Pet-Friendly or No Pets? 7 Questions Landlords Should Ask Before Advertising

Pet-friendly does not mean every pet fits every home

A large freestanding house with a secure garden creates different possibilities from a small upstairs apartment.

Think practically about:

✓ Garden or outdoor access

✓ Fencing and gates

✓ Flooring and finishes

✓ Stairs and balconies

✓ Common-property arrangements

✓ Neighbouring units

✓ The practical size and layout of the home

The question is not simply whether a dog or cat exists. It is whether the animal can reasonably be accommodated without creating an obvious mismatch with the property.

A landlord cannot promise what the scheme does not permit

This matters particularly in sectional-title complexes and other community schemes.

Before advertising the property as pet-friendly, obtain and read the applicable conduct rules.

Some schemes require written approval before an animal may be kept in the unit. Conditions may also apply to the type, number or management of pets.

Do not sign a lease promising that a tenant may bring two dogs and discover after occupation that approval was required from the trustees.

Where scheme approval is necessary, deal with it as part of the application process and document the outcome properly.

“One pet” is not enough information

If pets are being considered, include them in the application discussion.

Record practical information such as:

The purpose is not to create an interrogation about the animal. It is to establish what is actually being requested before the landlord agrees.

Screen the person before worrying too much about the paws

A pet does not tell you whether the rent will be paid.

A tenant without a pet is not automatically a better applicant than a tenant with one.

The normal screening process should still assess relevant information such as identity, affordability, employment, credit information, rental history, references and the consistency of the application.

The landlord can then consider the pet request after understanding the quality of the applicant.

“Pets allowed” is too vague for a twelve-month relationship

If the landlord approves pets, the tenancy documentation should record the arrangement clearly.

Depending on the property and applicable rules, this may include:

✓ Which pets have been approved

✓ Maximum number of pets

✓ Compliance with applicable scheme or estate rules

✓ Responsibility for damage

✓ Garden or outside-area maintenance expectations

✓ Noise and nuisance expectations

✓ Whether additional pets require prior written approval

The goal is not to fill the lease with threats. It is to make the agreement clear before occupation begins.

Do not blame the dog later for damage you never documented before occupation

Detailed incoming and outgoing condition records become especially useful where the landlord is concerned about possible pet-related damage.

Record the condition of flooring, doors, skirting, gardens, gates and other relevant areas before the tenancy starts.

Photographs should be dated and useful, not simply a folder containing hundreds of unexplained images.

Clear condition records help distinguish pre-existing wear from damage that occurred during the tenancy.

Risk has a cost. Vacancy has a cost too.

Landlords naturally focus on the possibility that a pet might cause damage.

They should also consider the cost of excluding otherwise suitable applicants.

Every vacant month can mean lost rental income while rates, levies, insurance, security and other ownership costs continue.

If the property is genuinely suitable for a responsible pet owner, a blanket prohibition may unnecessarily reduce the available tenant pool.

The correct calculation is not simply “Can pets cause damage?” It is “Which policy gives this particular property the best balance between tenant demand and manageable risk?”