Why Pet Screening is Always a Good Idea

As a landlord, you face numerous challenges, one of which includes managing tenants with pets. While pets can bring joy and companionship, they also pose potential risks to your property. This is where pet screening comes in.

This practice is essential for every landlord, as thorough pet screening ensures a harmonious balance between pet friendly policies and property protection. Read below to learn more about how to screen your pet!

What Is Pet Screening?

Pet screening is a systematic process performed by landlords to evaluate pets accompanying potential tenants.

This pet screening process aims to assess the suitability of the pet for rental properties, considering factors like breed, size, behavior, health, and history. Effective pet screening helps in identifying responsible pet owners, understanding the pet’s temperament, and ensuring compliance with property policies and local regulations.

This process not only safeguards the property, but also maintains a comfortable environment for all tenants.

The Benefits of Pet Screening

If you plan to accept tenants with a pet, pet screening is a necessary process that you should not take for granted. Here are the reasons why pet screening is important:

Risk Mitigation: Screening pets allows landlords to assess potential damage risks. This includes understanding the pet’s size, breed, behavior, and history.

Legal Compliance: It ensures compliance with housing regulations and insurance policies, some of which have specific requirements or restrictions regarding pet breeds or sizes.

Enhanced Safety: By understanding the pet’s behavior and history, landlords can ensure the safety of other tenants and neighbors.

Tenant Responsibility: Screening often involves checking veterinary records and references, which can indicate how responsible a potential tenant is with their pet.

How Pet Screening Works

Pet screening typically involves the following steps:

Step 1: Pet Application

Purpose: The pet application is a form filled out by the tenant, providing comprehensive information about their pet. This form is the first step in assessing whether the dog, cats or other animals are suitable for the rental property.

Contents: The application typically includes questions about the pet's breed, age, size, and health information. It may also ask for details about the dogs behavior, such as its reaction to strangers, any history of aggression, and how it behaves in unfamiliar situations.

Importance: This screening step helps landlords gather essential information to determine the pet's compatibility with the property and other tenants. It also serves as a record of the pet's baseline information for future reference like the animal's breed.

Step 2: Meeting the Pet

Purpose: Meeting the pet in person allows the landlord or property manager to observe its behavior firsthand. This step is crucial for assessing the pet's temperament and how it interacts with its owner and others.

Process: During the interview, the landlord may observe the pet's response to commands, its behavior in a new environment, and any signs of aggression or anxiety. This might include seeing how the pet reacts to being in a new place, meeting new people, or being around other animals, if applicable.

Outcome: This step provides a practical assessment of whether the pets' behavior is as reported in the application and whether it poses any potential issues.

Step 3: Reference Checks

Purpose: Checking references from previous landlords and veterinarians helps verify the information provided in the application and gain a determine the pets' behavior and health history.

Process: Contacting previous landlords can reveal if there were any issues with the pet, and protect from any complications, such as property damage, noise complaints, or problems with other tenants. Speaking with veterinarians can provide insight into the pet’s health, vaccination history, and any behavioral notes that might be relevant.

Relevance: This step helps confirm the pet owner's responsibility level and the pet's track record in previous living situations, offering a more complete picture of what to expect.

Step 4: Documentation Review

Purpose: Reviewing the pet's documentation ensures that all necessary health requirements are met and that the pet has received proper care and training.

Types of Documents: This includes vaccination records, spay/neuter certificates, and any relevant training certificates or licenses. For certain breeds, additional documentation may be required by law or insurance policies.

Significance: This step is crucial for confirming the pet's health status and ensuring that the pet owner is compliant with local regulations and responsible for their pet's well-being.

Addressing Common Concerns

Landlords often have concerns about pet screenings, including:

Time and Resources: Although pet screening requires time and resources, the benefits of preventing property damage and ensuring tenant compatibility
outweigh the costs.

Fair Housing Laws: Understanding how to legally conduct pet screenings within the constraints of fair housing laws is crucial.

Emotional Support Animals: Landlords need to know how to differentiate between pets and emotional support animals, which are protected under fair housing laws.

Implementing a Pet Policy

A clear pet policy is vital. This should include guidelines on acceptable pet types, sizes, breeds, and pet's behavior standards. It should also outline the responsibilities of pet owners, including noise control, cleanliness, and liability for damages.

Consider Charging Pet Fees or Pet Deposits

An integral aspect of pet policies is the consideration of pet deposits or fees. These charges serve as a safety net for landlords, compensating for potential damages caused by pets.

Pet security deposit are typically refundable, provided there’s no pet-related damage to the property at the end of the lease.

On the other hand, pet fees are non-refundable and cover the extra wear and tear pets may cause to the property. It’s essential for landlords to clearly distinguish between the two and set reasonable, market-competitive amounts.

This financial policy should be outlined in the lease agreement,ensuring transparency and legal compliance. Landlords should also be aware of state and local laws regarding pet fees and deposits, as regulations can vary significantly.

How Can Property Managers Help?

Property managers can play a pivotal role in the pet screening process. They can assist in developing and implementing effective pet policies, conducting thorough pet screenings, and maintaining documentation.

Their expertise in legal compliance and dispute resolution is invaluable, especially in handling complex cases involving emotional support animals.

Property managers also ensure consistent enforcement of pet policies, fees, pet rent, that are in compliance with the law, thereby maintaining a balanced and fair approach for all tenants.

Conclusion

Incorporating a thorough pet screening process benefits landlords by mitigating animals risks, ensuring compliance with laws and promoting a safe and harmonious living environment.

While it may require additional effort, the long-term advantages of a well-managed pet policy are invaluable for maintaining property integrity and tenant satisfaction. If you’re unsure, it’s best to work with a reliable property management company that can handle this task for you.

Call Howzer Property Management and we will be happy to assist you as we offer pet screening services.