked by a tenant they have to be given. I personally, knowing what I do now would always insist at the very least a postal address for my landlord.

[clarenmax]

so wrote to the landlor direct (as they have to provide their home address in the agreement

Wow, you were lucky with that then!

On all of the flats/houses I've rented, its always been c/o the managing agents as they don't want any direct contact 

[scattycat]

I agree - you do have to negotiate with the landlord, and not necesserily the agency.

When we moved in 6.5 years ago after the first 6 months we asked if we could have a cat, and were told flatly by the agency 'no, especially not cats' - we wernet that happy with the reply, so wrote to the landlor direct (as they have to provide their home address in the agreement) - and got a very nice letter back from the landlord, saying a cat was fine - the only provisios were that we could not put a cat flap in their front door, and that whenever we left that it would cost us (I think) £85 for the place to be fumegated.

We adopted our first not that long after getting the ok - and then 6 months later asked again for cat no.2 - and was agreed ... 6 months after that asked for cat no.3 - they agreed but said that 3 cats was probably the limit (which I agree!)

We're currently down to 2 cats at the moment as we had our eldest (Ginny) pts on Saturday - but know we'll go back up to 3 cats - purely for the fact we dont want to ever go down to 1 cat and for that cat to be alone.

[fluffybunny]

We have tenants in our first house before we bought the one we now live in.  The standard questionnaire that the letting agents gave us asked a number of questions such as will you accept smokers/children etc and one of the questions was pets.  We said 'negotiable' as we did want to at least have some say over whether someone wanted to move in with what we considered to be an inappropriate number/type of animals, but on principle we had no problems in someone having a cat or two - the house has a catflap from when we lived there.  I don't think it appears in our contract.  Our current tenants have said that they would love a cat but they are reluctant to do so in case they need to move again and will struggle to find somewhere else that will allow them.

[**TINA**]

We sold our house in stoke when we moved back up north 3 1/2 years ago. At the time we had our english bull, Splitz, Pod & Rolo.
We managed to find a nice unfurnished house in the country, thru an estate agent. But in the time looking noticed our dog was more of a put-off, altho he didnt bark,
he wasnt destructive, infact he was a lazy loving big soft puddin.
(have noticed more property sayin no dogs but cats allowed aswell)
Sadly tho a few months after movin we had to make that awful decision & bully had to be pts  RIP bully baby.

We rent now & the landlord dont mind pets (the house is thru someone my sister knows)
And its right next to my mam who is ill (the reason we moved back to an estate) but being honest, i regret moving from the country, & i look every week
for another place with open views & away from roads etc. We aint near roads here, but the gardens across the back have barkin dogs (our garden is huge aswell)
and i have been terrified to let mt babies out, so since being here they have become house cats.

Also we have found out that who we rent from have split up & the house is going up for sale (with sittin tennants)

But i have faith in finding somewhere (no hurry tho) for all of us (could never part with my 4 babies no matter what  )


ps. about the dyson brilliant, i wouldnt part with mine,. But have most wooden floors now & they are cleaned everyday

[Feline Costumier]

Carpets that needed to be cleaned three times to remove all the cat hair for the ingoing tenant.

Not with a good quality Dyson  and perhaps some others makes  they don't?  I well remember when we first got one years ago, I am not saying we did not have to empty the cylinder more than once but I can assure you there was not a speck of anything left.

Ah but you can't dictate to a tenant what variety of vacuum cleaner to buy and now often to clean their carpets. This tenant never maintained the carpets hence them needing professional cleaning three times to get rid of all the cat hair! Nightmare for landlord and new tenants alike.

[Ela]

Carpets that needed to be cleaned three times to remove all the cat hair for the ingoing tenant.

Not with a good quality Dyson  and perhaps some others makes  they don't?  I well remember when we first got one years ago, I am not saying we did not have to empty the cylinder more than once but I can assure you there was not a speck of anything left.

[Topsy Turvey]

This is something that is concerning me.  We have just put our house on the market and when we sell are going to rent for a while until the housing market stabilises.  I really hope its not a nightmare to find somewhere given that we have our three! 

[Feline Costumier]

Just to jump to the defence of agents here. Yes there is a standard no pets clause in contracts BUT it is an optional clause, we also have a pets acceptable clause. 99% of the time it is the landlord that flat outright will refuse to allow any pet, dogs are particularly difficult to house. We have had a few landlords who have asked for ridiculous deposits to allow a pet. My landlord is less than keen and only allowed it because I work for the agency he uses.

The key thing is the potential hassle of putting in new carpets/curtains/furniture/getting rid of smells etc. Yes these can be deducted from the deposit but while work is being done the landlord is potentially losing rent. Not all pet owners are as responsible as us, in fact from my experience of seeing it from an agency point of view, it can often be a nightmare. Whe showing tenanted properties with pets there are filthy litter trays surrounded by filthy littered carpets the second you step in the door. Carpets that needed to be cleaned three times to remove all the cat hair for the ingoing tenant.

I'm not saying landlords shouldn't allow it, I wish more would but if all they ever hear are horror stories from other landlords and they are not animal lovers themselves there's not much the agent can do to convince them otherwise.

[JackSpratt]

Oh definitely, there are stubborn landlords about too! But if you don't ask, you don't get.

[Ela]

I think it all depends on if people are willing to challenge the standard clause.

I do understand what you are saying however, I know of numerous people who have pleaded and pleaded, offered extra deposits etc. all to no avail.