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Deciding on a new pet, after you signed your lease?

By
Commercial Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Southwest 0576394

Thinking about getting a new pet? Better check your lease contract first. 


Last week I got a call from one of my tenants. Actually I got a call from the animal control shelter asking for permission on behalf of a tenant to adopt a new puppy. In cases like this it is always best to refer to the written lease agreement between landlord and tenant. 

As a compassionate dog owner myself, I wanted to say yes. My dog was a rescue from the local shelter and has been a big part of my life for the last 2 years. I remember all the affection, excitement, and joy.........

then accidents and damages in the first few days. Carpets ripped and stained, door trim scratched...

As much as we love mans' best friend and faithful companions there are sometimes issues created for tenants and landlords after a lease has been executed. 

If you are considering adopting a pet and you are renting a property (home or apartment) the first step is to check your lease. 

In Texas the leases determines if pets are allowed or not allowed. 

Typically additional deposits and terms are required for pets. Sometimes those deposits can be non-refundable and be required for each individual pet. I have seen landlords charge $1,000 per pet non-refundable to be in the lease. The security deposit can also be non-refundable if pet damages exceed the pet deposits. 

If pets are not permitted in the lease, and you decided to get one anyways, you are now in violation of your lease and subject to penalties or termination. For example some of my landlords charge a $500 per day penalty until an unauthorized pet is removed from the property. Excessive? Not really if they invested $12,000 into the wood flooring or $5,000 into the kitchen cabinets that the new dog is scratching up. 

Another factor to consider is home owners' insurance. Many landlords get basic coverage on their investment properties. This is significant because those insurance policies include a waiver for dogs. A landlord may not allow dogs for a reason. Often overlooked, a pet dog can affect insurance rates, coverage, and policies. Why? What if the dog bites someone? A neighbor, a child, a meter reader, a postal employee? That is a serious liability.

Who is responsible for a dog bite settlement or medical expenses: tenant or landlord? 

An insurance policy should always be updated for a dog to protect a landlord and tenant. Certain breeds of dogs can terminate home owner insurance policies. That can lead to an interesting conversation with your landlord. Certain dog breeds can also significantly increase policy premiums. Some of us feel as if our pets are members of the family, to insurance companies they are still animals. As a landlord I don't have a problem a poster here and there of "Mr. Worldwide" Pit Bull the entertainer, it's the dog breed that concerns me. 

If you a renting a home or apartment be open about existing pets, or the desire to get one in the future while you are still at the property. Be up front with landlords, and they will appreciate it. Hide a pet and you could soon be looking for a different home as well.

 

And yes your goldfish can be evicted too! *gulp*

Goldfish, guppies, Koi, and betas are not the exception and can create a lease violation as well. Especially if their home happens to be a large fish tank rather than just a 1 gallon bowl of water. 

I used to large 50+ gallon fish tank in my kitchen/entry area. It was filled with expensive and fancy Koi fish. At night when I would have trouble sleeping I would gaze at the hypnotic fish for a few minutes and they would put me to sleep. 

Well one day that fish tank leaked while I was away at work. Thankfully most of the fish survived, and were immediately transplated to a friend''s Koi pond. The water damage to the floors made me decide that fish do more damage than my dog possibly can inside a home. 

 

So regardless of what kind of pet you decide to get or currently own, always check your lease and inform your landlord. If you decide to adopt, consider visiting a local animal shelter instead of a pet store. The dog in the photo above is Bentley. He rescued me when I found him at a shelter in 2012. 

 

 

Comments (1)

Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

If it is a fenced or pet-friendly property, I really want to rent it to a tenant with a pet ESTABLISHED with the tenant (tenant's family).  I just accepted a "rescue" 2 year old dog with picture and call from the breed rescue coordinator....I'll take those all day long!

Jul 13, 2014 08:40 AM