A frequent concern for most landlords is if they should allow pets to reside on a rental property. While it may seem like an overwhelming decision at first, learn why Hampton landlords ought to have a pet screening procedure in place, that way you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that you’ve made a fantastic decision.
Assistance/Service Animals
At Real Property Management Seacoast New Hampshire we’re an equal opportunity housing company, thus we don’t discriminate against prospective customers in the screening and selection procedure. When many landlords know they can’t discriminate against prospective residents, they frequently aren’t aware that several of these very same rules go for animals also.
Under the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, assistance and service animals are permitted to be on any land provided that they’re enrolled as a service creature for a handicap, which is characterized from the FHA as “a physical or mental impairment which significantly limits a person’s major life activities”.
Before you inform a resident they’re not allowed to have pets, then you’re still required to provide “reasonable accommodation” to residents with service creatures. Service animals administered from the ADA are lawfully permitted anywhere and are described as a dog or mini horse that’s been trained to perform work to execute tasks for the sake of someone with a handicap.
Do not confuse a pet using a service or support animal because you might end up in an undesirable legal circumstance. Using an extensive pet screening procedure set up you’ll have the ability to figure out whether the creature is, in actuality, a support or service animal and behave appropriately to law.
Contact Past Landlords
Calling the references is a somewhat common practice when screening residents, which is a tool that can be used to determine whether a pet is going to be a good fit for your rental property. By asking about the animal’s behavior, if it disturbed the peace and generally the way the past landlord enjoyed it, then you can gain a lot of valuable advice without outright saying no to some residents ask to get a pet.
Do not be afraid to lease to a resident using a medium or large sized dog due to unfounded fears. The big bully in your thoughts could truly be a big teddy bear that does more to make your residents and neighbors joyful than annoyed.
Include Pet Riders in Lease Agreement
Additionally, a very important step to your pet screening procedure is including a pet rider in your lease agreement. This makes certain that the animal’s presence on the property is equally known, and accounted for with regard to property damage. Some landlords will incorporate a pet addendum if their current residents want to obtain a pet after they’ve transferred in, but it’s best to get a pet rider at the initial document.
Some fundamental components the pet rider ought to include are:
- Pet details: breed, color, gender, age, and weight
- Pet fee: if it is not an assistance animal you are able to charge a fee for a resident to own a pet on your property
- Damage deposit: this deposit will be returned if the pet does not incur any damages during its stay
- Vaccination list: have resident include type of vaccination and date
Using this legally binding document you are ensured that no additional pets could be added without your consent and that the pet living in the house is fit to be around other animals and residents of the neighborhood. This legal rider will ensure that when any curve-balls are thrown your way, it’s the obligation of the proprietor to make certain that the issues are managed properly.
Take Photos of Pet
Another significant step in your pet screening procedure is to take photographs of their pet. Imagine the surprise you’d have when creating use of a house to do maintenance just to find that the little Chihuahua your resident signed to get is really a Great Dane.
By taking a photograph you’re effectively recording details like the kind of creature, its overall dimensions, and markings as well as any other significant info concerning the pet can make sure that one pet does not become three, and also a little dog does not wind up becoming a much bigger problem.
Do More Business
Ultimately, having a pet screening policy helps you do more business. As you might originally shy away from allowing non-assistance creatures on your house many possible residents search for single-family-homes to lease over flats based on owning a pet. You can potentially even make more money by charging a fee per month to own a pet.
Pet owners are often more responsible than your normal resident. Should they’ve taken the opportunity to train their pet, then find appropriate care for their pet when they are gone and are not willing to leave their pet because of leasing policies then this may be the kind of resident that you want on your premises. While this isn’t true for many pet owners, it’s something to consider when screening both residents and animals.
When you rely on Real Property Management Seacoast New Hampshire for your property management services we do more than just respond to repair calls. We assist landlords and investment homeowners alike to put responsible, compatible residents in your rental property and to ensure that all possible liabilities such as pets are properly screened so that the rental experience is a good one for both you and your residents. Start realizing the benefits of having a pet screening process and contact us online or call us at 603-343-2202 today!
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
