Questions for landlords

[nonamemummy]

If there’s any landlords reading that rent out homes, I’m curious to know how many of you would accept pets in a rented property, accept people who receive benefits or people who have their income topped up?

I've twice allowed dogs & really regretted it. Now you can't hold an additional deposit to cover damage, I wouldn't ever again.

I allowed cats, but I am not allergic, as we knew we would be moving back to the property, and have cats ourselves, it wasn't a problem.

Tenants on benefits were forbidden by the terms of the l/l insurance.

I'll accept a dog or cat in a house or a flat if the head lease allows it. I'm ok with HB, I had a tenant who lost their job and it was fine, though most of my properties are quite up market. When I get a prospective tenant what's important is their ability to pay and the less demanding they are. I had to paint out some lovely wallpaper and change a blind but it was a high rent so worth it. One couple wanted me to install curtain poles and get curtains and I wouldn't- but said they could at their own expense. They didn't rent it in the end.
I'd prefer to rent to a couple than, say, two unrelated singles. I've rented to three separate students with no problems. My worse tenants were a couple who complained a lot (about rats but I found out they were putting bird seed on the deck for the pigeons; about a blocked drain but the plumber found it blocked with cooking fat etc). And a couple with toddler who always paid on lime but left the place in a state with lots of junk left behind. Best were the students and a couple of brothers who maintain the property better than I do my own home!

I had one fantastic tenant who was brilliant at DIY. There was a carpet down when he moved in after 6 months he rang and asked if he could put laminate down at his own expense. I was worried it might be cheap so I went around and together we picked an expensive one and paid half each. He did a brilliant job of the laminate too. He was there four years and I was so sorry when he left to buy his own property.

I’m ok with renting to people with cats. Re benefits or income top-ups - I’ve never had to consider it as I’ve never been asked, but I commission a credit check for new tenants so I would be guided by that rather than having a blanket rule.

I'm not a landlord but a renter.
3/3 have accepted benefits. Sometimes full, sometimes as a top up.
All have allowed pets as well. Although I've only had caged/tank pets not cats or dogs.

I would definitely never allow a snake. I am terrified of them.

Yes to pets - within reason. I wouldn’t accept a Great Dane in a tiny first floor flat! But I think most people with pets are responsible and more likely to want to stay for a long time, saving me the hassle of filling the space every year.

Benefits - probably not, but only because of rent guarantee insurance, which (IME) won’t cover people on benefits. It’s a shame, because I think it’s unfair and certainly stigmatises people unfairly, but I can’t take the risk of unpaid rent.

I allow individual pets 'with landlords permission'. So welcomed a tenant with two small elderly dogs once she'd explained her arrangements for looking after them, but she couldn't get any more pets other than them. Also allowed a small corn snake in a flat, and eventually a cat with the agreement I wouldn't replace the sofa so that a new one wouldn't get cat-damage.

IME rent guarantee insurance is never offered to my tenants anyway as they earn under 30k in London, so it's a red herring. I'd consider someone on disability or other benefits but never had an enquiry - so it's just a question of picking between applicants who are employed.

It's difficult. I accepted a lady on benefits with a cat when I used to rent my flat and I really did live to regret it. Obviously most people do not destroy other's property and then leave owing thousands in rent but it does make that decision harder.

We have several rentals. We will accept working people only. Don't mind if they have additional benefits. Will accept children but never any sort of animals. That is made clear to all prospective tenants and that we will go for immediate possession if we find out they do. We will also charge them for house redecoration and deep cleaning if required.

People that have dogs and cats etc really restrict what houses they can rent unless they have a registered social landlord.

No to both. There are plenty of good tenants without the potential hassle.