Eeeekkk Cost of renting with pets!

[Deleted User]

I never thought I'd have a good thing to say about our landlord but he didn't quibble or charge extra when we moved first a cat, and then two puppies into the house. Mind u, I do keep the house spotless so he has no cause for complaint even if it means mopping up constantly.., and it did at first. Four months on, they are house trained. I'm sick of seeing the mop though ha ha!

Better_Days

ognum wrote: »

I think the opposite is also true, there are not many people looking for rentals at this time of year.

As a landlord I try to avoid having voids in December/January as in my experience they are harder to fill so you may manage to get a good deal if you find a property you like.

Thanks ognum, that's useful to know.

And thanks everyone for your thoughts on this. I will have a look for 'lets with pets'.

Attitudes to pets clearly vary a great deal. We are in a rural area, and I hope that that will help a bit. We are lucky in that with the capital from the sale of the house we can afford to pay the extra charges, it must be awful for those who have to choose between a roof over their heads and their only companion.

The LA did say that the kitchen had a vinyl floor and would we be keeping our 2 cats and 2 dogs just in the kitchen. Clearly he has never lived with cats!! Or perhaps to be fairer he was simply trying to find a compromise that that would be acceptable to the LL and tenant. I did ask (tongue in cheek) if they also charged £100 for each child a tenant had on the basis that children may also cause damage to properties. LA admitted, also tongue in cheek, that in their experience children can do as much damage as pets, but unfortunately children come as part of the package with their parents!!

Reading between the lines I suspect the LL of this property doesn't really want tenants that include pets or children, which may explain why it has been empty for a while.

Eliza_2

In a rural area, village shops and word of mouth would work well and may help you find an unused farm cottage or similar - it would certainly work round here. (Peak Park) Also places like the National Trust have residential lettings (but they advertise on rightmove so you would have come across these if in your area) but other large houses/stately homes etc also have lettings (not holiday) so worth giving a ring.

These kind of places are much more likely to allow pets and not charge, I have a dog, a cat and 3 chickens and in the past 10 yrs of being here have had more animals than this without a murmur from the landlord, in fact I think he just assumes people would have pets.

I did find it worth being a bit tactical about it though in a previous, smarter rental. I met and got to know the landlords a bit during a couple of viewings, so they could see I was responsible and appreciated their house, before asking if my pets were allowed. It worked for me.

Never rented through an agency so no idea about fees, - local paper, word of mouth and village shop windows does the job round here and my landlord doesn't use the internet so wouldn't even have heard of rightmove etc. Not uncommon in this area.

Good luck!

Better_Days

Thank you for your practical suggestions Eliza, I think a little trip around the local sub post-offices and newsagents is in order to see if we can spot any suitable lettings.

Have just rung a LA about 2 properties and both were 'no dogs'

I do mention the pets up front with the LA, although at the same time emphasising that they are well behaved, adult, that I am at home with them 99% of the time, and I can provide a reference from the vets if needed. Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be much flexibility if the file says 'no dogs' or 'one cat' or 'one small dog'.

blueybug

Ive been in my new rented home 2 weeks.
I paid 200 per cat deposit (returned if they hav'nt licked/eaten every carpet/curtain in the house )

180 fee for their credit report/paperwork :eek:

750 deposit
750 first months rent


Now I find out today that the council tax banding is costing 250! a month!
I was told 160 so I'm fighting to try to get it reduced as 250 I cant afford

MentalMinnie

suestew wrote: »

I agree, I thought we would find it really hard, but quite a lot of properties advertise they accept pets.

Yeah, same with me and husband, we have a poodle, thought we'd struggle, but most of the houses we've looked at will accept her. I do know that one place we called told us yes to poodles, but when i told a friend about it (she also had a dog) and they called, they were told no. Only difference is that she had a staffie.

I wonder if people think we're classy cos we have a poodle...?!:rotfl:

MentalMinnie

blueybug wrote: »

Ive been in my new rented home 2 weeks.
I paid 200 per cat deposit (returned if they hav'nt licked/eaten every carpet/curtain in the house )

180 fee for their credit report/paperwork :eek:

750 deposit
750 first months rent


Now I find out today that the council tax banding is costing 250! a month!
I was told 160 so I'm fighting to try to get it reduced as 250 I cant afford

Who told you it was £160? Is it inclusive in the rent?

Better_Days

MentalMinnie wrote: »

I wonder if people think we're classy cos we have a poodle...?!:rotfl:

Oh dear, our two dogs are mixed breed, does that make us common :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

The ginger cat does have very pretty markings even though he is a moggie

paddyrg

It may just be the letting agent thinking of extra fees they can charge. Not that letting agents would ever do that...

blueybug

MentalMinnie wrote: »

Who told you it was £160? Is it inclusive in the rent?

No council tax is always on top of the rent. The letting agent said what band it was, but it isnt that band