Walking through a neighborhood filled with pets can brighten a lousy day. However, a neighborhood filled will noise from these pets can be offputting.
This delicate balance of pros and cons is something you'll need to weigh carefully before deciding if you want to allow pets in a rental property.
Listed below are the top things to consider before deciding one way or another. Read on to learn more!
Pro: Bigger Tenant Pool
With around 71% of Costa Ricans owning a pet, it's easy to see why allowing pets in your rental property rules would be a huge benefit. No one wants to give up a member of the family to find a new place to live.
If you don't allow pets, you'll shrink your tenant pool by a large margin. When you struggle to fill your property with tenants, sometimes changing your pet ruling can make a big difference.
Thorough tenant screening is often a vital step when choosing a family with a pet. Attentive tenants are attentive pet owners, meaning they'll make sure the pet doesn't cause problems during the stay.
Con: More Maintenance
Despite their cute nature, pets are messy and have the potential to cause expensive rental property damage. Maintenance fees are likely to rise when you allow pets, even if they're well-behaved.
Shedding makes carpets more difficult to clean. Mud and other debris dragged in by little paws can scratch hardwood floors. Animals might chew on property furniture.
Regular maintenance helps with these issues, but it'll be a constant battle.
Pro: Greater Tenant Satisfaction
Pets have the unique ability to make people happy. They're adorable, and cuddly, and invite interaction throughout the neighborhood. Many neighbors bond over their shared pet experiences.
Even if a family moves in without a pet, there's always a chance they'll want to adopt a pet later on.
Without the means to keep the pet on your property, an excellent tenant will look elsewhere for a place to stay. Pets also bring happiness to neighbors who don't have pets, increasing the overall friendliness of the area. This makes the area even more enticing to new people.
Con: Noise Problems
Listening to barking throughout the night is a turn-off for most people. It's not always possible to keep animals under control, especially when their owner leaves the property for hours at a time.
Even the best-behaved animal sometimes lets off stress by making noise.
This creates discontent with other nearby tenants. The worst part is that, when an animal creates these noises once, they're often going to make those noises again and again.
If your rental property houses more than one family at a time, you'll need to consider this factor to keep every tenant happy.
Choosing to Allow Pets in a Rental Property
Are you still having trouble deciding if pets in a rental property are worth it?
PMI Costa Rica excels in aiding property owners in the local area, as well as around the world. Our 20 years of experience lets us give you the best advice possible.
Contact us today and we can help you figure out any of your property management problems!
