Many landlords are concerned about allowing pets to live on a rental property. But when you learn why Milwaukee landlords ought to have a pet screening procedure in place you can be certain that you are making a fantastic choice.
Assistance/Service Animals
At Real Property Management Greater Milwaukee, we ensure that the properties that we manage are equal opportunity housing, and accommodate a huge variety of potential clients. But many landlords don’t understand that just like there are many types of residents, there is also a variety of creatures that are permitted on the property by legislation.
Under the Fair Housing Act and the American with Disabilities Act, service and support animals are allowed on any property if they’re registered as a service creature for a handicap, which is characterized by the FHA as “a physical or mental impairment which significantly limits a person’s major life activities”.
Thus, even in the event that you’ve told residents that they’re not permitted to own pets on your property, you’re still required to provide “reasonable accommodation” to residents with support animals. Service animals administered by the ADA are lawfully allowed anywhere and are defined as a dog or miniature horse that’s been trained to perform work to execute tasks for the sake of someone with a handicap.
This is an important distinction to create as you don’t wish to wind up caught up in a legal issue by turning a resident and their help or support animal by confusing it with a pet. But by using a screening process in place you’ll be able to ascertain if it’s an assistance animal by asking for documentation from a physician or therapist who admits that the residents’ animal is an assistance animal.
Contact Past Landlords
Among the very best screening tips when allowing pets in your rental property would be to contact past landlords for reference. This will give you a much better understanding of whether the animal ever caused damage to the house, disturbed the peace of neighbors, or caused any other problems.
This is a quick and effortless way to help guide you in your decision, without turning a potential resident off. Do not be afraid to rent to a resident with a medium or large sized dog as a result of unfounded fears. The big bully in your mind could truly be a big teddy bear which does more to create your residents and neighbors happy than annoyed.
Include Pet Riders in Lease Agreement
Another very important step to your pet screening procedure is such as a pet rider on your rental agreement. This makes certain that the creature’s existence on the house is equally understood, also accounted for with regard to property damage. Some landlords may incorporate a pet addendum if their existing residents wish to obtain a pet as soon as they’ve transferred in, but it’s ideal to get a pet rider at the initial document.
Some fundamental components the pet rider ought to include are:
- Pet details: breed, color, gender, age, and weight
- Pet fee: if it is not an assistance animal you are able to charge a fee for a resident to own a pet on your property
- Damage deposit: this deposit will be returned if the pet does not incur any damages during its stay
- Vaccination list: have resident include type of vaccination and date
Possessing a legally binding document makes sure that no additional pets can be added without your permission, and the pet residing on the house is fit to be around other animals and residents of the neighborhood. This lawful rider will ensure that when any curve-balls are thrown your way, it’s the responsibility of the proprietor to make certain that the problems are managed correctly.
Take Photos of Pet
Another significant step in the pet screening procedure is to take photographs of their pet. Imagine the surprise you’d have when making a routine maintenance repair and come to discover that the little Chihuahua that your resident signed to get is actually a Great Dane.
By taking a photograph, and recording details such as the kind of creature, its general dimensions and markings and any other significant info about the pet can help ensure that one pet doesn’t become three, and a small dog does not end up becoming a much larger problem.
Do More Business
Ultimately, having a pet screening procedure makes it possible to do more business. As you might originally shy away from allowing non-assistance animals on your property many possible residents look for single-family-homes to rent over apartments based on having a pet. You can even make extra money if you decide to charge a rent separate for the pet.
Furthermore, pet owners are frequently more accountable than your average resident. If they’ve taken the time to train their pet, find proper care for their pet when they’re gone and are disinclined to leave their pet due to rental policies then this might be the type of resident you want in your property. Even though this isn’t true for all pet owners, it’s something to consider when screening both residents and animals.
When you rely on Real Property Management Greater Milwaukee for your property management services, we do more than just respond to repair calls. We assist landlords and investment homeowners alike to put responsible, compatible residents in your rental property and to ensure that all possible liabilities such as pets are properly screened so that the rental experience is a good one for both you and your residents. Contact us online or call us at 262-309-6961 for more information.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
