When it comes to rental properties, allowing pets can be both an opportunity and a challenge. While pet-friendly policies attract a larger pool of prospective tenants, they also come with risks—property damage, complaints from other tenants, and legal concerns. This is where a proper pet screening process becomes essential. Proper screening ensures that responsible pet owners and their furry friends are welcome while protecting the property and other tenants.
In this blog, we’ll explore the issues found during pet screenings and how to address them, along with best practices for property managers and landlords to mitigate potential challenges.
Understanding the Pet Screening Process
The pet screening process is a key component of tenant screening that provides insight into a pet’s behavior, health, and suitability for your rental property. For property managers and landlords, using a well-structured pet screening application is crucial to vet pets effectively. Here's how the process works:
Pet Applications: Similar to tenant applications, these gather information about the pet’s breed, age, size, vaccination records, and behavioral history.
Third-Party Pet Screening Services: Utilizing a service simplifies the process by verifying documents like vaccination records and handling pet owner certifications.
Pet Resumes: Some responsible pet owners may provide a pet resume, outlining their training, behavior, and health.
Having a well-outlined process reduces the risk of issues arising after tenants move in. However, even with a thorough screening process, property managers often encounter some common issues.
Common Issues Found During Pet Screening
1. Aggressive Behavior
One of the primary concerns during pet screening is identifying aggressive behavior. An aggressive pet can pose a risk to other tenants, their pets, and the property itself. Screening for aggression involves reviewing the pet’s history and sometimes conducting a pet interview or observation.
How to Address It: Establish clear guidelines for identifying aggressive behavior, such as records of previous incidents. Make sure your pet policies explicitly state that aggressive pets will not be allowed and that incidents of aggression post-move-in can result in the termination of the lease.
2. Breed Restrictions
Many rental properties impose breed restrictions due to insurance policies or local laws. While some dog breeds are viewed as more aggressive or larger than others, breed restrictions can limit the pool of potential tenants.
How to Address It: Clearly communicate any breed restrictions to prospective tenants in your listing. If local laws or insurance policies influence these restrictions, explain that to tenants to prevent misunderstandings. Ensure the pet screening process involves checking the breed as declared by the tenant and confirmed through documentation.
3. Incomplete or Missing Vaccination Records
Vaccination records are critical for ensuring that the pet is healthy and up to date on shots that protect both humans and other pets. Missing or incomplete vaccination records should raise red flags.
How to Address It: Require all pet owners to provide current vaccination records as part of the screening process. This should include rabies shots and any other vaccinations mandated by local laws. Refusing pets without proper documentation is within your rights as a landlord.
4. Behavioral Issues
Beyond aggression, other behavioral issues—like excessive barking, poor housetraining, or destructive behavior—can become significant concerns. Behavioral issues often lead to property damage or complaints from other tenants.
How to Address It: A pet interview or meeting with the pet in person can help assess whether the animal has behavioral issues. In addition, consider including questions about behavior in the pet screening application, such as "Is your pet housetrained?" or "Has your pet received any formal training in basic commands?"
5. Pet Size and Space Requirements
The size of a pet in relation to the rental property is another concern. Larger pets in smaller apartments can lead to property damage or noise complaints due to insufficient exercise space.
How to Address It: Ensure that your pet policies include size limits, particularly for smaller units. A clear explanation of space requirements based on the property size will help avoid future issues.
Addressing Issues with Service and Assistance Animals
Service animals and emotional support animals are protected under the Fair Housing Act. Property managers cannot charge pet fees, pet deposits, or pet rent for these animals, and reasonable accommodation requests must be granted.
However, screening for service animals is different from regular pets. You cannot impose the same restrictions (e.g., breed or size) or deny accommodation based on a disability.
How to Address It:
Ask for documentation from a healthcare provider certifying the need for a service or assistance animal.
Ensure compliance with federal laws and local ordinances regarding assistance animals.
Be cautious when addressing behavioral issues with a service animal, ensuring they comply with housing rules (such as cleanliness and behavior) without infringing on the tenant’s rights.
Managing Pet Fees, Deposits, and Pet Rent
One way to offset the potential risks posed by pets is through pet deposits, pet fees, and pet rent. These financial safeguards help cover the cost of potential damages and allow property managers to maintain a pet-friendly environment.
Pet Fees vs. Pet Deposits:
Pet Fee: A one-time, non-refundable fee charged to tenants for having a pet.
Pet Deposit: A refundable pet security deposit held to cover potential damages caused by the pet.
How to Address It: Ensure that pet fees and deposits are reasonable and comply with local laws. Additionally, clearly communicate any pet rent (monthly charges for having a pet) to prospective tenants upfront to avoid surprises later.
Proper Documentation and Legal Compliance
Proper documentation and a thorough pet screening checklist are essential to prevent issues with pets. Keeping detailed records not only protects the landlord but also provides clarity to pet owners.
How to Address It:
Maintain detailed documentation of the pet’s health, vaccination records, and behavioral assessments.
Ensure that all legal requirements, such as compliance with local and federal laws regarding service and assistance animals, are met.
Utilize a third-party pet screening service to handle documentation and streamline the process.
Addressing Issues with Service and Assistance Animals
Under the Fair Housing Act, service animals and emotional support animals are classified differently from pets, and property managers cannot charge pet fees, pet deposits, or pet rent for them. Furthermore, reasonable accommodation requests must be honored, ensuring that individuals with disabilities have access to necessary support animals.
That said, the screening process for service and assistance animals differs significantly from that of typical household pets. Unlike pets, restrictions like breed, size, or species cannot be applied, nor can accommodation be denied based on a tenant’s disability.
How to Address It:
Request appropriate documentation from a licensed healthcare provider or professional, certifying the tenant's need for an assistance or service animal, but be mindful not to ask for excessive or unnecessary information.
Ensure compliance with federal and local laws surrounding service and assistance animals, including those relating to reasonable accommodations.
Address behavioral concerns carefully. While service and assistance animals must follow basic housing rules, such as maintaining cleanliness and appropriate behavior, it’s crucial to avoid actions that may infringe on the tenant’s rights.
It's important to use a third-party pet screening service, such as PetScreening.com, to help streamline this process and ensure compliance with Fair Housing Act regulations, reducing the risk of legal issues for property owners.
The Importance of a Thorough Pet Screening Process
By implementing a comprehensive pet screening process, property managers can protect their properties while ensuring that responsible pet owners can live comfortably with their pets. Addressing common issues like aggressive behavior, breed restrictions, and missing vaccination records is essential to maintaining harmony in pet-friendly rental properties.
At All American Realty and Investment Group, we specialize in helping landlords and property managers navigate the challenges of pet ownership in rental properties. From assisting with pet screening to managing pet policies, we are here to help ensure a seamless experience for both property owners and tenants. Contact us today!
