Hello, I would like to know if a potential tenant is applying to rent my property and has a dog. Should I ask the tenant what breed the dog is and shows also the council registration. I would like to have some information what the requirements are for renting a tenant with dog. Thanks in advance, Carmen
I have been able to ask for the breed and picture of the dog, however I think a landlord in NSW is slowly loosing the power of obtaining information like this.
Hi Carmen - what state is your investment in. Victoria owners have lost the power to deny pets. But, if you're at the approval stage you certainly can ask for information (also have your property manager do some thorough reference checks as you'll be able to get all that information from their past rental history, social media and so on). You can't decline an applicant because they ave a pet. But, if they don't meet your needs as a tenant then you can decline the application. Just be aware, as a property manager I have found those that give you all the information about their pets up front are generally fairly good with their pets and looking after them. It's those that lie / don't tell you about the pets that you have to watch out for. Also, if you have tenants, and then they get a pet whilst living there - you can't ask them to remove it unless you apply to VCAT and so far, I have not seen an owner win a case for denying a pet. Good luck.
Agree! I self manage and the most recent tenants I selected had a reference for their pet and I confirmed this with previous property manager. There is always the fear of damage but the flip side, I find pet owners stay longer, have a sense of responsibility and I love that they love their pets as I do ours. My experience also is any pet damage we have had, tenants have been fully responsible for fixing without an issue.
And a diligent capture of the yard condition by photo's is important as some larger dogs etc can destroy grass or garden beds and without a visual clue to the original condition it makes reinstatement for damage difficult.
Personally, I would never allow a dog in an apartment (unfair to the dog as well as the other residents). Your options may be limited, but you do have some control at application stage. After that perhaps not, depending on where the property is. If the property has some yard, then welcome it openly! People with pets tend to stay longer, have better security and are less likely to leave. Just make sure pet bond and PCR is well covered before lease.
The most important information is breed, age and whether they're desexed. I also like a photo, especially for those odd mix breeds. Also, in 99% of cases good tenants dont have bad pets (or if they do, they fix any damages). If you're happy with the applicants and the appropriateness of the breed for the residence, then I wouldn't be concerned at all. If they want to move a Border Collie into a 275m2 block or a Bull Mastiff into an Apartment, that's when you should be asking them if they REALLY think it's appropriate living conditions for the animal.
Thanks everyone for your reply. I am happy for the tenant to have a dog. It is a house with a big backyard. But, I want to make sure that the dog is not going to do any damage to the neighborhood. I don't have a dog, but I think some breed behaves better than others or are more sociable. So, I thought it would be good to ask for breed and council registration to make sure that the dog won't be a problem for the neighbors. Thanks
I also had such a situation. It is better to ask what breed of dog, it still seems to depend on whether it is small or large. So you better ask
Does your landlord insurance policy cover pet damage? I just recent found out my cover doesn’t... so if there are any damage you will need to pay out of your own pockets if the tenant doesn’t pay. It’s a risk!