As a landlord, your chances of encountering a pet owner are high. In fact, a 2021-2022 survey from the American Pet Products Association (APPA) found that 70 percent of households within the nation own a pet. This means that more than half of all prospective renters may have an animal friend moving in with them.
Whether they be dogs, cats, or birds—pets are like family to many people—so it is easy to understand why many pet owners would rather pass on a rental unit if they can’t bring their pet with them. To attract high-quality tenants, you will want to do your best to accommodate their needs while still preserving the integrity of your property. To that end, we have created this guide to help you navigate the pet policy creation process so you can start renting to pet owners—the right way.
What is a Pet Policy?
A pet policy is like a blueprint—a set of general rules that details if the apartment allows pets or bans them completely, e.g., a “no-pets allowed” policy. If you allow pets, then the policy should outline acceptable practices for pet owners and disclose everything they need to know if they want to rent your property with their pet in tow. As the landlord or property owner, it is your discretion to determine what to include in the pet policy—but rules that work best for you and your tenants are ideal.
Please keep in mind that there is no fool-proof solution when dealing with the unpredictable nature of animals. A pet policy is not a golden ticket to complete harmony. From a cat scratching up the walls to a dog damaging your floors, sometimes these situations occur at no fault of your own. However, what the pet policy will do is hold renters accountable for their pets and ensure that you can better manage troublesome incidences should they arise.
What do I Include in a Pet Policy?
When writing your pet lease, you want it to be comprehensive and cover all the critical points that help you reduce pet-related risks. While there are many ways you can craft a smart pet policy, we’ve put together a list of six crucial elements to include in your document.
1. Permitted types of pets
At the top of your to-do list, specify the types of pets you will allow in your rental. To ensure that you appeal to the broadest pool of potential tenants, accept the most common domestic pets, such as:
- Dogs
- Cats
- Fish
- Birds
- Reptiles
- Small mammals (rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, ferrets)
Remember, pet owners are in the majority and strict pet rules can be a dealbreaker for many tenants. By allowing a wider range of pets, you may be able to fill your rental vacancies more quickly, which means less downtime and more money in your pocket.
2. Restrictions and limitations
Every landlord has their reasons for implementing pet restrictions, so do not feel bad if you decide to enforce some of your own. Ultimately, you should do what is best for yourself, the property, and other tenants. You must describe these restrictions and limitations explicitly to avoid confusion about what is impermissible. This action just sets the standard, but you can constantly adjust it on a case-by-case basis. Here are some common rules you may decide to enforce:
- Setting a limit for how many pets a tenant can house or limiting a specific type of pet. For example, youmcan state in the pet policy that tenants can only have a maximum of two dogs and one cat.
- Restricting pets based on weight or size is common, even in apartments that expressly advertise themselves as pet friendly. In most cases, this only applies to dogs due to their varying sizes. You might enforce this restriction to limit the risk of damages caused by a big dog, or it could be out of concern for the health of a large canine crammed into an apartment that is too small for it. There is also the noise element—with bigger dogs often having a louder bark and heavier footsteps.
- Restricting pets based on breed is another factor that primarily relates to dogs. Beliefs vary widely, but certain breeds have a negative reputation for being dangerous due to their aggressive nature (no matter how domesticated they are). You will have to use your judgment to determine if you want to ban certain dog breeds altogether. Some of the most common dog breeds that fall into this category include pit bulls, Rottweilers, Chows Chows, Dobermans, Great Danes, and Akitas.
3. Disclosure of tenants’ responsibility
Tenants should understand that just because an apartment is pet-friendly does not mean their pet can run free. There are certain expectations you will need to express in the pet policy to minimize risks and ensure tenants are responsible for the well-being and actions of their pets. The rules of conduct will vary depending on the type of pet, but here are some general directives you might want to include for pet owners:
- Tenants should always keep their dog(s) on a leash outside their apartment unit.
- Tenants must pay for any damages to the apartment that their pet caused.
- Tenants must clean up after their pets in the apartment and on the apartment grounds.
- Animals like reptiles, small mammals and birds should be caged appropriately.
- Cats and dogs need to have an identification collar or tag on them.
You should also state the implications if tenants violate these rules or if their pet becomes a safety hazard. If a tenant receives multiple infractions and does not fix the issue, then it is your right to request that the tenant remove their pet from the premises, or you may terminate their tenancy.
4. Pet screening
It is one thing to hear about how lovely a pet is over the phone—but it is another thing for you to form a realistic impression of the animal you might be letting into your property. Essentially, a pet screening is just an interview with the animal and its owner.
By meeting the animal in person, you can make a more informed decision about whether to approve them for tenancy. You can also see if the tenant was being truthful about their pet. For instance, if you have a breed restriction in the policy and the prospective renter shows up with a pit bull, you might want to reconsider their rental application. Use your time during the interview to observe the animal’s behavior and temperament. Is the pet friendly? Aggressive? Quiet? Do they listen to their owner? Factor all these details into your final decision and then perhaps—under the right circumstances—you can compromise with the tenant if their pet is well-behaved and properly socialized.
During this interview, you also want to ask the pet owner a series of questions about their pet. These questions can help you gain greater insight into whether the animal is a good fit for your property. Here are some valuable questions to ask:
- Is your pet housebroken?
- Has your pet ever bitten someone before?
- How old is your pet?
- Has your pet ever caused property damage?
- Who cares for the pet when the owner is not home?
- Who is primarily responsible for caring for the pet?
5. Proper documentation
The policy ensures candidates can provide current documentation showing that their cat or dog is microchipped, vaccinated, and tagged. Depending on the property’s location, there might be city ordinances that require specific vaccinations or licenses for pets—so make sure that your tenant has that proof of compliance. You might also require documentation showing that the renter has already dewormed or using flea protection for their pet.
6. Pet rent, pet fees, and pet deposits
Some pets—like cats and dogs—pose an inherent risk to your property. You can offset these damages by charging additional costs. You can make critical repairs and maintenance upgrades without breaking the bank with this money. There are three main fees that you can include: pet rent, pet fees, and pet deposits. Learning about their differences can help you determine which ones to charge pet owners.
- Pet rent: Like regular rental dues, you can implement an additional monthly charge for each pet that a tenant keeps on your property. You can determine how much this cost will be, but typically this charge falls between $20-$60 a month. If you charge pet rent, you could forgo a pet deposit.
- Pet deposit: A pet deposit is virtually the same as a security deposit. You hold onto it if the tenant’s pet causes damage to your property. If there are no issues, you refund the pet deposit when they move out.
- Pet fees: This charge is usually a one-time payment—akin to an application fee. Pet fees vary in cost (which you will have to decide based on current market trends), but they are nonrefundable, and you can collect them when the tenant moves in with their pet.
The Exception: Emotional Support and Service Animals
There are two exceptions to the process that you must be made aware of—those exceptions being emotional support and service animals.
Passed in 1968, The Fair Housing Act (FHA) protects home-seekers from discrimination and ensures that everyone receives equal access and housing opportunities. The FHA also protects renters who have emotional support or service animals.
Service animals undergo extensive training to help people with physical, emotional, and mental disabilities. Only dogs can be service animals because of their ability to assist with various everyday tasks, such as retrieving items or warning their owner of an impending seizure.
Emotional support animals (ESA) don’t typically undergo extensive training—but rather—provide psychological support to their owners instead. An ESA can be anything reasonable—such as a pig, lamb, snake, or even something more exotic—like a bat or skunk. These animals can help to reduce their owner’s social anxiety and overall emotional health.
There are a few circumstances when a landlord can deny an ESA or service animal:
- An unreasonable size for the apartment.
- A safety hazard to others.
- The tenant doesn’t provide proper documentation showing their companion is an emotional support or service animal.
- The animal is illegal to own in their state or country.
Other than these reasons, it is unlawful to deny a tenant who has an emotional support or service animal—nor can you charge them any related pet fees. These animals are not considered pets under the FHA—so they do not fall under any pet policy rules.
Refer to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for more information about your obligations as a housing provider to prospective tenants with assistance animals.
Additional Questions
We understand that you may have some additional questions about creating a pet policy, so here are some other questions and answers that might help you.
Why should I include a pet agreement in the lease?
Include a pet agreement in the lease to help you significantly reduce pet-related risks, which in turn can save you money in the long run. After creating the pet policies, include them in the pet agreement clause and add them to the actual rental lease. All this informs tenants about their lease agreement being contingent on their ability to honor the regulations.
Can I change the pet policy?
Yes—and you may decide to do so from time to time. Make sure to include in the pet policy that you have the right to amend the rules—ensuring that tenant has at least 30 days to comply.
What is a grandfather clause for pet policy changes?
If you already have tenants within your rental units, you can create a grandfather clause to exempt them from the new rule changes. Only new tenants will have to comply with the changed pet policy at the start of their lease agreement. A grandfather clause can benefit renters who already have a pet that no longer adheres to the new rules. This kind of exemption for your legacy tenants can help you avoid friction and resistance.
A simplified solution to integrate a pet policy in your lease
Now that you know what to include in a pet policy, you are ready to create your very own! But we want you to work smart—not hard. Keep things simple by using Apartments.com’s leasing solution to add a pet policy to your lease agreement.
All you’ll need to do is answer the questions, such as:
- Are pets allowed in the property?
- What kind of pets are allowed?
- What is the maximum weight limit?
- What is the maximum number of pets permitted?
- What are the pet breed restrictions?
- Will you charge a one-time pet fee, and how much is the amount?
- Will you charge a monthly pet fee, and how much will it cost?
- Will you charge a pet deposit, and how much is the amount?
- Is there a pet policy violation fee, when do you charge it, and how much per infraction?
Once you’re done, the information you input will automatically populate within the pet addendum of your lease agreement.
