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Should I Allow Pets In My San Diego Rental Home? - Article Banner

San Diego residents love their pets. Dogs and cats are often treated as part of the family, and as a landlord, you’ll have to consider that a large majority of your potential residents will have at least one pet.

However, it isn’t always easy to welcome pets into a rental property. It is understandable to be concerned about liability, safety, cleanliness, and property damage.

There are pros and cons to allowing pets into a San Diego rental property, and this blog will highlight some of good reasons to offer a pet-friendly home and some of the risks that need to be mitigated with a strong pet policy.

Benefits of a Pet-Friendly Property

Allowing pets provides several unique benefits that make your property more competitive in a crowded San Diego rental market. Here’s what you can expect when you welcome tenants with pets:

  • You will attract responsible tenants. Caring for an animal demonstrates loyalty and obligation. People who treat their pets well are likely to treat your home well. In our experience, most pet owners have been reliable, respectful residents.
  • There will be a larger pool of qualified tenants interested in your property. Pet-friendly rental homes are in high demand, and they aren’t always easy to find. When you advertise your home as pet-friendly, you will get a lot more interest from potential renters.
  • You can potentially earn more rental income. Although SDRPM does not charge Pet rent, some landlords do. In most cases, you can also charge a higher security deposit.
  • Tenant retention increases. Since pet-friendly properties are relatively rare, pet owners will want to stay in place if they love their home.

Risks to Renting out a Pet-Friendly Property

Allowing pets is not the right choice for every rental property owner. Some of the risks present include:

  • You may have property damage from pets such as stains, chewed up carpets, scratched floors and walls, and animal odors.
  • Liability issues increase. A pet could bite or scratch a neighbor or another tenant in the building.
    Noise issues, including barking and whining. Even nails on a hard floor surface can be a nuisance to someone living below a condo with a dog.
  • Many people have allergies to animals, and that could affect you when you re-rent the property.

Protecting Your San Diego Investment Property from Pet Damage

petsYou can take some preventative measures when it comes to protecting your property from pet damage.

Consider limiting the number of pets a resident can have in the property. This will protect you against hoarding and messes. You can also implement size, weight, age, and breed restrictions. Usually, it’s safer to allow adult animals instead of puppies and kittens. Smaller pets will usually leave less wear and tear than large animals. You should never allow aggressive breeds, especially since your insurance policy likely won’t cover them. It is also acceptable to ask for proof that cats and dogs have been spayed or neutered and requesting a current photo of the pet(s) is entirely acceptable.

We can help you develop an effective pet policy for your San Diego rental property. Please contact us at San Diego Residential Property Management.