To ask why unfurnished rental properties still don't allow pets?

[Coffeebiscuitsrepeat]

My sister is having terrible trouble trying to find a place to rent with her two cats. I can understand furnished properties due to scratching sofa etc., but why do so many unfurnished places not allow pets? The one she was viewing didn't even have carpet, just laminate flooring!

Our elderly cats peed all over the place. It stank the place out and also lead to moths in the carpets which all had to be replaced after their death. They were our pets and we loved them so I tolerated it but I wouldn’t put up with that from a tenants pet. And I will never have a pet again.

deposits have been capped at five weeks and what IS illegal is to charge extra deposit or extra fees to allow for the damage that a pet may cause.

Your dsis could offer to pay an animal rent.
We rent our family home out when we are posted overseas and used to accept pets. One dog created quite a mess but the extra pet deposit covered some of it, now we aren't able to do this so would be more reluctant to allow pets.

We have just bought our house from previous owners who were very clean but regardless I cannot for the life of me get rid of the smell of their dogs - I grew up with dogs and I’m a dog lover!

I can understand why a landlord would want to protect their investment. The smell is literally in the walls. Professionally deep cleaned carpets and still can’t get rid of it. We are going to have to redecorate which we wouldn’t have done if it were not for the smell.

When my puppy was teething he would try to chew the skirting boards. Luckily I was always around to watch/ stop him but landlords don’t know how much damage the pet with do or how much it will cost to fix when they have a new tenant.

Our last tenant had a cat. The deposit did not cover the (brand new before they moved in and good quality) carpets we had to replace and scratched walls we had to repaint when they left. It also did not cover the month the house was vacant for the work to be done and the house to be at least partly aired of cat smell.
The experience has put us off letting to cat owners again. Unfortunately it is irresponsible pet owners who make it difficult for pet owners as it puts us landlords off doing it again.

If I was your sister I’d pretend not to have them.
It’s a cat.
Landlords have to give notice before an inspection, throw the cats outside before they arrive..

I can sympathise with the landlord though, I have a cat and won’t get another.
They can be extremely destructive, mine has clawed sofas, wooden furniture, blinds, stairs...

If it is a flat, it maybe that the freeholder does not permit pets, or have to give permission.
I have some sympathy with a pet ban in a flat- we have a flat in a block where an owner had a very yappy dog, which barked non stop when left alone. Loads of people affected, as they were often out until late at night/early morning. It got very difficult and I believe the free holder got involved and threatened to evict them.
Not sure why an unfirnished house though.

I found myself having to rent a few years ago and already had a cat. My solution was to find somewhere that wasn't in great decorative order to begin with. The bedroom carpet had an enormous dark stain in the middle (from, I suspect, the previous tenant changing his motorbike oil indoors), there was a disused motorbike in a heap of garden waste in the garden, and a bit of a damp problem in the sitting room. Oh, and a really outdated bathroom and kitchen. So, not only wasn't it very easy to find tenants but I could legitimately argue that they'd have to replace carpets and re-decorate at some point anyway. I took photos when I moved in, and kept my deposit. So, maybe that might be the solution?

I let my house out as I'm working overseas. My current tenants have a cat. They say they will stay as long as possible at my house as it was so difficult for them to find a rental that would accept cats. They paid a larger deposit for any damage. I'm happy I have long term tenants that take good care of my home.

It's a shame there can't be a system of "pet friendly" and "no pets" rentals so it's one or the other. Then there could be a separate damage waiver for animals. Pet owners can find themselves unexpectedly needing to rent a home and you can't just discard your animals for a few months.

We only got the last rental (with dog and cat) because it was owned by someone in our house sale chain and they were desperate for it to proceed, and they'd had a dog there themselves anyway.

When I moved into this unfurnished rental property I was granted permission for 2 dogs or 2 cats max. I had 1 dog at the time and he was no problem and never touched a thing however, the tennnat/squatter cat that escaped the box when the previous owners were evicted was obviously quite happy to stay where he was regardless and the previous tennants never bothered coming back to get him either.
In the month prior to my move in date he had been quite happily letting himself in and out the makeshift catflap and pissing and spraying everywhere in the house after the LL had been in to do a clean.
LL was livid about the smell and after spending fortune ripping up sodden floorboards and replacing them he then wanted to change my rental agreement (already signed) to add a pets deposit. I agreed but made him change the door to the property so that the cat could not get back in, not that he ever ventured near my house again after me and Ddog moved in.
So poor puss then moved in with "stig of the dump" next door and disappeared into his mess. Never saw the cat again but when "stig" left last year his house was gutted from top to bottom.
LL has had to spend thousands on 2 properties because of 1 cat (and "stig") so I can understand the reluctance of many LLs.

We are landlords and agreed to tenants with two cats because (a) we are cat people anyway so wouldn't mind normal "cat smell", (we chose them over the ones that had a small dog) and (b) although we aren't allowed to take an extra deposit, their contract says that they have to arrange a deep clean when they move out.

Because not every tenant has the same approach to hygiene and will just let the cats piss and 💩 on the floors, or leave litter overflowing, not to mention hair everywhere - especially if it's a flat with no access to the outdoors

We allow dogs but not cats. All cats scratch and are impossible to train.

We bought a house with laminate down and in the corner of the dining room was where the litter tray must have been kept because when we pulled it up there was congealed cat per underneath.

I have four animals but I totally get why a lot of landlords don't accept pets.

I've had pets of some sort for the past seven years. In that time, the following has happened:

• scratched doors and door frames
• chewed skirting boards
• the puppy peed on the floor multiple times while we were toilet training
• two cats have had conditions that meant they had a couple of accidents indoors before we managed get to a vet for treatment.
• the hair everywhere. It gets in the cupboards, behind fixtures and fittings - everywhere.
• mud traipsed through from the dog when he decided to dig up the garden
• plus the general pet "smell" - we air the house and I vacuum everyday but it doesn't get rid of it completely.

If you're not a pet owner, having pets in our home is not an appealing idea. My mum, for example, is asthmatic and can only visit for short periods without needing medication due to the general hair/smell, and our house is far from messy.

you can neither offer a pet bond nor be charged one, it is an illegal fee.

usual no-business-head fuckwits on this thread. Direct your blabber at Shelter and ask them to campaign for legal pet deposits. Oh, and quicker evictions for dealers/stealers/wreckers.

Pets scratch walls and doors.

Pets can sometimes pee everywhere and the smell gets into the floorboards and virtually impossible to get rid of, sometimes even causing rot. Dog or cat wee can quickly ruin laminate floors.

Pet hair gets everywhere, i.e. in the radiators, in ceiling fans, etc - often very hard to get rid of.

If I was your sister I’d pretend not to have them. It’s a cat. Landlords have to give notice before an inspection, throw the cats outside before they arrive

They would notice the smell. A quick look down the radiators and they'd see cat hairs. Almost certainly there'd be scratches on doors and walls somewhere. Pet owners are usually in denial about the smell/damage etc.

Because cats damage property. Pets are not essential, millions of people live without them.

I was looking for a place recently with my two cats, and one agency said that they do allow pets - for an extra £45 a month! I would happily pay a higher deposit, but don't think it's fair to charge more rent to people with pets.

Moved into a house where there had been a dog. They cleaned before leaving, I had it professionally cleaned, (including carpets etc) and it still smelt of dog especially on a damp day for over a year. If you’re allergic to animals (or just don’t want the smell) in your house I think it’s fine.

Like it or not, dogs and cats can damage houses and gardens .. peeing is a big one, especially little dogs..
I had a friend visit, and he brought a little dog that ran about the house actually crapping.

He said “ the dog has never done that before”
Turned out the dog was barred from every one of the pubs in the area..
Even a well trained dog can have an explosive bowel movement Or vomit if they are poorly..
I am very wary of small Visiting dogs as they are veritable pee machines...
Cats can spray, too.. even neutered ones.
This leaves an oily residue..
Not all dogs smell though.. a natural diet makes for a much less odiferous dog, as does good washing of sofa covers.

Because pets can wreck fittings aswell as furniture. Carpets, flooring, walls, units. They can damage gardens aswell. There is of course a difference between a small animal and three huge dogs but often it is just easier to have a blanket “no pets” rule. Often profit margins are so small that the remedial work after having pets makes it unviable. There are always properties available that will allow pets but you just need to be prepared to pay a little more for that benefit.

I see all sides of this:

1. neighbour rents and has a cat. Cat has scratched their carpet terribly and the neighbour thinks it’s cute. (I don’t think he’s allowed pets!)

2. I have a cat. He has anti flea stuff monthly, he uses his litter box and he uses the scratching post. Absolutely no bother at all!

3. we rented a property years ago with a cat flap. We asked if we could get a cat. Landlord said yes! Our cat was a scratcher so we put rugs down everywhere. She caused no damage.

I’m renting my property out in November and I’m still unsure whether I’d accept pets or not next doors hallway carpet and stairs is in a real bad way due to cat scratching

It's prohibited by the lease on my flat - if it were up to me I'd let the tenants.