Tenant wants to get a dog!

pony_mad

Can anyone maybe help me on this please? I rented out my house 18 months ago when I moved in with my partner. I have had the same tenants in since and they have just recently signed up for another 6 months (they keep the house nice and are good payers). They have just asked me if they can get a dog. I don’t have a problem with them having a dog as I used to keep dogs in the house but wondered how to adjust the tenancy to reflect this? Ideally I would like to add something in along the lines of;

- Dog must not be left in the garden barking (I don’t want to upset the neighbours!)

- Dog must be kept in a cage in the house when left un-attended (I always left mine in a cage)

- If they choose to leave the property they must get the carpets professionally cleaned ( I did this before they moved in )

Also would I need to notify my insurance company?

GAH

You wouldn't be able to enforce your first two points as contract terms.

Your third would be possible, I would also require a larger deposit to cover the cost if any damages occur.

What type of dog do they want?

scottishblondie

pony_mad wrote: »

Dog must be kept in a cage in the house when left un-attended (I always left mine in a cage)

The other terms are reasonable (tho I'm not sure the barking one is enforceable), but I don't think this is. A lot of breeds need the freedom to move around when their owners aren't home. I would never dream of leaving my dog in a cage while I'm out - it would simply be to distressing for her to be confined. It's up to you if you want to use a cage and your dog is happy with that, but I don't think you should enforce it on anyone else.

Also, ask for an increased deposit to cover any damage the dog does. I think you're allowed to take a maximum of 2 months rent, so I'd go for that just in case.

sirmosh

If the house was unfurnished I would say let them get one, ask for an extra deposit to cover possible animal related damage and make it clear that it's probably going to result in the need for carpet cleaning etc.

If it is furnished I would ask for a big deposit increase in case the dog rips a sofa to shreds or something similar.

pony_mad

GAH wrote: »

You wouldn't be able to enforce your first two points as contract terms.

Your third would be possible, I would also require a larger deposit to cover the cost if any damages occur.

What type of dog do they want?

Thanks for your reply. They want a Lakeland Terrier apparently it belongs to a friend who is just about to join the army. It is 2 so at least it is house trained.

Werdnal

I would agree with replies above. Your 1st 2 suggestions can be just that - suggestions - you cannot enforce them. Indeed disputes between neighbours over noise, whether caused by anti-social behaviour, free-range children or barking dogs, is totally outside your remit as a LL. If the neighbours ever have a problem, they should report it to the relevant authorities.

The third one is reasonable and if I were you I would agree to allowing a dog, if they pay an addition deposit amount to cover additional cleaning at the end. Whilst they should return the property in the same condition at the end as it was when they moved in, you as a LL have a duty of care to future tenants, and are quite within your rights to deduct the cost of a full professional deep clean of carpets, curtains and soft furnishings after a pet tenancy, and any necessary de-flea treaments required. Future tenants may have dog allergies, and you must ensure any residual pet hair is totally removed.

You should of course then add the additional deposit amount to the original deposit you have protected as legally required.

paddyrg

I would be really clear about the deep clean though - dogs *do* smell, and if the next tenant isn't dog-crazy, they probably won't be the next tenant (if you get my drift!). You may (probably will) also need to consider repainting where the dog rubs greasy coats against corners of walls, and take before and after pics of doors etc as claw-marks are not unlikely. If the flat needs a bit of a tarting-up anyway, then to keep lovely tenants it is probably worthwhile. If it is all spotlessly Habitat-new with white shagpile carpets, expensive sofas, etc., possibly not!

System

quite within your rights to deduct the cost of a full professional deep clean of carpets, curtains and soft furnishings after a pet tenancy,

No you are not. Everything will need to go through the normally TDS dispute process.
From Landlordzone

Watch out for unfair terms concerning pets - you can't for instance state the tenant will have carpets 'professionally cleaned' - the terms is in fact meaningless as it's open to interpretation. Anybody could claim to be a 'professional' cleaner without any supporting evidence. All you can expect is for the carpets to be cleaned to an acceptable standard - the tenant is allowed to do it themselves - you can't make them employ somebody to do it. Do you expect 'professional' cleaning of curtains? No! You just expect a tenant to wash and iron them.

jjlandlord

It is perfectly reasonable and enforceable to request a professional steam clean of the carpets on vacating the property as a condition to allow a cat/dog.
If set in the tenancy agreement it is best to have it as an individually negotiated clause and to have the tenant specifically initial/sign next to the clause to ensure it is clear that it was not "a small print."

LLZ quote above (which we don't know whether it is from an individual contributor or whatever) is correct in general if LL requires professional clean for no reason, and/or does not make it an individually negotiated clause.
But does not mean that LL cannot request special cleaning after pets lived at the property.

Werdnal

!!!!!! wrote: »

No you are not. Everything will need to go through the normally TDS dispute process.
From Landlordzone

Now having already stated in my earlier reply, that the additional deposit amount would need to be protected, I didn't really feel I needed to elaborate further. IF LL wants to deduct for professional cleaning, of course they MUST apply to the deposit protection scheme to release this amount.

The LL will protect the deposit, so they will not have access to it anyway, and a professional clean/de-flea is a reasonable deduction after pets have left! Also, having a professional 3rd party invoice for such work, usually qualifies the deduction without further dispute. LL should make the tenants aware that this is a condition of the pet being accepted, so they should not have any reason to dispute it anyway!

My neice is extremely allergic to cats - she only has to enter a room where a cat has been to develop asthma type symptoms, puffy eyes and a streaming nose. If she were to move into a property previously occupied by cats, where a LL has not undertaken a deep clean, then she could feasibly end up in hospital. Should any future tenants of the OP have similar allergies to dogs, they should be able to move in to the property, safe in the knowledge that there is no remaining pet hair or dander to set up such symptoms. How often, do we also see posts here about people moving in and finding a flea infestation. Therefore, professional clean and flea treament at the end of the tenancy is a must!

System

Werdnal wrote: »

they should be able to move in to the property, safe in the knowledge that there is no remaining pet hair or dander to set up such symptoms.

That is impossible target

Werdnal wrote: »

. Therefore, professional clean and flea treament at the end of the tenancy is a must!

Who defines professional? Its such a woolly phrase that you could get a neighbour in with a VAX to do it. Pay him, get a receipt and Bob's your Uncle one professional cleaning job. There is no standard to gauge whether its professional or not