It’s no secret that most pet owners treat their pets like family, so when it comes time to find a new home, these renters will be looking for pet-friendly rentals. This begs the question, should you allow pets in your rental property? If this question is weighing on your mind, you’re in the right place.
It’s true that allowing pets in your rental gives you access to a larger pool of interested renters, but this decision also comes with a few risks. Before you decide where your rental fits in the mix, let’s weigh the benefits and risks of pet-friendly apartments.
Key Takeaways
- The main benefits of allowing pets in your rental are:
- Make more in rental fees
- Increase lease renewals
- Expand tenant pool
- The risk of allowing pets in your rental property are:
- Increased chance of property damage
- Potential noise complaints
- Abandoned pets
- Pet-caused injuries
- Increased maintenance and cleaning costs
Benefits of Allowing Pets in Your Rental Property
If you decide to list your property online as a pet-friendly rental, you’ll enjoy several benefits, including the opportunity to:
1. Make more in rental fees
By allowing pets in your rental property, you are essentially adding another renter (or a few, if you allow). Although this furry tenant won’t be responsible for splitting the rent, their presence allows you to charge additional payments. Many landlords choose to charge pet fees, pet deposits, and pet rent to cover the risk of allowing pets.
You can collect a non-refundable pet fee from your pet-owning renter before or on move-in day. Consider collecting a pet deposit as well. The only difference is that the pet deposit is refundable and will be returned to the tenant in full if there are no pet-related damages to the unit. Pet rent is a fee that renters will pay once a month in addition to their base rent.
Depending on your state laws, you can charge one of these rental fees, all three, or a mix. These rental fees will automatically boost your rental income, as well as provide a bit of cushion for potential damages. Be sure to check what competitors in your market are charging for pet fees so that you aren’t under or overselling your rental.
2. Increase lease renewals
Not every rental allows pets, so if you choose to allow them, your renter may be incentivized to renew their lease. Many renters feel more comfortable in a pet-friendly rental, even if they haven’t committed to a furry friend of their own. It gives them the option to do so in the future.
If your rental is not pet-friendly, and your renter decides they want a pet, they will have to wait until their lease is up or potentially break their lease early, leaving you to find a new tenant once they’re gone. Avoid these potential vacancies by giving pet owners what they want — a good home for their fur family.
3. Expand your list of potential tenants
Non-pet-friendly rentals automatically limit those landlords to only renters without pets. If you choose not to allow pets in your rental, you risk losing some potentially great tenants simply because they are pet owners.
According to a survey done by Apartments.com in Q2 2025, 60 percent of the 20,000 respondents lived with pets. That is a lot of households with pets that you would be losing out on. Your list of potential tenants will immediately expand if you list your rental as pet friendly. As more and more renters become pet parents, your pool of potential tenants will continue to grow.
Risks of Allowing Pets in Your Rental Property
Allowing pets in your rental is a great way to show renters your flexibility, but it’s important to consider the following risks before you proceed:
1. Increased chances of property damage
It’s common for pet damage to occur in pet-friendly apartments, even if it only involves minor issues. Soiled carpet, scratched floors and walls, and chewed blinds are just a few examples of common pet damage.
Accidents happen, especially with younger pets, but if your renter isn’t a responsible pet owner, small issues may become bigger problems over time. If a pet is continuously left home alone or not properly taken care of, damage will likely occur.
2. Potential noise complaints
Pets left alone for several hours at a time, even during normal work or school hours, can be a problem. Incessant barking, howling, or meowing can lead to frustrated neighbors and subsequent noise complaints.
Noise complaints are never ideal, especially when it’s about lonely, bored, or anxious pets. Handling pet noise complaints can prove to be difficult because there is not always a solution to the problem. Pets’ behavior may improve over time, but that’s not always the case.
3. Abandoned pets
Even worse than a howling pet left home alone is an abandoned pet. By allowing pets in your rental, you run the risk of having a tenant who not only abandons their lease and your unit, but their pet as well. If the pet is left alone for a lengthy period of time, there could be severe damage to your property.
Dealing with an abandoned pet and potential damage to your property can be upsetting for both you and the pet. Asking your renter for an emergency pet caretakers contact is a proactive measure to prevent animals from being abandoned. Whether it is because the renter falls sick or another reason, having a designated caretaker on file creates a clear handoff plan.
If a renter abandons a pet and you’re unable to reach them or their caretaker, contact local animal control or an animal rescue to determine the next steps. Many jurisdictions require reporting abandoned animals under anti-cruelty laws, and landlords generally must not assume ownership or rehome the animal themselves.
4. Pet-caused injuries
Pets can cause injuries whether it is intentional or not. This can cause complications, which is why you should encourage your tenant to get renters insurance. Most renters policies include personal liability that can cover injuries pets cause to other people, up to the policy limit. However, some policies exclude certain animals/breeds or prior-bite dogs, and coverage doesn’t apply to injuries to the insured household, so remind your renter to check that their pet is covered.
5. Increased maintenance and cleaning costs
After a renter with a pet moves out and you are preparing your property for a new tenant, you’ll find that more maintenance and cleaning may be required because of the pet. Pets leave a different kind of wear and tear behind, like unpleasant odors, fur, dander, and damage.
Depending on the situation, you may have to clean more thoroughly or add additional cleaning steps like washing the carpet with a specific solution for pets. Any damage, like scratches to the walls or floors, also must be repaired. Luckily, pet rent, deposits, and fees can help cover these additional costs and time spent.
Renting to Tenants with a Pet
Renting to tenants with pets requires careful consideration and a couple of extra steps.
- Create a pet policy
- Screen pets or conduct a pet interview
- Communicate your expectations
- Ask for documentation for pets (vaccination records, licenses, etc.)
- Have renter provide an emergency pet caretaker
- Require renters insurance
- Check your state laws to determine the types of fees and the amounts you can collect for pet deposits, pet fees, and pet rent
How to create a pet policy and what to include
A pet policy serves as a blueprint that specifies whether pets are allowed or prohibited in your rental, and if permitted, it should clearly outline acceptable practices and responsibilities for pet owners. As the landlord, you have the discretion to set the rules, but the most effective policies balance your needs with those of your tenants.
You should include these items in your pet policy:
- Permitted pets and breeds
- Restrictions and limitations (weight, breed, amount restrictions)
- Outline of renter’s responsibility (cleaning instructions, quiet hours, picking up after pets outdoors, etc.)
How to screen tenants with pets
When screening a potential pet-owning renter, the process will be very similar to screening a tenant without pets. You should conduct your typical tenant screening, like doing a background and credit check, asking for professional and landlord references, getting proof of income, etc.
Additional requirements for pet owners would be to answer a list of questions, such as:
- How many pets do you have?
- What type of pet(s) do you have?
- What breed?
- How much does the pet weigh?
- Is your pet up to date on shots (specifically rabies)?
You also have the option to set up a pet interview with the potential tenant and their furry family member. By meeting their pet before move-in day, you can make sure they’re friendly and well behaved.
Additional Considerations for Allowing Pets in Your Rental
Although benefits and risks are important to think about, there are other pressing issues to consider as well before making your final decision.
Pets and insurance considerations
Most landlord policies do not include any pet coverage, as it is not the same as renters insurance. If pets are covered, there are usually limitations and requirements placed on your landlord insurance like requiring you to use a pet addendum, requiring renters insurance from tenants, or having you exclude certain breeds.
Landlord insurance covers property damage, liability, and loss of rental income and non-occupied rentals. The liability portion of renters insurance may cover any injuries or such that a renter’s pet causes, but it doesn’t cover damage to the renter’s property or your rental.
Many landlords charge additional prices, such as a pet deposit, pet fee, and pet rent, in order to cover any expenses that may come from a tenant’s furry friend. This can help cover any damage caused by pets.
Emotional support and service animal considerations
Tenants who have service animals are protected by several laws, namely fair housing laws. You must allow service animals in your rental as the law requires you to allow reasonable accommodation involving an assistance animal. These animals are not classified as pets and as such you cannot collect any other fees or extra deposits for them.
Use Apartments.com to Get to Know Pets
If you’ve decided to let pets in your rental, it’s time to create a pet policy. Apartments.com makes this simple with a customizable lease generator. You can add pets and any restrictions around breeds, weight, or number of pets. It is further customizable by allowing you to add a monthly pet fee and any violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make my rental pet friendly?
A great way to retain your pet-owning tenants is to install a few pet-friendly amenities and features. Pet-friendly flooring (avoid carpet), a closed-in patio or a fenced-in yard, or a pet door that opens to a fenced-in outdoor space are great ways to make your rental more pet friendly.
How much should I charge for pet fees?
If you choose to allow pets in your rental, any additional fees you require are up to you. Typically, pet-friendly landlords charge between $200-$500 for pet deposits, while others charge between $25-$100 a month in pet rent. Read up on local laws to see if your state limits the amount you can charge.
Should I allow pets in my rental?
The choice of allowing pets in your rental is up to you. There are many considerations to weigh. Even though there is the potential for damage and other issues, many people are becoming pet owners so you could attract more tenants.
Should I allow cats in my rental?
Cats are different animals than dogs, so allowing them in your rental comes with a different set of considerations. You must think about litterbox odors, carpet destruction, and more. However, cats can also be quite easy tenants. Ultimately, you have to weigh the benefits and risks of having a cat in your rental.
Can I request documentation for individuals with a service animal?
Yes, even under the Fair Housing Act, you can request limited, reliable documentation to verify that a renter’s service animal is more than a pet under certain conditions. HUD released guidance on when you can request verification of a disability or disability-related need for the service animal.
This article was originally published on April 19, 2021.
