Your pets are your family so when you look for a new home, you make sure your fur-babies can come too. This means finding the perfect home that allows pets which is not always a very easy task. Take a look at these tips for renting a house with pets.
Finding a home that suits your family, as well as your pets, can be a slightly difficult process. More and more estates and complexes are increasing their restrictions on pets.
Did you know that sectional title properties may require that you issue a letter to the body corporate of the complex/estate to ask permission for you to bring your pets?
When you’re looking for a new home, make sure you ask the right questions and find out all the information surrounding animals before you sign any lease or start any process!
Discover: Owning a pet & working full time: 9 things to consider
Take a look at these simple guidelines that will help you avoid any misunderstandings when finding the purr-fect pet-friendly home!
Tips for Renting a House That’s Pet Friendly
Assess the type of home you need
When looking for a new home, you need to think about what you and your family are going to need. This means assessing how many bedrooms and bathrooms are a necessity or how close the new home is to schools or stores.
Not only that, but you also need to assess whether or not it suits your pet’s needs too! You’ll have to think about the type of garden you need (a big garden if you have a large breed pup) or if you need an apartment on a lower level (because you have a slightly adventurous kitty).
You need to decide on all of these factors before you even start looking so you’re prepared for any questions a real estate agent may ask.
What are the restrictions on animals?
Before even looking at a property, find out exactly what the restrictions are when it comes to pets. The number one important question to ask is, “are pets allowed?” If the answer is no, then you immediately know you need to move on but if the answer is yes, you need to follow up with the following questions:
- What types of pets are allowed? Both dogs and cats?
- Are there size restrictions? Often dogs of a height of 30cm are only permitted.
- If you don’t have a pet now, are you able to get one in future?
Read this: 5 Benefits of Owning a Pet
Make sure your home is pet-friendly
Once you have found your perfect home, you need to make sure your pet isn’t going to have any problems there. This is super important if you are renting! You need to make sure there is nothing that your pet can’t damage or break any of the property.
If you’re renting a home that is furnished, make sure your cat doesn’t scratch the furniture or that your pup doesn’t chew on anything.
Pro tip: Use fun and stimulating toys to keep your pets busy so they can’t get up to any mischief.
Regular vet checks are vital
Make sure your pet is up to date with all of their vaccinations. This will prevent your pet from picking up any preventable diseases from other animals and possibly spreading them throughout the complex.
It’s also important to make sure your pet is spayed or neutered. You don’t want to be responsible for your neighbour’s cat getting pregnant or vice versa! There is also a belief that animals that are spayed or neutered tend to be calmer and quieter (we’re not 100% sure of the accuracy of this but it couldn’t hurt to try!).
Another important thing to remember is to get your pet microchipped in case they run out or to ensure they have a collar with your name and number so your neighbours can contact you.
(We recommend getting pet insurance with a trusted insurer like Oneplan to cover the costs of these procedures)
Train your pets
Your home is surrounded by neighbours and with many people working from home. It is important to keep your animals under control.
You don’t want your neighbours complaining about you to the body corporate because your dog never stops barking or your cat freely roams into other people’s houses. Try to put measures in place that keep your pets happy in their own homes.
Related: 4 Tips All Puppy Parents Need When It Comes to Training
Keep a pet-sitter handy
You never know when you might have to leave for longer than you expected or for those trips during the December holidays. Make sure you have a reliable and qualified pet-sitter that you can easily contact.
You can also take your pet to an SPCA that offers boarding for animals or to other trustworthy boarding kennels. Never leave your pets unattended for long periods of time, this is dangerous and scary for your animals as well as an inconvenience for your neighbours.
These tips for renting a house with pets will have your family, your pets and your neighbours living in perfect harmony!
