Renting a house with a cat?

shane42

i rented a house with a cat once, but he never paid any rent so i kicked him out!

Tiddlywinks

Running_Horse wrote: »

Nearly all cats will pee on the carpet sooner or later, and due to the background cat smell you may not even know until it has been happening for several days. This will cost you money when you leave and make it really hard to find another place. I love my cat, but wouldn't allow one if I were a landlord protecting my investment. Cats are a long term commitment of 15 years or more, and may not be suitable if moving every couple of years.

Don't agree about cats peeing on carpets - and I'd recommend you take yours to the vet if you are experiencing this as it is not normal behaviour. Also, what "background cat smell" do you mean? You are giving cat owners an undeserved bad reputation with this statement.

I have rented with two cats and had absolutely no problems - I paid an additional deposit (around £100) and undertook to have the carpets professionally cleaned with insecticidal foam (a service which is readily available).

Also, when searching on Rightmove etc look at the kitchen photos for catflaps - this is usually an indicator that the current owner / tenant has a cat and so is more likely to accommodate another.

Don't worry, there are plenty of pet friendly landlords out there so you'll find something. I know how much our furry friends can mean to us - don't let the negative comments get to you - it's more that possible to rent with pets.

Milliewilly

Gazing_On_Sunsets wrote: »

I let out a house and don't mind cats. My tenants asked before they moved in. I didn't know about the dog, the two rats and assorted gerbily things though! However I have to look at it on balance. They pay regularly, they've lived there fore four years, they have kept the house up pretty good and even paid for a new shower as they counted it as their own wear and tear.

I know when they go it will take some cleaning though. I am not a dog owner and so maybe I am sensitive to the smell, but there is a definite *tinge* of dog in the air.

Yes when I bought my house the smell of dogs literally knocked you off your feet when you walked in (they had 5). So, the carpets etc were going in the skip anyway but when I took the carpets up I actually took photos of the underlay because I couldn't believe the amount of dog wee puddle stains on the underlay. There must have been over 100 on each carpet, hence the smell. Probably why it was on the market for 18 months in the boom before I got it at £25K under asking in 2007.

Dogs always have a 'doggie' smell.

cavework

What a load of tosh. I have 2 cats. They have a cat flap and use it .
Now humans are a different matter ..we often have to clean properties for landlords where the tennants or their offsprings have lost direction for the toilet facilities for at least 3 months. Some find the communal area to be convenient in flats.

louiseg0151

I know you asked for landlords but as I tenant with 2 small dogs, I've not really found it a problem finding somewhere that will accept them.

In fact, I am currently looking to move, found a really nice house, and was honest with the LA when making my initial enquiry and they said that the dogs would not be a problem, however, I will have to pay an extra £175 on top of the deposit.

There are a lot of properties that say 'no pets' on sites like rightmove but if you contact the LA/LL directly, alot of the time, they'll be considerate.

Fire_Fox

Running_Horse wrote: »

Nearly all cats will pee on the carpet sooner or later, and due to the background cat smell you may not even know until it has been happening for several days. This will cost you money when you leave and make it really hard to find another place.

Trolling again I see.

dizziblonde

I wouldn't be renting a property that didn't allow me to take my cat (a somewhat elderly disabled tripod - impeccably behaved, the only thing she claws is her scratching post and she's never ever peed on the carpet... to be a feline ASBO case would require moving from the sofa and she's lazy) and I make it clear to letting agencies before I even arrange a property viewing - that I don't want to be shown places where I'm not going to be allowed to bring her with me.

Hasn't been a problem - have had additional deposits in the odd case, or clauses requiring me to put right any pet related damage/clean carpets (would do anyway before we leave here since they're cream and you breathe - they show it) - but generally people have been pretty tolerant - and if they're not, I don't want to rent from them to be honest. You could not find any cat related damage/issues done by her in any of the properties we've rented - and I'm scrupulously careful over that because I don't want to trash the chances of pet ownership from other people who have to rent.

Some LLs won't allow children - are you wanting to stand there and tell all people who have to rent houses that they need to get themselves sterilized too?!

To the OP - it's rarely a problem - lots of places seem to say no pets as a deterrent from 50 Great Danes moving in or whatever and it's often negotiable.

Running_Horse

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Trolling again I see.

Giving my opinion based on personal experience as a cat owner.

When we were selling we laid a new carpet and ended up with barriers and pieces of wood in every corner and gap, to prevent a much loved but un-toilet-trained rescue cat from peeing all over it. On one occasion he shat on the carpet minutes before a viewer turned up.

One house we looked at buying had a tenant with a dog, and despite a huge plastic sheet covering the living room carpet, the place stunk. The prospect of finding dog urine soaked floorboards was enough to make us not buy.

I love animals, but not everyone does. And most houses with cats do smell and do get damaged.

Jowo_2

I had a lovely house-trained cat (apart from using furniture as a scratching post) who became incontinent when they were elderly...

mellymeep

Running_Horse wrote: »

Giving my opinion based on personal experience as a cat owner.

When we were selling we laid a new carpet and ended up with barriers and pieces of wood in every corner and gap, to prevent a much loved but un-toilet-trained rescue cat from peeing all over it. On one occasion he shat on the carpet minutes before a viewer turned up.

One house we looked at buying had a tenant with a dog, and despite a huge plastic sheet covering the living room carpet, the place stunk. The prospect of finding dog urine soaked floorboards was enough to make us not buy.

I love animals, but not everyone does. And most houses with cats do smell and do get damaged.

I would of taken my cat straight to the vets if it was displaying behaviour such as weeing in strange places, its often a sign of a urinal tract infection.

I'm worrying myself about moving in a few months time and trying to find somewhere that will take me, my OH and our kitten Lily, I feel more positive after this thread though, as many have said we will be leaving the flat in better condition than we found it and there has been no damage from our cat at all, even though she's young and full of energy.