Landlords view on tenants with 1 dog

[HollyBollyBooBoo]

We're moving back to the UK at the end of Feb and are having such issues finding any properties that will accept 1 dog - a 6 yr old lab (not that anyone even gets far enough into the conversation to ask age/breed!).

We've lived in rented before (with said dog) and always passed our inspections with flying colours and in our previous property got our full deposit back after a 4 year tenancy.

These are middle of the road properties, let to a professional couple, unfurnished. Literally about 1 in every 10 properties will accept a dog and there are so few properties around in the first place.

Is there anything we can do to influence the Letting Agents to influence the LLs who have said 'no pets'?

Totally stressing out that we have a 6 mo DD and no home to go back to in 24 days due to a bleedin' dog (want to cry emoticon)

You can offer a much higher deposit (my friend had to pay an extra #12k to have her two Jack Russells in a rental but it was a very expensive house). I'm not a dog lover and, to be honest, I wouldn't be mad on having a dog but if you could get references that specifically mentioned that he is very well behaved and hadn't caused any damage in previous rentals, I might be persuaded.

Where are you looking, and what type of property? I have a 2 bed Victorian semi in need of a new tenant around then, and happily take pets.

All I have ever asked is for a slightly larger deposit, for carpets to be properly cleaned at end of tenancy and for the dog to be named/described in the agreement so that tenants can't start bringing more in.

Looking in Notts/Leics boarder, 4 bed house, c.£1k pcm.

I'd happily pay double the regular deposit but I can't even get my foot in the door to look at the property. Guess the market is so strong (where have all the renters come from?!) that they don't need to take on people with dogs but it's so incredibly frustrating.

Most people with pets end up damaging the house and it leads to hassle redecorating, and trouble re-letting as well as potential voids for the landlord later on. I'm afraid you are being tarred with the bruch of other tenants and it may be that you have to put your beloved dog in kennels.

It would take an extra deposit of about £2000 or more on top of the usual deposit before I would even consider a cat or dog owner again, having been burnt, and ending up out of pocket.

PS Most time carpets need replacing and in the case of cats, curtains as well sometimes. Pet owners honestly can't smell what's left behind, but it bothers other people.

I would consider one dog in my 3 bed house to let - I have a dog though and I think that is why I would not dismiss the possibility. (London Suburb)

Seriously BoffinMum? I've not had to replace carpets or redecorate in either property yet as a result of animal damage and I think every tenant I've had has had a dog, cat or house rabbits. Professionally cleaned, they come up like new. I must have got lucky so far.

Sorry Holly, wrong area (and obviously house too small!) Hope you find someone more amenable soon.

Perhaps try to find a property let direct by the landlord instead of through an agency. I let my property to a couple with a baby and a dog. If I'd let the property through an agent I would have specified no pets.

As I met the couple myself (and it helps they are friends of a friend) I knew that the dog (a 12 year old doberman) would not be a problem.

I have specified in the tenancy agreement that any damaged carpets (mainly thinking of the dog having accidents) are replaced and not just cleaned as cleaning a carpet will not remove the smell of dog wee as it soaks through to the underlay and even the floorboards.

You could try contacting agents re properties that state no pets but explain you are willing to pay a larger deposit or perhaps a slightly higher rent than is being asked and offer to agree to replace any damaged flooring but obviously reiterate the point that your dog is house trained and has never caused any damage.

I have no problem with dogs but later tenants have complained about smell left behind and we've had to recarpet.It's like smokers and non-smokers.

What about a place with hard floors?

We have a rental property with a strict no pets rule. I would look more favourably on potential tenants who said I know you said no pets but we are prepared to guarantee no chewing, scratching damage. we will pay for an extra clean to x amount to cover shampooing all carpets and washing all soft furnishings etc. A guarentee to collect all dog pooh from garden before departure.

That is a pragmatic view that no matter how nice and old your dog, it does smell and will shed hair and probably wee / pooh in garden. In 4 years I have never had such an offer. I just get told how well behaved their individual dog is with no acknowledgement of the hassle and cost this causes.... Hence I always say no

Hope that helps from a landlord who is a dog lover but just not in my rented property .

Basically dogs are bad for business, whatever we might personally think about them. I think that's what we're all more or less saying.

I would have no qualms about renting to doggy people (in fact have 2-dog family interested in our let at the moment!) and 1st tenants had 2 cats which caused no damage (we provided a scratching post!)Sorry it's in S London though.

p.s. I think children cause far more damage than pets!

With a dog and a baby then I don't stand a chance!

Thanks all so much for your help. Had a complete meltdown about it all this morning but am resigned to the fact that I'll have to move in with family as we're just not going to find a house in the next 3 weeks. Am never ever doing a work assignment abroad ever again (I said that the last time!).

Will offer references, double the deposit and to professionally clean the carpets when we leave and see if that convinces people.

We have let a house to a family with a dog. They had let their previous home through the same agent we used and the agent was able to tell us that they had kept the place spotless so I said ok. We'd had a dog in the house ourselves before though. There are landlords who allow it, you just need to find one.

When we were looking for property to invest in at one time we were looking at rural houses and were told by an agent then that to rent a house in a rural area we would probably need to consider allowing dogs. So it might be worth finding agents that cover more rural areas.

Good luck.

Doesn't mean I would say no children, just I have also been a tenant and my children certainly caused more damage than our cats. (Cats didn't write on the front door with a biro, or make little splashes of juice all over the cream carpet...)
And the doggy people have said yes today