The results are in: Denver renters must love dogs! In a recent survey conducted by the National Multifamily Housing Council and Kingsley Associates, 40% of Denver renters are pet owners compared to the national average of 33%. Of those renters, 70% preferred dogs over cats.
Woof!
These results shed quite a bit of light on what a landlord or property management company can expect when advertising their rental property. With 40% of renters owning at least 1 pet, the odds of the question popping up at application time are pretty high. It can even be the first question we hear from time to time when an interested renter calls on a specific property. And many won’t even look at your property if it says “no pets” right off the bat. So it’s time to make a decision: pets or no pets?
So Then What About Fido?
If you’re not opposed to allowing pets in your rental home, let it be known! But there’s a few details that need to be worked out first. Decide first and foremost what type and how many you’ll allow in your property. Make sure to check with the HOA, if you have one, as some have restrictions on how many pets can be in a household. Are you ok with any size, age, breed, etc., or do you want to set restrictions? And then there’s the question of the fees. Pet deposit? Pet rent? Non-refundable fee? How much do you charge?
Make sure you have all the particulars ironed out beforehand and that you’re comfortable with how your property is advertised. If you’re not sure what you’re comfortable with, you can always put that pets may be negotiable in the ad to show that you’re at least open to the idea. Remember, Fido’s renting the home, too!
Service Animals Vs. Pets
It’s very important to remember that a Service Animal or Therapy/Companion Animal is not a pet. If a renter provides paperwork showing the animal is a registered Service Animal or has proof that they need the pet to help ease a certain disability (as defined by Federal Fair Housing’s definition) such as a letter from their therapist that says their cat, Fluffy, helps ease their anxiety disorder, you CANNOT charge a pet deposit or refuse to allow the animal in the property.
What Else Do Denver Renters Prefer?
A few other interesting stats came out in the report, too. Over 55.5% of renters in Denver are women. 59.1% of renters are between the ages of 24 and 44, 40% of them live alone, and 28.2% live with a spouse or partner. 58% of Denver renters prefer a rental with a fireplace, gas or wood-burning, and 42% expressed a desire for bike storage in comparison to the national average of 33%.
Check out the article here!
