Work As A Property Manager That Allows Pets? 3 Ways To Reduce Issues With Tenants

Posted on: 17 October 2017

As a property manager, it's your responsibility to provide a safe and comfortable space for your tenants to live in. If you or the actual owner of the properties have decided to allow pets in the apartment units, it becomes so important to look into what you can do to reduce potential conflicts due to the pets.

If you are unsure of what specific rules to make for the tenants, consider the following tips and how they can make a difference in tenant satisfaction.

Provide a Dog Relief Outdoor Space

One of the biggest complaints property managers receive from tenants in a building that allows pets is a lack of a relief space outside. Dogs relieving themselves outside can lead to plants dying and foul odors. This can be even more problematic when tenants leave waste instead of immediately picking it up.

Setting up a small grassy outside with clear signage and a dispenser with waste bags and a nearby trash can will make all the difference. Providing this kind of outdoor space can ensure that tenants will have a designated space to bring their dog and you can ensure that everyone uses the space as intended.

Avoid Carpeting in the Units

When you begin making design choices for the apartment units, it is often best to focus on features that will make the units as easy to maintain as possible. Carpeting in the units can quickly lead to issues such as bad odors and the carpet fibers being ripped up by tenant dogs and cats.

Hardwood flooring can be a smart alternative, along with laminate or tile flooring. With bare flooring instead of carpeting, you won't need to worry as much about pets causing damage that will lead to the floors needing to be ripped out and replaced after the tenant has moved out.

Have Strict Guidelines Over Pet Weight

Setting rules for what kinds of pets are allowed is a good start as a property manager that wants the apartment units to be kept in good shape. Along with considering what pets should be allowed, it is a good idea to have guidelines over how much pets should weigh. While cats will not be an issue in this way, dogs can quickly become too large in order for the tenants to easily manage them.

As you prepare for having tenants that will be bringing their pets along, you can begin to make rules and any adjustments so that the units are not harmed by pets being present. With the tips above, you won't need to worry about pets causing trouble. 

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