One of the UK’s leading letting agents has told landlords that they should permit pets because “it’s the right and proper thing to do”.
David Alexander runs DJ Alexander Ltd, which is the largest lettings agency in Scotland and part of the Lomond Group. In his column in The Scotsman he firmly comes down on the side of pets being allowed in the private rental sector.
He writes: “All of us involved in the sector need to remember that we are renting someone a home not simply a property and for many people a major component of having their own home means having a pet. For landlords who may be wary of letting tenants keep pets I would urge them to reconsider.
“While everyone in the private rented sector has heard horror stories of properties damaged by pets with furniture and carpets suffering at the claws and teeth of a variety of pets for the majority of people this is simply not the case.
“The truth is that most tenants are sensible and understand the need to look after their pets properly and ensure that they don’t let them damage the property they live in. The positive aspect is that the more that tenants feel a property is their home the more likely they are to treat it as their own and behave responsibly and sensibly.”
He says that allowing pet ownership is a small price to pay to have a happy tenant, and he adds that contented tenants are also more likely to stay longer.
“I believe that most landlords should agree to their tenants having pets because it is the right and proper thing to do” he says, suggesting that landlords make it their New Year’s resolution to have a change of policy on this.
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Try thinking about the animals welfare rather than your woke rights for once
A dog stuck in a flat with no outside space to run around is basically animal cruelty
Plus the noise nuisance for neighbours
And then there is the other side of the coin. My neighbour leaves his dog out all day (plenty of garden space) and its barking and yowling because it wants to go inside where it's safe and warm is driving me nuts.
Tried contacting the council but they couldn't give a s**t. When I tried speaking to the neighbour about it he became physically and verbally abusive and caused hundreds of pounds of damage.
Called the police. They came round and said they could do nothing unless we wanted to press charges. We declined . . . with hindsight that was a big mistake. Too late now though.
Maybe I am being cynical but allowing pets increases the pool of likely tenants. And increasing the pool makes it much, much easier for an agent to find a tenant. And the quicker the agent can find a tenant then the sooner they can collect their fees.
Methinks there is a conflict of interest here. As I said, maybe I am just being cynical.
Question is will they allow us to collect a separate deposit for a pet. If so this could be a solution. I would want a deposit to cover all carpets and doors/frames.
I allowed one of my tenants to get a cat and have a cat flap fitted. The place now stinks of cat pee.
It is not David Alexander's property, so keep your opinions to yourself! It is the Landlord who is left with the devastation and costs of putting the property back to an acceptable standard.
The vast majority of rental properties are unsuitable for dogs or cats. Rooms in shared houses, leasehold flats, terraced houses with only a back yard are all problematic for various reasons. Housemate allergies, leasehold restrictions and noise nuisance to neighbours. Also animal welfare issues.
They may be OK for something quiet that lives in a cage or tank.
How many tenants have the time, knowledge or money to look after a pet properly? If an electric bill can derail their finances just think what a vet's bill would do.
I'm one of very few landlords that will ''consider'' a tenant with a pet, no large or dangerous dogs and only in a suitable property with a garden, I also charge an additional pet rent.
The only problems I've had are the tenants that move a dog in without permission, once their in it's not too easy to do much about it .
I have a dog myself but there’s no way I am going to be ‘told’ by Gov or anybody else that I should/must allow pets. There are far too many variables and decisions must be weighed up carefully. Some I allow and others I don’t.
The important point is it’s my decision no one else’s.
I have the pets issue now or should I say animals and other species, dare not say what.
They move them without my permission so where do I go from here with Michael Gove it can only get worse, with my 2 hands tied tied behind my back. I suppose the usual answer is simple enough, fine the powerless landlord.
Peter. Deposits a waste of time all Housing Deposits now a liability which is why I don’t take those, now the morons in the Housing Department’s wants an everlasting Deposit ?.
Another Person interfering, just like the Government.
It’s up to the Landlord, and as someone else mentioned some Properties are not suitable. Of course there is always the Tenant themselves, they are often not suitable owners. I have reported one of my Tenants to the RSPCA in the past, the Dog was locked in a cage all Day everyday whilst they were at work. What sort of idiot would get a Dog and do that to it. I love Dogs cant imagine my life without one, but then we treat them like one of the Family.
So I suggest Mr Alexander does what he wants and keeps his opinions to himself.
Dear dear me!! An agent that knows nothing about tenants. I think I’d change agents if he was working for me. This has to be done on a tenant by tenant basis. Some people can’t look after themselves let alone animals.
So true, I work with them and wouldn’t trust some with my washing let alone an animal.
I once had a studio flat and the tenant moved in 6 rabbits without permission. Luckily they moved out shortly after this was discovered and paid for the cleaning.
yep I allowed my tenant to keep his quiet dog, that never makes a sound and is so well behaved, what the give any problems?
After he left I noticed all the door had been scratched up which went unnoticed at the checkout, so i ended up with a nice big bill, one always missing something on these god dam check outs, which give evidence to the DPS having just a minute check out the window to do it all in and if you are not Sherlock holmes thigs always go unoticed
I presume that as a letting agent, he hasn't had to take up a carpet soaked with stale dog ur1ne over many years, and recently; like I have.
I've allowed dogs in the past, one was okay, the others not for various reasons. I've learnt to be very cautious of dogs, but I'll be more likely to consider other pets.
He misses that some tenants want a quiet flat without a dog, and without a barking dog next door/downstairs/upstairs.
While not legally trained, in anticipation of Section 21 going, I am making new Tenancy Agreement terms as tight as I can make them. Including regarding pets; saying there will be an additional pet rent should pets be kept or tolerated in future (to try to catch unauthorised pets being brought in).
Also a term requiring honesty by tenants; so if they aren't that is another term of the tenancy they are breaking (and another for a judge to consider in what would be a long list if I try to evict after S.21 goes).
One can but try, as long as one doesn't try an Unfair Contract term.
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