Many landlords and property owners have this strict “no pets allowed” rule. They feel like pets, especially man’s friend, will only wreak havoc in their properties and cause disturbance to other tenants. But with a strong pet policy in place, you can start tapping on the spending power of pet owners. Know that in 2014 alone, Apartment.com shared that 72% of renters own at least one pet. We can expect this number to have skyrocketed ever since.
Opening your property to pet owners offers a ton of benefits. Pet owners are willing to pay more if it meant giving their pets a good rental home. Responsible pet owners are also responsible tenants, and they stay longer in a rental place since their pets have already become accustomed to their surroundings.
These are but a few of the many reasons why you should consider opening up your doors to pet owners. But before you make it known to the public that you are now accepting renters with pets, you must make the necessary preparations first. The following are some maintenance and renovation tips you can tackle to make your property pet-friendly.
Use Pet-Safe Paint for Your Property
Pets are like little kids who are curious, playful and would put their tongue and nose on just about anything they can find. This is why you would want to invest in pet-friendly paint as preparation for your renter’s pets. This way, you can rightfully advertise your property as a pet-friendly space.
Choosing just about any paint can harm pets even if the paint already dried up. Traditional paints are full of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which are both harmful to animals and humans. Thankfully, you can easily find pet-safe paints even if the labels are not marketed as pet-friendly.
For best results, choose paint that is water-based, contains no VOCs, and stain-proof paint color. These types of paint contain low-to-no harmful chemicals, and touch-ups are easier to do. If a paint job is not your forte and you’re too busy to do this yourself, find a local painter to tackle your commercial painting needs.
Choose Your Floors Wisely
Renters who have cats or dogs often have a problem with their pets scratching the floors. This is to be expected as dogs and cats run all the time. But there is another reason why dogs scratch on the floors.
More often than not, dogs scratch their paws on the floor as a way to claim the territory as their own. The bottom of a dog’s paws contains a special gland. Every time they scratch on the ground, the gland releases a unique scent, thus marketing the territory.
You don’t want your property to end up with scratched up floors every time a pet owner tenant leaves. Thankfully, there are several pet-friendly floors out in the market. If you don’t want to deal with carpet stains, your best alternatives are luxury vinyl, tile, and stone, cork flooring, and engineered hardwood flooring.
Keep Up With Regular HVAC Maintenance
Pet fur and pet dander can easily clog the filters and ventilation system, affecting the airflow and potentially damaging the HVAC system if not cleaned properly. The dirt dogs bring inside the house after an eventful walk in the park can also make its way to your air filter. Even a dog’s markings can harm your HVAC if they chose to mark your outdoor AC unit.
It is due to these reasons why you should keep up with the cleaning and maintenance of your property’s HVAC system. You want to ensure you regularly clean or replace the air filters as necessary to avoid pet dander, fur, and dirt from clogging the system. HVAC maintenance is also necessary to make sure your tenants and their pets are kept comfortable, no matter the day or season.
If you have outdoor AC units, it would be better to protect these from pets. Fence your units at least three feet away to give enough space for airflow and to avoid dogs from peeing on your units. It is also wise to hide HVAC wires as exposed wires are tempting to teething dogs and chewers.
Choose Pet-friendly Landscapes
If your property has a bit of space for landscape or if your rental offers each tenant a back yard of their own, consider their pets before spicing up the yard. You want to invest in a low-maintenance yard that is pet-friendly, won’t break your and won’t break your heart in case their pets run wild in these areas.
If you want dense landscaping, it would be better to add low fencing to keep your tenant’s pets out. Stay away from thorny, spiny, poisonous, and common plants that are harmful to dogs. It is also a good idea to install a chain link fence to avoid pets from running from disturbing other tenants.
Turning your property into a pet-friendly one can help you boost your revenue. You will find it easier to fill your rentals if you stay true to your pet-friendly advertisement. With the right maintenance and renovation projects, you can easily attract pet owners into your property and soon welcome long-term tenants into your business.
