Do we want PETS ?
One of the latest proposals that has come from the labour party is a possible insistence in policy that landlords can no longer disallow pets. Landlords are known for saying ‘NO’ to tenants having pets due to the mess and damage that they can cause to the property.
Would you let your tenants have a pet in your property?
There are some things that you need to consider when letting your property to a tenant with pets –
- Leaseholds – Need to check the terms of the head lease to see if you are allowed to have pets. About 20% of leases are thought to have this clause of no pets allowed.
- Have you been reducing the size of your tenant market by saying no pets?
- Are there going to be noise complaints from neighbours (some dogs can be a little loud)
- What if you have a HMO and one tenant has a pet? Is this going to be an issue?
Here are some ways to safeguarding against the pets and still be pet friendly –
– Let the property unfurnished
-Add a pet clause into the agreement
-Seek a reference
-Charge a higher deposit
-Ensure that if maintenance workers are coming to ask for the pet to be put elsewhere in order not to disrupt
This is just some food for thought, we know how political parties are always changing their minds but it is always good to be aware of potential changes in the property market.
