My property was listed as no pets, and 8 months ago I had tenants move in who I have had no issues with so far and I would like them to stay long term. However they have requested to have a cat and as they have been good tenants I am happy for them to do so.
What options do I have to protect myself from damages etc. They have offered to pay extra deposit however upon moving in I already charged them 5 weeks deposit. Any advice on what to add to the contract/things to look out for, will be greatly appreciated.
I’d be inclined to ask for a new AST so that tenant is showing a commitment to property as you wouldn’t want them to leave in a couple of months if already on periodic.
You can’t take a further deposit. You can ask for last months rent in advance which gives you a bit of protection in case tenants ask to use deposit to cover rent (they can’t but hard to stop in reality) so ensures the deposit you do have would be available to cover any damages caused.
You could also increase rent by say £25 a month to cover potential damage and say there wont be rent rise for x years (figs depend on rent amount and condition of property)so if they do stay longer term they aren’t penalised.
Nothing to do, your contract already covers damages and hey people can cause just as much damage as pets - getting drunk, missing the loo, spilling curry etc.
Good tenants are worth their weight in gold, let it happen! I once had a tenant with a parrot that told me to “Get Out”! The tenant never said a word out of place, perfect!
Do you own the property or is it part of a block or has conditions you have to abide by? If it has you have to say no. If the pet is a kitten then be prepared for accidents on the floor and possible subsequent smells even if cleaned. Scratching of door frames or walls.
At the end of the tenancy you will need to deep clean (if you don’t already) in case new tenants have allergies and to remove smells (if possible)!
If you allow a cat, stipulate one cat, not cats.
If your A.S.T. doesn’t cover this then as suggested renew with new conditions, it is not unreasonable to request an increase in rent. £25 pm does not seem unreasonable bearing in mind you cannot charge a pet deposit. I don’t know if it is reasonable to request but a condition keep the pet healthy and regularly de-flee’d or words to that effect may help.
I recently lost a long term tenant because they wanted a pet, I and my property conditions stated no pets so it was a no contest, however, having moved the now have 5 pets and are getting more!!! That’s five animals locked in whilst they work. No doubt you will be asked to provide a cat flap (at their cost). A good friend of mine allowed a family dog about 9 years old to move in on a new tenancy, well trained. The landlord returned for an inspection to find an additionally puppy and everything that goes with that. So stipulate what you will allow and how many pets.
We are very pet friendly but at the end of the day you are running a business and whilst you make decisions make sure they are based on what you are able to accept and financially cover if it all goes wrong. Of course it may be completely fine !!!
Remember there are good tenants who are really responsible and 100% on top of keep their pet clean and healthy, whilst others have the initial joy and then just let the pets do their own thing.
Thanks for your response. They have said they would like to stay long term but would prefer to be on a rolling only basis.
In terms of increasing the rent, is this allowed to be done at any given time, and is there any guidance around how much this should be? (I’m new to this, it’s my first time renting out!)
I’m definitely doing research on pets health and well being and will be adding in additional clauses for this. It’s my first time renting out therefore first time dealing with a pet request, I’ve read a lot of horror stories of people’s experiences which is putting me off and pushing me not to just hope for the best in people.
Thanks for the tip around how many pets etc will definitely add a clause to cover that. My thoughts however are if a tenant was to have multiple pets, even though stated only one allowed what does that mean for a landlord other than reason to evict. I’m struggling to grasp the protection out there for landlords as seems to be all about the tenants unless I’m not looking in the right place.
Some tenancies have it written in that rent can be increased once a year therefore you don’t need to ask the tenant.
If it isn’t written into the tenancy or is on a periodic tenancy then you have to issue a Section 13 notice giving them at least one months notice for new rent to begin. Can’t increase rent more than once a year. (Usually)
If they do not agree they can apply to a First Tier Review Tribunal to have your proposal reviewed and possibly get it overturned. If you are charging more for a pet it could well be deemed unfair if a lot more than average for the area.
You might want to consider this if they are asking for a rolling contract.
Yes for sure. I have experienced damage from people far more costly than pets. I have furnished my property for tenants but you must be prepared that you wont get it back in the same condition it was.
I have 2 cats . People that have peys take care of them and to get all shots you never know i had pets no smell or mess . Most landlords allow people on drugs into there property and them complete when it got trashed
"most landlords allow people on drugs into their property " you say, what a load of rubbish I know many landlords and no one in their right mind knowingly allows druggies in their property. You must be mixing with the wrong people
From Google search, nose blindness amongst some pet owners is a well known phenomenon. The lease on my let property does not permit the keeping of pets of any sort without the freeholder’s permission (which they never give). End of conversation. This court case from a few years ago happened in a block not far from me