If you were a landlord, what would convince you to rent to us?

[Largepiecesofcrookedwood]

The perfect house for us has come up in our village. We're desperate to get it (it won't be available until probably the new year) and tick all the boxes. We are local, we know the landlords, we are after a long term let, we have good references (have been in our current home over five years) and we can afford the rent.
The sticking point is we have three dogs. The landlord has said that's the only issue for them, though it's definitely not a no at the moment. DH and I have been wondering what we could put forward in order to sway them. So far we have:

• An increased deposit
• Quarterly checks (they are proposing annual)
• Carpets cleaned when we move out
• No dogs upstairs (we don't allow this anyway)
• Some sort of break clause, perhaps at six months if they are unhappy with the way things are working out (I don't even know if this is a thing!)

The house is unfurnished so any damage to furniture is our issue. The dogs are well behaved, quiet (unless someone knocks the door) and are regularly vaccinated and exercised.
I don't want to be the mad woman who badgers them constantly, but I'm really keen to put a decent case across. Any tips or advice would be gratefully received

I'm a LL and always take pets - wouldn't allow 3 large dogs in my rental as it is tiny. But if the size of the house/garden is appropriate for the animals proposed then I have no issue.

I do ask for a larger deposit and ask that the house inc carpets are professionally cleaned on leaving - and any pet damage is repaired (eg chewed doors). So I think what you are offering is fine.

As a tenant with a dog, I found writing a 'Pet CV' went down very well. It does feel faintly ridiculous that both my dog and I now have a two page CV, but it did the job

www.finders.co.uk/assets/file/renting_with_pets_booklet.pdf

I deviated a bit from the template, and it covered things like

• training classes attended
• commands he knows
• my schedule (i.e. he's not left alone all day)
• an emergency contact who could take care of my dog
• flea / worming regime
• offers of references from a dog boarder, immediate neighbours, dog trainer, flatmate (but not from my current landlord, who is unaware of DDog - long but legitimate story as he quite literally came with the flat, along with a coffee machine)

Honestly, I think you can do all you can to reassure them (a reference re dogs from current ll would be a great idea as PP have mentioned) but at the end of the day if pet free tenants come up they will probably choose them.

thats the kind of thing to tell the prospectuve landlord and see what they think - it shows that you are not the 'my dogs never bark' or 'people should.be able to cope with an hour of barking' type.

as I understand it, accepting pets may change the definition of wear and tear so chewing and clawing may not be covered, but that is for your landlord to investigate. (there is a cat in my rental but I took the chance for a great tenant and it has paid off)

Thank you special, I'm quite open about their faults
The thing is we have been great tenants and would be so again, we just need to convince them that the dogs will be as well!

I'm a LL and love renters with dogs! Even paid for extra fencing a few years back! Good tenants are like hens teeth. Good luck op

We are landlords, always state no pets. However one tenant had a (well behaved) cat. She paid an additional months’ rent as security and had to pay for a professsional house clean when she left.. Sorry, we would not accept dogs.