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Original poster

Renting out house - do we allow dogs?

118 replies

Lucyintheskywithrubies · 23/08/2022 20:36

I’ve never owned dogs so have no idea what they’re like. We are renting out a large beautiful house that was our home until we moved overseas. We have had a couple with two small dogs ask if they can view. Is it worth considering? I feel sorry for people with pets in rentals and want to help out but I’m worried about damage/smell/barking and it has already been a really stressful process with the last tenants.

OP posts:
TizerorFizz · 24/08/2022 17:55

@anon2022anon
It happened to me and a friend. Tenants just went back to Spain and Lithuania. They don’t care about what they owe.

anon2022anon · 24/08/2022 20:02

@TizerorFizz oh I appreciate it does happen, and I'm sorry its happened to you. As I say, the chances of someone who owns a UK house skipping the country are much lower than someone with no ties, so a UK homeowner guarantor makes sense to me.

Original poster
Lucyintheskywithrubies · 24/08/2022 20:05

I wouldn’t mind cats. I have to say some of the stories on this thread are giving me cold feet. I can’t afford to replace all the carpets etc. also didn’t realise about the deposit being limited until I posted. I also wonder why you’d have a dog if you were in rented - I know some people wouldn’t have had a choice but surely others would? We are tenants right now and I’ve said no to a cat because if we have to move we might not find somewhere.

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 24/08/2022 20:35

Because you hope you won't be moved on.
Because the landlord might tell you he's got no intention of selling (even when he does)
Because that dog/pet brings more joy to your life then you can imagine.
Because they might be lonely
I can think of so many reasons

TizerorFizz · 24/08/2022 21:11

It’s likely people already have one. They don’t want to give it up. I understand that. However it makes it difficult for renting lots of properties. Flats in particular.

LadyLolaRuben · 24/08/2022 21:13

Yes definitely pets are a godsend to many. You only have to read posts on here. Just emphasis importance of being responsible owners

DuchessDarty · 24/08/2022 21:29

I wouldn’t consider it unless you can meet the tenant and the dogs personally. I wouldn’t trust a letting agency to make that decision.

There are many variables. How old is the dog/s? Puppies are more destructive. Will they be left in the house alone a lot?

Univalve · 24/08/2022 21:53

purpleme12 · 23/08/2022 22:31

I believe that the biggest reason people give up their pets to rescues is because there is such a small pool of landlords who will let to people with pets. It is incredibly sad that these pets likely wouldn't be in rescue if there were more landlords who would allow it

This.

Please allow pets OP. Good tenants will take care of their pets and not allow them to cause damage. Bad tenants who don’t care will cause damage anyway. So many families aren’t able to buy homes now and are forced to rent. Why should families not be able to live normal lives with pets like everyone else? Renting is no longer a lifestyle choice, sadly. It’s not for landlords to dictate how people live their lives. Can you ask for a pet reference from a previous landlord if you’re worried?

Univalve · 24/08/2022 21:57

Rounddog · 24/08/2022 09:23

I love dogs, I have a dog but no I wouldn’t allow them.

I hope you realise how awful this is.

TheFlis12345 · 24/08/2022 21:59

My dog has caused zero damage in our house, no chewing, no accidents, no scratching. My nephews and nieces in my siblings houses on the other hand… and don’t get me started on my neighbour’s cat and what it has done to their carpets!

Setyoufree · 24/08/2022 23:22

To be honest I'd be more inclined to allow dogs than cats - dogs behaviour can be controlled. Cats, even with the best will in the world, will do what they want. If they want to scratch the stair carpets, they will.

How many applications do you have for the house? A void period is also costing you a lot of money that could be used in the event of needing to repair the house (which might not come to pass anyway)

Setyoufree · 24/08/2022 23:24

Also, to their credit, they've been honest with you about having a dog. They could easily have said they've got no pets and shipped one in anyway - they wouldn't get caught and even if they did, there's absolutely nothing you could do about it.

autienotnaughty · 24/08/2022 23:27

I wouldn't. My pup has destroyed furniture, skirting, dug up the garden and that's with us training/supervising him. If you do I'd do higher rent plus extra deposit.

Itwasntright · 24/08/2022 23:28

My dog is small but he's chewed holes in my carpet in various places. I'm waiting till he's grown out of it to get the carpet replaced. In the meantime I've got holes in my stair carpets. He does it when he's anxious, pulls the fibres out a few at a time.

I wouldn't allow pets if i was sentimental about the house. One small dog could still do a lot of damage.

YourUserNameMustBeAtLeast3Characters · 24/08/2022 23:31

It’s a family size house and families include pets. So it’s always been a yes from me. You have to accept it won’t look and feel the same when you return to live in it anyway even with no pets.

But I can guarantee (from experience and my old neighbours reporting back to me) that the ‘small dog’ is a big dog, and the ‘one medium size dog’ is two great big huge dogs.

Strangerthanever · 24/08/2022 23:32

We love dogs, haven't got our own but knew the problems pet owners have renting. So when we worked abroad for a couple of years we happily rented to a family with well behaved dogs. It was a major mistake, whilst the dogs were well behaved and house trained their claws damaged the doors, wooden floors and window sills. Worst of all the carpets stank of dog, not wee, just really doggy, the house is south facing and when the sun hits certain spots the smell was rank. We couldn't claim on the deposit for the carpets as the tenants had, had them cleaned and they looked fine. We couldn't afford to replace and we can still smell them. I'd never rent to dog owners again, though tbh I'd never rent out again.

MerryMaidens · 25/08/2022 05:58

Our tenants have a small dog. There are no carpets in the house though. It's been fine.

If the dogs had been disproportionate to the size of the house- e.g. 4 huge GSDs I would have thought twice. They've stayed longer as a result as well.

FurierTransform · 25/08/2022 07:11

Personally I wouldn't. Mainly because there is too much variation in what 'dogs' covers. From completely passive ones with basically 0 impact, to ones that will destroy your house and make it smell for eternity. And you can't exactly set any sort of limitation so it's easier to just say no.

TooHotToTangoToo · 25/08/2022 08:06

I'd allow dogs, a max of two. Just add a clause to say they have to get the carpets cleaned before they leave. And add an extra cleaning charge, cost a company to wash walls etc and use that as a guideline

Stellaris22 · 25/08/2022 08:13

Please don’t rent it out if you aren’t going to let people treat it as a home. If you can’t accept that other people will be living in your ‘beautiful home’ then don’t put people through that stress. Just sell it.

intheaviary · 25/08/2022 08:17

Having just bought a house that had 2 dogs previously, I would say no. It’s also put me off getting a dog myself. Owners don’t realise how much their house stinks. And the person who said a deal clean will remove any smells...it doesn’t.

intheaviary · 25/08/2022 08:18

deep clean*

Original poster
Lucyintheskywithrubies · 25/08/2022 08:40

Stellaris22 · 25/08/2022 08:13

Please don’t rent it out if you aren’t going to let people treat it as a home. If you can’t accept that other people will be living in your ‘beautiful home’ then don’t put people through that stress. Just sell it.

sorry but this ridiculous - did you even read the OP?

OP posts:
lurchermummy · 25/08/2022 16:34

I'm a landlord and I allow pets, most people these days have them and IMO they cause less damage than children

Jkell · 25/08/2022 21:41

I have had trouble with bad neighbours with dogs. Poop everywhere, non stop barking as they left them at home on their own.

It’s better to not allow them, but if you want to allow them, you should have it say on contract that pets are allowed with your permission only and you can make your best judgement on the owners.