Cats, would you let to them?

ic

I have two cats - expect scratched wallpaper if its embossed, damage to blinds or curtains (my current kitten has just chewed through the cord on one blind), and scratching to the carpets next to where a door opens (if they get trapped in a room, they'll try to dig their way out!). However the cats are very clean and always use their litter box (they come with this trained into them by their mum at 9 weeks old, there is no training to do) - never sprayed anywhere - this is something that happens if the male has been neutered too late and get into the habit.

Yellowstar_2

I'm a tenant, not a LL, but expect that if I were a LL I think I wouldn't rent to anyone who wanted a cat. Not unless the market was REALLY short on tenants.

I'm seriously allergic to anything with fur/feathers, and cats are the worst. So if I was renting out a home I owned that I ever wanted to live in, I think I'd have to refuse any tenants who wanted a cat. One job by a professional carpet cleaners just doesn't get rid of enough of the allergens. Not for me, anyway.

As a tenant, I've viewed lovely homes to rent and discounted them because the current tenants had a cat. So allowing cats now might put off some future tenants? But on the other hand, perhaps previously allowing cats might encourage rather more future tenants who also want a cat.

But of course - it might be better for the OP to get some tenants in now, rather than wondering about the POSSIBLE impact it MIGHT have on getting future tenants.

Yellowstar x

angeltreats

We rent, and we have two cats. We have lived in three different properties while we've had them and they have honestly never caused any damage whatsoever. They only "go" in their litter tray, and only ever use their scratching posts to sharpen their claws (we have several and replace them regularly). They are allowed outdoors but aren't really interested in going out - they prefer to be indoors with the humans

However we do have friends with cats who are a lot more destructive than ours. One of their cats decided that a particular sofa (belonging to the landlord) was the new litter tray (they had to get rid of it eventually as it stank). So I suppose not all cats are created equal.

We didn't pay any extra deposit, and we wouldn't have agreed to had we been asked. Also when we renewed our tenancy agreement the landlord took off the requirement for the carpets to be professionally shampooed upon our departure, as I told him I would do them myself and he was satisfied with that.

greenhill

fannyanna wrote: »

Phew, I'm just on the right side of being a mad cat lady

Same here. Bit of a relief isn't it:)

N79

ognum wrote: »

I have agreed in principle, LA suggested an extra £500 deposit for each.

Just make sure the total deposit remains less than two months rent.

lostinrates

I have rented with cats, dogs and sometimes, horses.

On a couple of occasions i have suggested ll meet the animals in question, where possible where we were currently living. Most were reassured as a person with well taken care of pets, in a well taken care of home i could easily show i was someone who generally takes care of things, and there fore the pets were almost testament to that not a barrier!

I have never oaid extra deposite bur have always offered to and done professional carpet clean, and sometimes a repaint of walls.

Bryony84

Another renter with cats here, I have been renting with them for 4 years, ever since I got them.

First property was an unfurnished maisonette, agreement with LL was no extra deposit but clause added to contract to say we would have carpets professionally cleaned. Lived there nearly 3 years with them, no damage done to carpets (except where my ex used to come home from work as a mechanic and get greasy/oily stains on things grrrr). Only sign that there were cats in the property were some scratches on the (painted dark brown) bannisters where they would jump up on them. Before we left my dad sanded down the scratches and repainted and the bannisters looked better than before.

Current property is an unfurnished house, we fell on our feet with this one as the previous tenants had a collie dog and the LL agreed to cats straight away and did not request extra deposit or any clauses in contract. All the downstairs is laminate floor anyway so there isn't as much carpet anyway and what there is upstairs is pretty old and worn anyway. The cats have caused no damage here at all, LL comes round every so often to fix things and although he doesn't have cats himself, seems to like ours.

That said, all cat owners are not made equal, some don't de-flea their pets or provide adequate toileting facilities. I think if I was renting out an unfurnished house, I'd allow cats but would probably want to meet the tenants in their current property first, I don't think that's unreasonable and we offered this to our landlord when we were first looking at our house.

At the end of the day, a cat is unlikely to cause any more damage than a child, projectile vomit, other bodily leakages, wall art (my little brother drew a rooster with a handbag on the wall in our childhood home) or someone who enjoys holding alcohol fueled parties, more vomit, wine stains, broken furniture etc. At the end of the day, that's what a standard deposit is for.

jamesd

There's one significant advantage to tenants with pets: lots of landlords don't like them and tenants know that. That increases the chance that your letting will be long rather than short and that's good for business.

tbs624

ognum wrote: »

Hmm that could be interesting but it will actually be the cats that are fired out of the cannon if there are more than two!!

Much prefer dogs to cats but as the cat here says: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKI-tD0L18A

ognum

Update

Thanks for all the replies

references and credit checks now going ahead on two cats and one human owner.

Have agree position for cat flap!

I will update in a year when they have been in residence for a while if it not good I know who to blame!