Letter from the editor: The drought of pet-friendly rentals
There is a drought of properties in this country, and before we get started on the housing supply debate let me be clear - I'm talking about rental properties that are pet-friendly. Finding a rental that ticks the boxes, fits into your budget and is near enough to work to be a survivable commute is stressful enough, let alone when you're carting around a dog or a cat or more with you.
Happy Chinese New Year of the #horse. May all out #animals be #happy and peaceful! #cny https://t.co/Y8G8Fnw5J2
— Rent With Pets (@RentWithPets) January 30, 2014Property owners might say that those people renting shouldn't have pets, however someone can be plunged into renting at any time in their life, either through work or for loved ones. They may have also happily lived in a rental with a pet and are now looking to move on - or are required to by their landlord - and are now stuck in the described dire situation.
Animals can be destructive, as can people and especially, as anyone who has spent time around an infant will know, as can children. The reason why so many landlords are scared to note the property down as 'pet friendly' or to allow animals into their investments is not always valid. Are you a landlord that does not allow pets?
It is understandable for certain properties. Those with carpets throughout might say outdoor animals only, meanwhile short-term rentals might also think it isn't worth the time of day.
A Facebook Page I have found myself spending far too much time on - Pet Friendly Rental Properties - is, while great in its effort to connect desperate animal lovers with homes, a paralysing example of how many pet owners are struggling to find somewhere, anywhere, to live. These are all potential tenants that may be fantastic, should be put through the same screening, and would perhaps be perfect for that property you have sitting vacant.
Giving up your pets is really not an option, just like giving up a baby isn't an option. In 2010, the RSPCA, using Australian Companion Animal Council data, noted that 63% of the 7.5 million households in Australia own a pet or pets and that as a nation we have the highest pet ownership in the world. Will this decline if our population of renters is on the increase?
Try the grand experiment yourself. Head to a listings website and type in your suburb of choice, the maximum price you are able to pay, and search. Then click 'pet friendly' and watch all your options disappear before your eyes. Very disheartening for many renters.
So what are tenants forced into doing? Turning up to inspections for non-pet friendly noted properties and slipping the fact into conversation, hoping that this property manager won't mind... or lying, knowing that the investor and property manager cannot necessarily kick you out for having a pet at the rental home even if you've claimed no pets on the tenancy form (yes, the cat is out of the bag, pun intended). In particular, I refer to the Tenants Union of Victoria, which notes the following: "The Tenants Union believes that you cannot be evicted unless your landlord can prove that your pet is causing a nuisance, damaging the property or endangering the safety of neighbours. However your landlord may give you a Notice to Vacate for simply having a pet. We believe such a notice is invalid."
There are risks to this, and an ethical crisis on the side of the tenants, but when it comes to the choice between losing a beloved animal and lying to a faceless landlord... we all know which way the tenant is going to go.
I'll admit to falling on the animal-loving side of the fence where I find it hard to imagine the concept of giving up a pet, however surely there's a win-win here? I come from an extended family of pet owners, and none of them have houses in disrepair from their animals. In fact, some of them are renters (and can attest to the difficulties of finding a good rental as well), and have their homes in absolutely immaculate condition - in particular, my sister, whose landlord allows her to have a pretty big staffy in her home, and is one of the neatest people I've ever known.
Noise is certainly a valid concern, and something that should rightfully be considered by landlords and property managers - particularly if hoping to lease a unit or apartment, or even a house where the neighbours are close by. At the very least, this is worth a conversation - cats and guinea pigs are unlikely to be noisy, so a blanket "no pets" rule may quickly lose you a good tenant.
One regularly suggested concept is the 'Pet Profile' or a 'Pet Resume' that covers all of their vaccinations and behaviours. Perhaps having a vet or an animal behavourist assess the animals would be a good opportunity to level the playing field. This pamphlet from the Australian Companion Animal Council might be a good place to start, and it provides questions that property managers and landlords can ask tenants with pets.
A 'Pet Bond' is also often suggested - and yet isn't necessarily legal. In New South Wales, "Higher bonds cannot be charged for tenants with pets, children or for any other reason," according to Fair Trading.
Western Australia Department of Commerce: "Generally the security bond must not be more than four times the weekly rent and if you permit the tenant to keep cats or dogs on the property, an additional amount of no more than $260 (regardless of the amount of pets) can be charged as a pet bond to meet the cost of fumigation at the end of the tenancy." (There are certain conditions that can, however, restrict this.)
If this was made legal in other states and territories, would it make landlords more comfortable with the situation?
