Things to Consider Regarding Pets in Rentals
Dogs may be man’s best friend, birds may look cute, and cats may be the darling of the Internet, but they are the worst enemy of a residential or commercial property. A scratch on the hardwood floor or urine indoor can decrease the value of a property. It does no one any good. Neither the seller or the buyer. Even if you are looking to rent out the property; pets can bring the rent way down. Do yourself a favor keep the pets outside, or better yet have a no pet policy in place. Still not convinced, read some more:
There is a reason that the best property management groups advice against pets and the no pet policy is there to harm you, but rather to protect you from financial damage. Dogs and cats aside, even birds and other forms of farm, and wild animals can dramatically decrease a property’s value, and I am not talking about loose change either!. Domesticated dogs, cats can cause tens of thousands of dollars in property damage.
Look at the below picture, and ask yourself DO YOU REALLY NEED A PET?
Still not convinced? Why not read some more. No harm can come of it.
The most common household pets are fishes, and the second most common pets are cats. Owning a cat can mean scratches on the walls, and on the floors. Cats have been also known to tear apart sofas, and other furniture. Some cats have been also known to scratch glass, and break windows when they are in a foul mood. Cleaning up the hair is a big, big headache. They also leave behind a very strong odor that is nearly impossible to remove. Feral cats rummage through the garbage and bring home with them trash to mark their territory. Cats are also hunters, they will drag the carcass of a recent kill to their homes, that can lead to infestations, and what not. Guess what that foul odor isn’t going away soon. The smell and the damages mean that you lost some pretty shiny pennies.
Dogs are a different kind of problem when it comes to property in Burbank. Pits bulls and boxers have been known to damage doors, wall, and windows. In some cases, these bully breeds have been known to break windows. Docile dogs have been known to scratch through wood, laminate, tile, linoleum, and other hard floor surfaces. I won’t even mention the headaches that they might cause by tearing up the carpet, chewing on the sofa, and breaking other stuff. Some of the big dogs have been known to break cupboards, tear up floorboards, break lamps A dog may also mess with the electric wiring, and the pipes of the house. Female dogs have also been known to bloody the carpet when she goes into heat. Dogs can also leave behind a peculiar smell. Some dogs can also damage the fence, and ruin that expensive grass, that prize plant that you so proudly covet. A dog that is not neutered will hump anything. Good luck explaining all of that to the landlord, or to a new perspective buyer.
The third largest group of pets is birds. The fluffy, cute little flyers can leave quite a mess. Bird droppings are notoriously hard to clean up once they hardened. Imagine the feathers, and the bird’s droppings on not only every corner of the house, but also on window treatments, furniture, and other surfaces. Some form of birds have been known to sharpen their beaks on walls or wooden floors, and they can do everlasting damage to walls and floors. Also with any type of bird, you run the risk of smell. The bird droppings can really leave behind a foul odor. You might have to pony up quite a few bucks to repair/ replace those.
The domesticated animals aside, the wilds ones are especially dangerous to property values. Dears, rodents, bears can cause thousands of dollars worth of damages. Bats have been known to leave behind foul odor, rodents can check through wires, damage plumbing,gnaw through walls. Dears and bears can damage the fence and wall. The only difference between these wild animals and the pets is a simple fact that you like your dog, cat, bird.
Owning a pet is therapeutic, but from a purely financial property management point of view: Pets are pest. The damages that are caused by the sustained living, and roaming around of a domesticated animal can not only bring the property value way down but will also cost you a lot to repair. If you want your property to maximize in value; you should take every conceivable step to make sure that the property is not greatly damaged. For every house-owner, landlord my advice is simply to have a no pet policy in place and save yourself a lot of headaches.
