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!

I have pets but I've seen rented places where dogs have chewed walls, doors, everything and totally trashed the place.
I lived in a rented place with my own cat for a few months before I bought my current home and the bugger was always trying to destroy the soft furnishings and woodwork. I had to cover everything with king sized blankets to prevent damage I'd have to pay for.
She totally ignored the scratching posts. Luckily it was on parkland so at least she could go out.

Flat I rented once, the previous tenant had a cat, I know this from the stench from one corner of the bedroom that could be temporarily covered up (how I ended up renting it), but always seemed to come back through.

That being said, I have a house I let unfurnished, and have always been happy for the tenants to have dogs/cats - the house is surrounded by great dog walks (I wouldn't personally have a cat there, because of the busy roads close) - so they do exist. I find that the agents can be the barrier, they often don't pass stuff on when they should, and it'll only come up when a tenant emails me direct.

I am a landlord and don't allow pets in my flats. We had tenants with cats and dogs (different tenants) and the results have been scratched doors in two rooms and carpet peed on. The deposit was barely enough to cover the costs and the flat stayed unoccupied for longer than needed while we had to replace the stinky carpets and get a decorator to fix the doors.
Sorry, I personally don't have a problem with pets - just not in my properties.

I allow pets in both of my lets, a house isn't a home without. Irony is I'm about to move area for work & looking to rent myself for a couple of years & can't find anywhere cos yes, you've guessed it, I've got pets.

Can you help her out and look after your sisters cats for her until she gets back on her feet.

I stupidly allowed my current tenants to move in, they have a cat and a dog, I'm really regretting it after reading this thread.

I could only take 5 weeks deposit to put in the DPS which wouldn't cover much pet damage.

I rent and was lucky enough to find two properties that allowed pets. I had to pay extra at the end of my first tenancy for a professional carpet clean and ‘pet treatment’. The carpets were absolutely fine - no mess, no stains, no damage, no fleas. I don’t see why LLs don’t put an extra clause like that in the contract to cover pets.

As for tenants who leave their pets unattended when they shouldn’t, or let them rip up the skirting boards and dont offer to pay for the damage, then I’d wager a bet those people aren’t good tenants anyway.

With so many families having to rent now due to house prices, it seems unfair to have blanket bans on pets. I’d hope a landlord would consider each tenant individually.

As a landlord tenants have always asked. We have let to families with pets. They have been lovely tenants ditto their pets. They stay for years and have never had a problem. If we needed new carpets the deposit would cover that so I do not see a problem.

Some will allow it and some (us) won't. Some blocks of flats ban it in the headlease too. I don't have pets at home either and don't like them and others adore them so we all just differ.

The first flat I bought had bern owned previously by a man with two cats. There was no furniture or carpets but the flat was infested with fleas. Environmental health sprayed the whole flat. When I decorated I could smell cats as I was sanding the woodwork. Awful

We have cats, they have scratched the sofa and chairs in the past but now only scratch a rug (or the exercise mat). I've never seen them scratch at walls or doors, and they've never in 5 years weed or pooed indoors apart from the first few weeks in the litter box, but I do notice cat hair on the panels of the door, and in the corner of rooms and MIL says she can smell them.
We stayed at a holiday let once and the main bedroom really stunk of dog. There were a billion loads of plug in air fresheners around and the place was spotlessly clean, new bedding etc but as soon as you got upstairs the smell hit you. Even DH, who is about 80% nose-blind noticed it.

I’m a tenant with a private landlord. I have a dog and two cats.

I can tell you pets often cause damage and I’m no exception. The cats haven’t caused any damage but I’ve had to take a carpet cleaner to where the dog sicked on the carpet as the bile stained. I’ve also got scratch marks on a door and on the side of the stairs. Luckily it hasn’t damaged the wood, the banisters is a case of sanding down and painting again. And the door also will be fine with a fresh coat of paint. I will pay someone to do this because I wouldn’t want to leave it badly done.

The dog dug a hole in the garden which I rectified but that’s the only damage. I do have an issue with the dog having a muddy tail and the wall by the kitchen door would need painting as well. Luckily that’s white and I know the brand he used. So I can see why a landlord wouldn’t want to fix those issues. I’ll also have to deep clean the carpets as I have a robot hoover and I hoover with the stain but it will really need some graft if I move out. And that’s before you remember the pet smell.

Not everyone leaves the property in the state they found it, my landlord lived in the house with a dog so he’s fairly understanding but I think my deposit wouldn’t cover the cleaning he’d have to do so that’s my concession for having pets, the responsibility I mean

Not least because cats leave cat dander even in an unfurnished place Poorly managed cats can be quite destructive and cat pee is the devil to get out of walls and floorboards. All of which can render a place unrentable in the future. Most LL won't take the risk.

It’s obvious why: because they don’t want their property ruined with damage and smell.

We rented out our house whilst we were working abroad. We don't have dogs, but I love them and quite happily rented to someone who has two well behaved dogs.
Cue two years later, dogs have damaged wooden floors, window sills and doors, just from jumping up and scratching at the floors. Also the carpets absolutley stank, in fact that was the worst bit. The dogs were house trained, it wasn't that kind of smell, just really, really strong sleepy dog. Despite cleaning, we can still smell it now especially when the sun hits the carpet.

I doubt we'd ever rent out again, but would certainly never rent to someone with dogs.

I'm a landlord and we allow pets. Just write into tenancy that carpets must be professionally cleaned at end of tenancy. Deposit covers any damage.

If she had a baby, it would probably make far more mess... yet that wouldn't be a problem! I think not allowing some compromise at least is so unfair.

Don’t be so ridiculous. A baby is a human being, a cat is just an animal.

Why should there be compromise? She doesn’t own the property. If you’re going to have animals and rent you either accept that you’ll find it difficult to find a suitable property and will have to pay penalties on top because of the high risk, or you give the animals up.

Failing that, she can buy her own property and let them destroy that.

When we were renting I would just ask the agent to check if the landlord would consider pets (we have a parrot). We never had a problem as they just wrote into the contract that any damages would be repaired by us before we left the property.
No pets is pretty much the default option so it is always worth asking, especially if your sister is willing to pay an additional deposit.

We are lucky enough to have a house we rent out and I said yes to pets as it makes me so sad people who rent can’t have pets.

We did ask For a slightly higher deposit but I have every intention of refunding it as long as there is no crazy damage.

I also hope as a result our tenants are more loyal to us and look after the place a little better

The smell.

disclaimer: long term renter, am happy with it, had mostly good experiences, with and without pets, can see both sides.

reason 1) you are not there to have a life, you are an investment, so sit in a corner like a mannequin whilst you pay off someone else's mortgage, you POVVO

reason 2) many owners have had terrible experiences with tenants and pets. Or heard horror stories. Some tenants are horrendous and I can see why landlords will be hesitant.

Just to add in case anyone took my joke too seriously : I do not think renters are povvo. I am one by choice and have had to have more money to spare because of it. its a dear do!

there are good and bad.

The last house I lived in the previous tenant had a dog. The house was empty and being refurbished for a year before it was put up for let due to the dog. They had to replace all floorboards upstairs and carpets. They had to replace all flooring downstairs. The front door had to be replaced due to pee stains on the pvc. The only thing that was damaged but not replaced was the french doors. There was scratches all over the glass from the dog jumping up at the door.

I have a cat and the landlord is fine about that but there is a clause that should the cat pee on the carpet it needs to be either professionally cleaned or replaced. If there’s scratches on the door walls or frames they need to be fixed by me. This is fine with me. My cat behaves well and has never peed or scratches anywhere he’s not meant to but if he ever did then I wouldn’t begrudge repairing or replacing it.

We allowed a cat when renting our flat previously but I was concerned about it. Generally most of my friends with pets do have an animal smell. Maybe my friends are just slovenly!

An animal smell in their house that is!!

My husband moved into a rented house with his ex partner and their baby about ten years ago and it was absolutely infested with fleas. The previous occupants had a cat although the tenancy stated no pets. My now stepson was absolutely covered in bites and they had to move out while the whole house was fumigated at the landlords cost.
I assume it’s for reasons like this.