In this video, Mendell Gosnell of Centurion Real Estate Management outlines the key considerations for landlords deciding whether to allow pets in their rental units. He presents the advantages—responsible pet owners often make excellent tenants, landlords can charge higher rent and security deposits, vacancies may fill faster, and pet‑owning renters tend to stay longer. He also details the drawbacks—potential odors, dander, costly damage, and neighbor nuisance issues such as barking. Gosnell advises landlords to implement a clear pet policy (e.g., breed restrictions, weight limits) and emphasizes that service animals are legally separate from pets, with distinct rights and responsibilities for both tenants and landlords. He concludes by encouraging owners to weigh these factors and contact Centurion for further guidance.
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Hi, my name is Mendell Gosnell with Centurion Real Estate Management. Today I'd like to talk to you about the question, "Should I accept pets in my rental property?" This is one of the questions that we get a lot from clients and potential clients, and generally not a question that I answer outright, but usually prefer to give some of the pros and cons and some of the things to consider and let the owner make their own decision for what's best for their rental property. And that's what I'll do today. Starting off with some of the pros is responsible pet owners do tend to be some of the greatest tenants that you'll ever have. If you do accept pets, you can sometimes charge more for rent and for security deposit, and you are likely to rent faster. Some reports and surveys do show that upwards of 60% or more of renters are pet owners, and so by eliminating these, you do potentially increase your length of vacancy and make it more difficult to rent your property depending on the market. Lastly, potential— you potentially increase the length of occupancy. Studies show that pet owners tend to stay longer, rent longer. Some of the cons: pets do have the potential to leave behind strong odor or dander that can be offensive and that future residents may find, may be allergic to, or find, or hypersensitive to. Potential pet damage can be costly to repair. And lastly, potential for becoming a nuisance to neighbors—think barking dogs. If you do accept pets, it's always a good idea to have a pet policy such as breed restrictions, weight limits, etc. And lastly, irregardless of your pet policy and what you decide, this does not apply to service animals, which by law are in a class by themselves. So very important to understand in regards to pets, pet policy, and service animals, both tenants and landlords have their respective rights and responsibilities. We hope this helps and We thank you for watching. If you have further questions, give us a call today here at Centurion Real Estate Management. Happy investing!
