They can be cute, cuddly and furriffic, but they also can do a number on your rental properties, so should you or shouldn’t you allow pets in your units?
While the choice is completely up to you, the fact of the matter is that more than half of all U.S. households own a pet. Whether you want to welcome them or not is an important decision you must make as a property owner in Columbus.
After you decide what you want to allow in terms of pets in your rental properties, your best course of action is to be explicit with your expectations as you define a pet policy for your lease agreements.
Spelling Out Your Pet Policy
Your pet policy is a biggie when it comes to your lease. Whether people own a pet themselves or not, they often like to know if pets are allowed in the multi-family property or if one has potentially lived in the unit before them. People with allergies are especially cognizant of things like pet fur and dander.
Your lease needs to be very clear in terms of whether pets are allowed (and if so, what kind of pets you permit). Remember, pets extend beyond just cats and dogs. People have all kinds of different animals they call pets – chickens, snakes, rodents, birds, fish, you name it.
If pets are not permitted, we encourage you to write that in big, bold letters. You might also consider having your residents initial next to the pet policy.
If pets are not permitted at the property, it also needs to be clear that they are not allowed at any time, not even for a short visit (with the exception of service animals, which are not considered pets).
For more about pet policies and what you can specify as allowable in a Franklin County Lease Agreement, be sure to read this post.
Pets are an important part of many people’s families, so it’s worth your time to consider how you want to approach pets living in your rental units. For questions or help with all things property management and investing in Ohio real estate, please contact us today at RL Property Management.
