Friday, January 29, 2010

Fluffy or Tiger or Fido, Oh My! (Allowing Pet)

When entering into a property management agreement with Carolinas Metro Realty, many owners struggle with the issue of allowing tenants to have pets. As someone who has pets, albeit outdoor ones, I can sympathize with their struggle. Fact of the matter is, we see very little damage caused by pets. Most tenants would no more allow their pet to damage a property than they would cause damage themselves. Although there are no guarantees, our screening of prospective tenants includes information from their prior landlords. High on the list of questions we ask the prior landlords pertains to pets.

Our rental contract with tenants requires a pet fee, determined by the number of pets. They key here is a pet FEE, not a pet deposit. The fee is non-refundable, even if there are no damages caused by the pet. Additionally, the tenant's security deposit could be used to cover the cost to repair damages, if any.

It is important for owners to realize that, by not allowing pets, we are immediately reducing the number of prospective tenants by at least 50%. i always advise owners that are hesitant to allow pets to make pets conditional, meaning that they can look at each individual situation and make a decision accordingly.

For more information on our property management services for Charlotte, Waxhaw, Fort Mill, Monroe, or other towns in the Charlotte area, or to view rental properties currently available in these areas, please visit our website, http://cmrpropertymanagement.com .

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