Allowing a small dog at my rental property?

Newheight13

Any advice on this one please? 

I have a potential tenant for a ground floor flat but he has a small dog. The the tenant is perfect but the dog is a worry. 

He is happy to pay a higher deposit but it’s just the dog will need to go out on the balcony to do his business which will be left open each day. Any experiences thoughts?

Leaseholder fine with it but I also don’t like the idea of a dog being left on his own all day but I’ve met the dog and he’s very quiet.

Thanks!

anselld

Doesn't sound like a suitable property for a dog.  Surely there must be other suitable candidates?

ss2020jd

Has the tenant said they will be leaving the dog all day? Maybe they or a friend will be able to pop in to check on it or take it out in between. 

I have a small dog but it does its business on the short morning and evening walks and a couple of times outside in the garden at most for a tinkle in between and before bed. I wouldn’t leave a dog for more than a few hours, probably four max, but I know all dog owners are different and some dogs just go to sleep dreaming of when their owners will return. 

Do they mean they will leave the door open to the balcony so the dog can come and go? Would that be a security risk or potentially leave the place open to the elements? Plus a balcony is not really an ideal place to go regularly/long term but presumably it might only be occasionally and they will clean it!  

Can you speak to/get references from a previous landlord where the tenant lived with the dog?

i know it is hard to find places to rent with a pet so it would be a shame for a potentially good tenant to miss out before trying to find a compromise. If you can think of a scenario that would make you feel more comfortable, like install a dog flap or the tenant arrange for the dog to be checked on or taken out in between then hopefully there can be a suitable solution. 

Most small dogs are no trouble at all and their small size means only small amounts of everything, if you get my drift!

MultiFuelBurner

The answer is probably "no" it's not a good fit

sammyjammy

Does the dog do its business on a balcony now?  No dog I know would do that, won't even go on a pavement and will hold on tight until they get to grass.

oldernonethewiser

If the dog is a concern to you then seek an alternative tenant.

One less thing to worry about

Ksw3

I'm a bit confused with a ground floor flat having a balcony. Is it private? Are their communal grounds the dog might prefer which might upset others in the building?

You say leaseholder is fine with it, do you mean freeholder? What does the lease say?

Sorry if I've confused things further been a long week!

FreeBear

sammyjammy said:

Does the dog do its business on a balcony now?  No dog I know would do that, won't even go on a pavement and will hold on tight until they get to grass.

Miss A (a previous lodger that has returned) has a small Jack Russell cross - When it first got here, it would pee & crap on the carpets inside. Fortunately, it has got better and now gets put outside to do the business, sometimes on the path/patio, other times, on the lawn. Over the last month, it has just had a couple of small "accidents" on a carpet and bed.

Whilst it is a small dog and relatively quiet, it will whine & bark if left in a crate for too long. Doesn't bark anytime someone comes to the door, so that is one good thing. So whilst this prospective tenant's dog may appear to be quiet, there is a chance that it could cause a disturbance when left alone - Unless the owner has received complaints from leaving the dog alone, he/she may not be aware that it whines or barks.

At the end of the day, it is for @Newheight13 to decide - I would suggest a higher deposit, and also a slight increase in rent (maybe £10 per month ?) if the tenancy is to go ahead. Also stipulate that the balcony needs to be scrubbed on a regular basis to keep the smells to a minimum and train the dog to use a tray (you can get very large gravel trays from a garden centre).

eddddy

Newheight13 said:

Leaseholder fine with it....

I guess you mean the freeholder is fine with it. 

But in your position, I would read the lease and make sure the terms of the AST matched the terms of the lease.

• For example, if the lease says you need the freeholder's written consent to keep a pet, which can be withdrawn if another leaseholder complains...

• ... you should put a term in the AST saying the tenant can keep a pet if the freeholder gives written consent, and the tenant has to remove the pet if the freeholder withdraws consent.

If you're sloppy about this, you could end up in a difficult situation. i.e. You've told the tenant that they can keep a pet, but then the freeholder withdraws consent. You're then in breach of your lease, and the freeholder might start enforcement action - which could end up very expensive for you.

njkmr

You will need to replace carpets as and when the tenant leaves. Guaranteed. Factor in this cost.

Lifematters

I’ve had several tenants with small dogs in my rental properties, no problem at all.