One of the most common concerns we hear from property owners is allowing pets in rentals. We know that just one instance of severe pet damage or a dog bite can set your mind against letting Atlanta renters have pets while living in your properties.
However, when handled with the expert insights of professional property management Atlanta GA, pets can be an excellent way to find better renters and make more money from your rentals. Today, attracting millennial or Baby Boomer tenants is easier when you have pet-friendly properties that meet their needs. These age groups love their pets and look for properties that will allow their dogs, cats, and other small animals to feel at home, too.
Should you allow pets? If so, how should you handle it? The Renters Warehouse Atlanta team is here to tell you everything you need to know!
Skipping Pets Means Missing Quality Renters
Believe it or not, pet owners are often some of the best renters you can place in your Atlanta properties. When you exclude all pet owners from your properties, you miss out on more quality renters to choose from for your rentals.
It's challenging for renters to find rental homes that allow pets. When a renter finds a safe place that lets them bring their pet along, they work hard to be excellent residents—and they often renew their lease rather than begin another search for a pet-friendly property.
We find that most renters with pets follow the rules in the lease. They make sure their pets abide by the rules, too! They clean up after their pets, pay the rent on time, and are enjoyable residents who want to earn your trust and the opportunity to stay in your home long-term.
However, not every pet owner is the right fit for your Atlanta property. When allowing pets, it's critical to set up some best practices to protect your properties and choose quality renters and pets.
Set the Rules
There are many benefits to offering pet-friendly properties, and rental property owners can be selective when allowing pets into their rental homes. While you must avoid being discriminatory when evaluating a pet and potential renter, real estate investors can set rules and criteria to choose renters with excellent pets.
Work with professional property management Atlanta GA to set up a pet addendum and assign fees for pet-friendly properties. We'll help you:
- Define the legal criteria for pets that you'll permit in your properties
- Research aggressive breeds and responsible dog owner laws to make sure your renters, their pets, and lease-related documents comply with Georgia regulations
- Collect fees or deposits (as allowed by law), then enforce the rules if a pet causes damage to your property
As the property owner, you can set limits on the number of pets in a property and the types of pets you'll accept. Permitting pets doesn't mean you have to let any kind of animal into your properties. Being smart about renters and pets protects your investments!
Make Exceptions for Assistance Animals
The law requires property owners to allow assistance animals when a renter makes a request. Assistance animals are not pets, and they are the exception to pet addendums, additional deposits, and your pet criteria.
Renters are still responsible for cleaning up after these animals and following the rules in the lease. However, accommodating a renter with a disability that prescribes an assistance animal is part of your job as a rental property owner.
Follow the rules outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act when renting to a resident with a service animal. Work with a property manager to make sure your lease and properties follow the law to avoid lawsuits and accommodate renters with disabilities.
Pets Aren't Perfect
While allowing pets into your properties can be a smart financial decision, remember that pets aren't perfect. Even an approved pet that meets your criteria can cause minor damage or make a mistake. Renters with pets are most often quality residents, but they aren't perfect, either.
When problems come up, enforce the rules in your lease or pet addendum. Work with professional property management Atlanta GA that can monitor pet and resident behavior in your rentals and enforce the rules for you. Choose a property manager that offers guarantees that cover pet damage and situations where an approved pet doesn't behave as promised while living in your rental.
Make Smart Decisions About Pets with the Right Property Manager
No two pets are the same—and there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to pets for every investor or every property. However, with the right property management Atlanta GA, investors can make smart decisions about pets to help boost their income and place better renters in their Atlanta properties.
When you choose Renters Warehouse Atlanta, you get our expert property management services and our Pet Damage Guarantee! It's an extra level of assurance against any damages a pet might cause while in your rental to help you earn maximum income. You don't have to worry about a thing with our team selecting quality renters, pets, and enforcing the rules.
