What to Expect in the Pet Screening Process
Pet screenings help landlords find suitable tenants with pets, ensuring compatibility and reducing potential issues like noise and damage. Tenants can prepare by understanding the process and presenting their pets positively, fostering a harmonious living environment.
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Allowing pets can attract more tenants and fill vacancies quickly, though they may also bring noise and potential property damage. Pet screenings are essential for ensuring a good match between tenants and their pets, giving landlords a clear understanding of what to expect.
Tenants, knowing what to expect from a pet screening, can better prepare and present their pets positively. This preparation helps in securing a pet-friendly home and ensures a smooth screening process.
Whether you’re a landlord aiming to expand your tenant pool or a renter searching for a welcoming home for you and your pet, this guide will help you through the pet screening process.
Understanding the pet screening process
Pet screening is essentially a background check for a pet that assesses the potential risk and suitability of pets for a rental property, checking for any red flags in their behavior, such as a history of aggression or excessive barking.
Just like landlords want to know about a tenant’s rental history and credit score before deciding whether they’re a good fit for the rental property, they want to ensure a tenant’s dog or cat is compatible with their expectations.
Whether a tenant is moving to a new place or bringing an animal to their current rental, they’ll want to inform the property manager or owner and will most likely receive a pet screening application at that time. Additionally, tenants with assistance animals can submit a reasonable accommodation request to ensure compliance with HUD's Fair Housing Act guidelines.
How tenants can prepare their pets for a screening
Landlords generally look for fundamental qualities during pet screenings, such as proper grooming, sufficient house training, and low noise levels — the traits any responsible pet owner would aspire to instill in their animal companion.
However, grooming your furry friend for such evaluations is not a last-minute task. Cultivating these desirable traits requires consistent training from the time of adoption. Early and dedicated training efforts are key to ensuring your animal companion meets screening criteria, facilitating a smoother approval process for a pet-friendly residence.
Service animals and emotional support animals are not subject to the same rules and requirements as ordinary pets, such as restrictions and pet fees.
What property managers should look for when screening pets
Property managers must prioritize a few key factors to conduct a proper pet screening process. Firstly, evaluating the pet’s behavior and training is key to gauge its suitability for communal living.
Secondly, verifying vaccination records and adherence to local regulations ensures compliance and safety for all residents. Lastly, fostering open communication with prospective tenants about their pet’s needs and habits establishes transparency, laying the foundation for a cooperative and inclusive environment within the property.
This screening process mitigates potential issues and cultivates a welcoming atmosphere for pets and residents alike. A pet friendly property manager's approach, such as using PetScreening to streamline assistance animal processes and implement pet policies, can further enhance this inclusivity and generate additional pet-related revenue.
How to conduct a pet screening
Knowing what steps to take and what questions to ask when initiating pet screening work is incredibly important. The guide below can help you nail down the process.
Additionally, it is important to understand the significance of accommodating requests for assistance animals, as they are not subject to the same rules as ordinary pets under fair housing law.
1. Clearly define rules and guidelines
Once a tenant or applicant has expressed their desire to bring a pet onto the rental property, the landlord should plainly explain the rules surrounding animals. They should highlight any applicable lease terms, request reasonable accommodations such as acceptable noise levels, and share pet-specific documentation with the tenant, such as a pet addendum.
Landlords should also inform tenants of any associated fees at this time. Whether a pet deposit, a non-refundable one-time fee, or pet rent is required, making a tenant aware of the financial weight of bringing their animal onto the property can help them determine whether to carry on with the next steps in the pet screening process.
Service animals and emotional support animals are exempt from these pet fees, as they are not considered traditional pets under housing regulations.
2. Complete the pet screening application
Next, the tenant will be provided a pet screening application to fill out. The application might come in paper form, or a landlord might ask a tenant to complete an application through an online pet screening service first.
Either way, both parties need to have physical proof of the application they can refer to at any time. Implementing pet screening can also help property managers generate additional pet-related revenue by making their properties more pet-inclusive.
3. Assessing the application
The landlord will review the responses once prospective tenants have submitted their applications, including conducting a background check for the prospective tenant's pet. If the applicant seems responsible and is requesting to bring home a low-stakes pet, such as a hamster, approval might happen at this point.
If a landlord still has uncertainties about the pet’s behavior or wants to take further measures to ensure it is a good fit, they might pursue extra steps in the screening process.
4. The pet interview
When a property manager seeks to evaluate a pet further before deciding, they’ll ask for an in-person interview with the prospective tenant and their pet. It’s always a good idea for landlords to request to meet the pet in person to smooth out any fuzzy details on the application.
For example, a pet parent might view their animal’s bad behavior as endearing, whereas neighbors would not. Seeing the pet’s behavior with your own eyes can clear up any inherent biases.
In-person interviews benefit certain dog breeds with historically bad reputations that typically get rejected in a pet screening, allowing landlords to handle applications on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, tenants with assistance animals can submit a reasonable accommodation request to ensure compliance with HUD's Fair Housing Act guidelines.
When meeting in person, the landlord will assess several aspects of your pet:
- Compatibility with other pets and tenants on the rental property.
- Whether the pet has behavioral issues, such as excessive barking or aggression.
- Ability to respond to basic commands from its owner.
- Whether the pet in front of them matches the pet from the application.
Because pets tend to get nervous and excited when in a new place, interpret the behavioral assessment with a grain of salt. They might just need to settle in to reveal their true, well-behaved self.
5. Make an informed decision
Landlords should consult their local and federal laws to ensure the pet is legal on the premises if approved or that the basis for the denial is legal if rejected.
Additionally, landlords must consider requests for assistance animals, which are not subject to the same rules as ordinary pets, to ensure compliance with fair housing law.
Service animal and emotional support animal policies
Service and emotional support animals have protections under the Fair Housing Act that landlords must honor. If a tenant has a pet covered by this law, landlords cannot deny them the ability to live in the rental property, and landlords must make reasonable accommodations for the pet.
Thus, do not ask the owner to complete a pet screening application. Additionally, landlords must accept these animals without charging any pet fees due to their verified assistance roles.
What landlords can and can't request
Landlords need to tread carefully when it comes to accommodating pet owners with service animals — it’s of the utmost importance that they respect the rights of the pet and its owner. However, this doesn’t mean that landlords have no say in the matter. Here’s what landlords should know when asking an owner about their service animal:
Do’s
- Requesting the pet’s vaccination records.
- Asking for a letter from a mental health professional confirming that the tenant requires an emotional support animal.
- Ensuring that service animals and emotional support animals are not subject to the same rules as ordinary pets.
Don’t’s
- Demanding proof of certification of the animal’s service animal status.
- Requiring a pet deposit.
- Asking for proof of the tenant’s health condition that necessitates a service animal.
Exemptions
Per the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, landlords can deny a request for reasonable accommodations for a service animal in the following circumstances:
- Granting the request would impose an undue financial and administrative burden on the housing provider.
- The request would fundamentally alter the essential nature of the housing provider’s operations.
- The specific assistance animal in question would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others despite any other reasonable accommodations that could eliminate or reduce the threat.
- The request would result in significant physical damage to the property of others despite any other reasonable accommodations that could eliminate or reduce the physical damage.
Submitting a reasonable accommodation request for an assistance animal ensures compliance with HUD's Fair Housing Act guidelines and is a secure and cost-free process.
Pet-related fees
Housing a pet comes with the inherent risk of damage to the property. To help offset the cost of repairs for pet-related damage, many property managers charge tenants fees in exchange for welcoming their pets into the rental unit. Implementing these pet policies can also generate increased pet-related revenue for property managers.
There are several different pet-related fees, which we’ll define and differentiate below. Each state has regulations surrounding these fees, so be sure to brush up on your state’s laws before charging or paying a pet fee.
It’s important to note that service animals are exempt from pet-related fees, and attempting to charge a tenant a pet fee for their service animal would be illegal.
Application fee
Pet application fees are charges associated with applying for a pet in a rental property. These fees cover the administrative costs linked to reviewing the online pet screening application, assessing the pet’s suitability for the property, and potentially conducting additional checks through a third-party service. Application fees tend to be non-refundable.
Service animals and emotional support animals are exempt from pet fees, as they are not considered traditional pets under housing regulations. Landlords must accept these animals without charging any pet fees due to their verified assistance roles.
Pet deposit fee
Pet deposit fees for renters act as a kind of insurance policy, similar to how a security deposit safeguards against property damage. While the security deposit covers general wear and tear, the pet deposit specifically accounts for potential damages caused by the animal during the tenancy.
Both deposits aim to protect the landlord’s property, with the pet deposit focusing on any pet-related issues beyond the normal use of the rental space.
Implementing comprehensive pet policies can help ensure compliance with housing regulations and create a more pet-inclusive environment.
Pet rent
Pet rent for renters is an additional monthly fee, typically ranging from $25 to $75, charged by landlords to accommodate pets in rental properties. Legally considered a discretionary charge, landlords have the right to implement pet rent as compensation for potential pet-related wear and tear or added property maintenance costs associated with having a pet on the premises.
Implementing pet rent can also help property managers generate increased pet-related revenue.
Taking size, breed, and temperament into account
During the pet screening process, landlords carefully assess the prospective tenant's pet’s size, breed, and behavior in alignment with their pet policy. This comprehensive evaluation allows landlords to gauge how well the pet’s size and breed align with their property guidelines and to understand the pet’s behavioral traits that may impact communal living. For instance, some landlords may prohibit dogs over 75 pounds or dogs of a particular breed.
For landlords: It’s essential to be flexible with your pet’s breed restrictions — sometimes, a 100-pound rottweiler will be quieter and more docile than a 6-pound chihuahua. Every pet has the opportunity to be well-behaved under good ownership and with proper training, so evaluate pets on a case-by-case basis.
Can landlords legally forbid pets or certain dog breeds?
Landlords can legally prohibit certain pets or dog breeds in many parts of the country. Breed restrictions are usually based on insurance considerations, liability concerns, or perceived risk associated with certain breeds.
However, many states have deemed breed-specific legislation discriminatory. If you live in one of these 17 states, breed-specific legislation is illegal: Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Massachusetts, Nevada, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Utah and South Dakota.
Additionally, some animals are illegal to own on a state or federal level, so always double-check your local laws before housing an exotic pet. Pet policies, including pet rent and pet deposits, can help make properties more pet-inclusive while ensuring compliance with housing regulations.
Pet screening for apartments
Property management is important for landlords and tenants alike, especially when it comes to understanding pet screenings. These screenings help landlords decide if a tenant’s pet fits their rental property well. They ensure pets won’t cause problems like making too much noise or damaging the place.
For tenants, pet screenings mean finding a home where they and their pets are welcome without worrying about being asked to leave or facing complaints about them later. But it’s important to remember that having pets can sometimes bring challenges like noise or damage, which landlords must consider. Ultimately, pet screenings aim to create a peaceful and happy living environment for everyone involved.
Important Note: This post is for informational and educational purposes only. It should not be taken as legal, accounting, or tax advice, nor should it be used as a substitute for such services. Always consult your own legal, accounting, or tax counsel before taking any action based on this information.
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