Why are tenants still hiding the fact they own pets from their landlords?

Despite many landlords now willing to accept pets, some tenants are still keeping them a secret, new data reveals.

Property management tool FLK IT OVER have released research taken over the past two years, which shows some tenants are becoming pet owners halfway through their lease and choosing to hide it.

Research shows there are now one-in-four tenancy leases with a pet clause, compared to a decade ago when the “no pets” policy was the default.

In a change of approach, landlords want to maximise rent potential by attracting a broader market and than can mean tenants with pets, property manager and founder of FLK IT OVER, Andrew Colagiuri, said. He pointed out that “demand for pets in rentals is steadily increasing by three per cent a year since 2017”.

Mr Colagiuri noted that COVID-19 humanised a lot of industries, including real estate, and has “forced the big guys to consider the unique circumstances of individuals”.

He suggested landlords were aware that renters with pets often stay longer, are willing to pay more and are grateful for the property as it accommodates their animals.

So if the rental market is looking like it falls in tenants’ favour when it comes to pets, then why are some still choosing to keep their furry friends under the radar?

Mr Colagiuri said that some tenants are still convinced there are a lack of pet-friendly rentals, coupled with the competitive market that often sees multiple people applying for the same property.

“We are currently experiencing an extremely tight rental market with record low vacancies and significant pressure on price. Most properties available are attracting multiple applications. If all applications are equal, we are seeing owners default to applications without pets as it is not worth the risk,” he said.

Mr Colagiuri adds that tenants may find it a “time-consuming process to introduce a pet mid-rental with paperwork, photos and visits to real estate offices to get them approved”.

Across the states, tenants that get a pet midway through their lease are required to get approval in writing from their landlord.

“If a pet is kept on the premises and it has not been approved, it is up to the tenant, agent or homeowner to resolve this,” Mr Colagirui says.

“If they can’t negotiate a solution, it would be considered a breach of lease, and the outcome could be the tenant needing to re-house the pet or seek alternate accommodation.”

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