For landlords, one of the biggest questions when renting out a property is whether to allow pets. On the one hand, pets mean larger renter demand, longer stays, and often happier tenants. On the other, they can also mean scratched floors, chewed doors, and surprise lawsuits. Let’s break it down.
The Upside of Pet-Friendly Housing
Increased demand and retention.
Pet-inclusive housing is on the rise. Tenants with pets make up a huge portion of the renter pool, and properties that accept them often rent faster. Even better, pet-owning tenants tend to renew leases more often—meaning fewer vacancies and steadier income.
Occupancy rates stay higher.
Simply put: more people qualify to rent your property when you allow pets. The larger your applicant pool, the less time your property sits empty.
The Top Concerns
Unauthorized pets.
The real nightmare stories often come not from the tenant who disclosed their pet, but from the one who didn’t. Unauthorized pets can create headaches—and if they’re emotional support animals (ESAs) or service animals, landlords can’t legally deny them or charge extra fees. Mishandling that can quickly land you in fair housing hot water.
Property damage.
This is the biggest fear for many landlords, but the numbers may surprise you. Research shows only about 9% of pets cause property damage, with the nationwide average cost sitting around $191. Not exactly the horror-movie-level destruction landlords sometimes imagine.
Pet policies and fair housing.
Breed, size, or weight restrictions were once the norm, meant to reduce risk and damage. But times have changed—and so have the rules. Policies that ban certain pets outright can cross into fair housing violation territory, especially when ESAs or service animals are involved. Even insurance-based restrictions aren’t always valid reasons to deny an ESA. In fact, you may be required to find new coverage if your policy conflicts—and in today’s
market, that can be difficult and expensive.
The Wellspring Takeaway
Allowing pets can feel like opening Pandora’s box, but the reality is this: pet-friendly properties attract more tenants, fill vacancies faster, and see better renewal rates. Yes, there are risks—but risks can be managed.
At Wellspring, we minimize those risks through:
Proper pet screening: We partner with PetScreening.com to verify animals and keep records.
Annual walkthroughs: Regular property walkthroughs keep small problems from becoming big ones.
In the end, landlords who embrace the pet-friendly trend open their doors to the lion’s share of renters. With the right systems in place, you can balance demand with protection—and keep both your tenants and your property happy.
Contact Wellspring Property Management at WellspringPM.com, Chrissy@WellspringPM.com or call 760-371-4282 Ext 101 for more information.
