Renting out house - do we allow dogs?

[Lucyintheskywithrubies]

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.

I would because it is hard to rent with animals so more likely to have a long term renter.
Plus dog damage is much less than arsehole human.

Exh rents and has our dog with him, it was hard to find somewhere. Ddog is impeccably behaved, doesn't bark, chew or do anything really, old boy, no carpets which helps. Most dog owners are happy to sign a form promising to pay for any dog related damage

We used to allow dogs as we could charge a higher deposit.
now we can’t - so no dogs!

Humans are just as capable of wrecking a house if not more so than pets. Cats are definitely more destructive btw. Asking for a professional deep clean at the end is a good compromise

Yes you are. What you are referring to is a proposed regulation in the current version of the Renters Reform Act which has not yet been passed into law and even if it does end up in the final law if Parliament actually passes it, there would then be an effective date in the future, at least a year away before it would even apply. What the Government have issued is a “suggestion” that landlords start doing this now in a “policy” document.

But today, LLs can still have a no pets rule.

Some of these stories are really putting me off. The costs of any damage would be monumental as it’s an expensive house.

To clarify expensive meaning large so loads of areas to potentially repair

Yeah, that just says they “plan” to introduce a law. No such law has even been read or debated much less exists yet.

No pets here. Leasehold has clause not allowing pets in the whole building. It's got 990 years left :)

I think I would refuse in writing saying the level of deposit wouldn't cover the potential damage due to the size of home.

Sorry I’ve not read the full thread.

But have several rentals and have always allowed pets, within reason. What I’ve found is that tenants with pets tend to stay longer and they stay so long that I would have replaced the carpets even if they didn’t have pets. None have caused any damage and we make clear if they do they need to address it. We do ask that pets aren’t left unattended for long periods (and preferably crated if they are known to cause damage) and make brief enquires re whether they will be left on their own all day etc to get a feel for how likely damage is.

My view is that tenants are either respectful or they’re not. If they are, that will extend to how they maintain your property irrespective of whether they have pets.

We once had a tenant that didn’t disclose pets (despite the advert saying we allowed them) but had a spare room full of Guinea pie. DH wasn’t bothered but I was a bit annoyed they didn’t just run it by us - would have said yes. Just a little thing that eats at the trust.

Sorry just realised Ive commented on a v old thread - it came up on my feed?!

We allowed a dog once but never again. The house stank when they moved out and we had to replace all the flooring and redecorate.

It cost far more than their deposit.

thanks!

I have rented out to people with dogs before. It was a cockapoo. All completely fine! I’d have no problem doing it again. (I might hesitate if it was a really large dog.)

I rent and have a dog. Yes he smells a bit, but it’s uncarpeted/furnished and I own the rugs.
Better a dog than kids who cause way more damage.
I also have public liability insurance so if he does have a bath and leave the taps running while I’m out, it’s covered.
Landlords just need to insist on insurance, pets or not.

It's risk, but that goes with being a landlord. Tenants aren't just there to pay your mortgage or provide a guaranteed income.
I am pretty risk averse, so would put the house on the market.

We rented our house out whilst we had a temporary spell working abroad. We love dogs (though don't have our own), so said pets by arrangement and it's a family home, so kids were a given.
The tenants said they had two spaniels, 2 kids and a cat, but had up to four dogs living there, they did scratch the doors, floors and skirting. But the one thing that was really annoying and unexpected - the dogs made the carpets stink - a strong sleepy/wet dog smell. They were house trained, the carpets were cleaned. But they stank, when the sun hit the carpets, or the heating was on, the smell was rank. We tried bicarb, recleaning, steam cleaning. The cost was far worse than the deposit and we ended up ripping the carpet up.

We aren't likely to rent again, but if we did, there would be no dogs (cat and kids were fine).