As a landlord in Metro Denver, allowing pets in your rental properties can be a great way to attract tenants and keep vacancy rates low. However, the decision to allow pets also comes with its own set of challenges. From potential property damage to conflicts between tenants and their pets, it’s important to take the right steps to ensure you’re leasing to a responsible pet owner. This is where pet screenings come in—a critical step to safeguard your property and create a harmonious living environment for all tenants.
In this guide, we’ll cover pet screening best practices for Denver landlords, including what to expect in the screening process, tips for effective screenings, and how PMI Elevation can help you navigate the world of pet-friendly rentals.
Understanding Pet Screening Best Practices for Denver Landlords
Pet screening is the process of evaluating a prospective tenant's pet to ensure it’s suitable for your rental property. This involves assessing the pet’s behavior, breed, age, and other factors to help determine if the pet will fit well into your rental environment.
Denver landlords face common challenges when it comes to renting to pet owners, including property damage, excessive barking, and conflicts with non-pet-owning tenants. Having a thorough pet screening procedure in place helps mitigate these risks and allows you to confidently lease to pet owners.
The Benefits of Pet Screening:
Reduces the likelihood of property damage.
Ensures a well-behaved pet and responsible pet ownership.
Helps prevent conflicts between tenants over pet-related issues.
Provides legal protection by ensuring compliance with pet-related local laws and the Fair Housing Act requirements.
The Pet Screening Process
The pet screening process should be comprehensive to ensure you’re not just accepting any pet, but the right pet for your rental property. Here’s a step-by-step guide to conducting an effective pet screening.
Documentation to Collect:
Vaccination records to ensure the pet is up to date on shots.
A pet resume or pet screening application that includes details about the pet’s breed, age, behavior, and medical history.
Proof of training, such as whether the pet is house-trained or knows basic commands.
Tips for Conducting an Effective Pet Screening:
Pet interview: Ask questions about their pet’s daily habits, care routine, and past behavior in other rental environments. This will give you insights into how responsible the pet parent is.
Observe the pet’s behavior: If possible, meet the pet in person to observe how it interacts with people and its environment. This can reveal any aggressive behavior or lack of training that could cause issues in your rental.
Assess the pet’s breed and age: Certain pets might have higher energy levels or be more prone to causing damage. Also, younger pets tend to be more aggressive than older, well-trained pets.
Allowing Pets in Your Rental Property
Many landlords are hesitant to allow pets due to potential property damage and noise concerns. However, allowing pets can open your property to a larger pool of tenants. Here are some of the pros and cons of renting to pet owners.
Pros:
Increased tenant satisfaction: Pet-friendly properties attract more tenants, especially those with pets.
Lower vacancy rates: Pet owners tend to stay longer in pet-friendly rentals since options are limited.
Cons:
Potential for property damage: Pets may chew, scratch, or damage furniture, floors, or walls.
Noise issues: Pets, particularly dogs, may disturb other tenants with excessive barking or other disruptive behaviors.
To minimize these risks, it’s important to have a well-defined pet policy in place. Include details in your lease agreement, such as pet-related fees (e.g., pet deposit, pet rent, and pet security deposit) and any applicable breed restrictions.
What to Expect in the Pet Screening Process
Conducting a thorough pet screening can help you identify red flags before they become a problem. Here are the key components to expect during the pet screening process.
Components of a Thorough Pet Screening Process:
Pet’s behavior: Assess whether the pet is well-behaved, non-aggressive, and follows basic commands.
Breed, age, and size: Certain breeds may be prohibited due to their size or behavior, and younger pets might be more prone to destructive behavior.
Vaccination and health: Ensure the pet is up to date on vaccinations and does not pose any health risks to other tenants or pets.
Assistance Animals and the Fair Housing Act:
It’s important to differentiate between a service animal, assistance animals, and emotional support animals (ESA). Service animals are specifically trained to perform tasks for individuals with disabilities and are not subject to typical pet policies or fees. Emotional support animals, while not as strictly protected as service animals, still require landlords to make reasonable accommodations under the Fair Housing Act.
When a potential tenant's pet is an assistance animal or emotional support animal, landlords must follow specific guidelines to ensure compliance with federal law. Any reasonable accommodations request for these animals should be carefully reviewed to avoid potential legal issues.
The Importance of Landlords Conducting a Pet Screening
Why Pet Screening is Always a Good Idea:
Pet screenings aren’t just about protecting your property—it’s also about ensuring a positive rental experience for all tenants, both pet owners and non-pet owners. By conducting a proper pet screening, you can reduce the likelihood of pet-related issues, such as property damage, noise complaints, and conflicts between tenants.
Bottom Line on Pet Screening:
A bottom-line pet screening process helps landlords create a safer, more harmonious rental environment. It’s an effective way to ensure you’re leasing to responsible pet owners and minimizing the risk of damage or tenant complaints. A comprehensive screening process allows you to balance pet-friendly benefits with the peace of mind that your property is protected.
Wrapping It Up: The Pet-Friendly Advantage for Denver Landlords
Allowing pets in your rental property can be a win-win if done correctly. By implementing pet screening best practices for Denver landlords, you can enjoy the benefits of pet-friendly properties while minimizing the risks. Screening pets not only protects your property but also creates a better living environment for all tenants.
At PMI Elevation, we help property owners in Metro Denver and South Metro Denver manage their properties with expertise, including implementing and overseeing pet screening procedures. To learn more about how we can assist with your property management needs, contact us today.
