What About Pets At Your Investment Property?

Approximately 63% of Australians own pets, making us one of the world’s leading countries in pet ownership. Given these growing numbers, it’s worth considering making your property available to tenants who are pet owners.

The Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act provides an outline of responsibilities your tenant must undertake should they choose to keep a pet at your property.

It’s always a good idea to further clarify the unique requirements of having pets at your property in your lease agreement. For example, some owners would prefer to have their carpets steam cleaned regularly in a house with pets, while others consider regular pest treatments essential for maintaining a property housing a pet.

As the property owner, you have the ultimate decision as to what sort of pets you’d like to allow, how many pets your tenants may bring, and whether the pets will be housed in the yard, or whether they are allowed inside the property.

Consider the design and layout of your property, and whether it will be a comfortable environment for a dog or cat. Fully fenced yards are excellent for large dogs, while smaller apartments with or without balconies often work well for indoor cats and smaller dog breeds.

If your investment property is part of a body corporate, ensure you familiarise yourself with the individual bylaws of your complex regarding pets on the property. In the past, there was a tendency for some body corporates to create strict rules governing pet ownership, however the growing numbers of Australians enjoying the companionship of their pets has seen a trend towards pet-friendly apartment complexes.

One advantage of making your investment property pet friendly is that you’ll almost certainly gain a wider pool of applicants. Many excellent tenants are pet owners, and with a shortage of pet friendly properties on the market, these listings always prove popular.

Aside from pet-friendly properties offering a competitive advantage, they can also help secure long term tenants. Pet owners often have difficulty securing a comfortable rental property for their furry friends, and will usually be happy to settle in one spot for longer periods of time.

If you think your property might be suitable for pets, it’s well worth advertising this in your initial listing. Many tenants assume landlords won’t consider pets if it isn’t specified in the initial advertisement.

Your Jeff Jones Real Estate Property Manager will be happy to discuss the practical requirements of accepting pets at your property, and will be able to pass on tips of the trade to help keep your investment at its best and comfortable for tenants and their four-legged friends alike.