New Zealanders love their pets, but as an Auckland landlord, should you let
tenants have pets in your rental? We discuss the pros and cons of doing so to help you make an
informed decision. Learn more now.
In Auckland and the rest of NZ, approximately only 14% of residential rental properties let their
tenants have pets. With 64% of NZ households having at least one pet, this causes significant
problems to tenants who are pet owners. Surely letting tenants have pets would be okay, wouldn’t
it? We explore the pros and cons of being a pet friendly landlord with you.
Pet Friendly or Not? Should I Let My Tenants Have Pets?
If you have concerns when it comes to having pets living at your rental property, you’re not alone.
From dogs digging up the garden to cats peeing inside, there are plenty of ways pets can cause
damage to a rental. But like news from the media, we often only hear about the negative issues
caused when tenants have pets. This leads to the question, is there any benefit of being a pet
friendly landlord?
Pros & Cons of Letting Your Tenants Have Pets
As homeownership declines, many renters find it hard to find a home which lets them bring their
pets with them. With the need for pet friendly rentals only set to continue to grow, you need to sit
down and work out if allowing pets at your rental could bring you any benefits. Let’s find out more
about the pros and cons of having a pet friendly rental.
The pros of letting your tenants have pets at your Auckland rental include:
Higher rental income – due to the high demand of pet friendly rentals, landlords are often
able to charge more per week than a rental which has a no pet policy
Larger tenant pool – you have a bigger pool from which to choose a tenant
Longer staying tenants – tenants tend to stay longer in a property which lets them keep their
pets
The cons of allowing pets to stay at your rental include:
Potential for damage – from scratched floors, toileting, chewed doors and carpet, there is a
big list of damage which pets can cause
Smells – pets do smell, some more than others. This leads to odours in and around your
rental property
Noise – dogs barking, cats fighting, and other pet noises can disturb your neighbours and
lead to complaints
Loss of future tenants – some tenants will not rent a home in which animals have recently
lived due to allergies
Whether or not you choose to allow pets, it is still important to have your property inspected
regularly. As your specialist North Shore and Auckland residential property managers, we’re here to
help! If you’ve fired your property manager or are looking for one, give us a call or send us an email
today.
Comments are closed.