Moving is never easy, but moving with your pet brings a lot of issues. Finding a pet-friendly rental home is the biggest one of all. That’s not an easy task. Most of the landlords just don’t want any pets living in their property. That doesn’t mean that those people don’t like animals – they just don’t want them in their home. They are afraid of the damage that pet can make, cleanliness, noise.

Sometimes you will be feeling like it’s easier just to buy a property, but buying a house brings many important questions that you maybe aren’t prepared for at this moment. There are a lot of pros and cons of renting a property, but you shouldn’t give up on that just because it’s a little harder to find a pet-friendly rental home. That said, it maybe seems so, but it’s not impossible. It only requires more organization from your side, more creative search approach and maybe more money.

 Pointers for finding a pet-friendly rental home:

• Start early – finding an ideal new home takes time. Finding the pet-friendly rental home will take twice as long, in the best case. So you have to start your search as soon as possible. That way, you will have more options and you wouldn’t come into the situation where you have to settle for the home that doesn’t fulfill all of your criteriums.
• Think small – When you are looking for a pet-friendly rental home, it’s best to look for rentals that the owner is managing instead of large apartment complexes. Property managers who have hundreds of units to oversee will be less open to your terms than the individual owners that are usually more willing to negotiate.
• Be creative when searching for your new rental home –  Many individual landlords don’t want to pay a listing service, but instead just hang the sign “for rent” on their window, so pay attention to them. Also, social networks are a great way to reach many people. Share the specifics of what you are looking for, and there is a big chance that someone will contact you.
• Be responsible – Make sure your pets are vaccinated, spayed or neutered, healthy and well-behaved. Bring a landlord proof of that in the form of the documentation signed by a veterinarian or the diploma from the obedience school if your pet has one.
• Make a pet CV – If your pet doesn’t have an award or diploma of the good behavior, that’s fine. Show in in the best light. List its qualities, provide references and share its cute pictures. If you have kids, be sure to include photos of them with your pet.

Think like a homeowner and get ready to pay

Before you get mad because someone doesn’t want to rent you an apartment or a home because you have a pet, think about it from their perspective.

Put yourself in their shoes.

Ask yourself why most landlords don’t want to rent to pet-owners. They are concerned about the damage that your pet may inflict on their property, cleanliness and also insurance policies.

You can change their mind if you offer a pet deposit, a positive reference from your last landlord, and carry your own renter’s insurance. That way, you are eliminating some of the biggest obstacles a homeowner may have.

If you offer a pet deposit, you can convince a landlord to rent you his home. It won’t be cheap, but make sure that it’s refundable. That way you will show that you are a responsible owner, and the landlord will have cash guarantee in the case that your pet damage the rental.

Choose your new neighborhood wisely

There are a lot of tips for easy and simple moving, but choosing the right neighborhood should be high on your list of priorities.

Moving to a neighborhood that it’s not suitable for pets will be a big mistake. Maybe your new landlord wouldn’t have a problem with your pet, but what about your neighbors?

If you are moving to a building where you are the only one with a pet, that can impair the dynamic of the community.

People that don’t have pets in their surroundings won’t be so open for their behavior.
They can complain about the noise, about the smell, about the length of its leash – you name it.
You really don’t need that drag.
That is why you should target neighborhoods that are pet-friendly. Will it be downtown or suburbia, depend on your needs, but take your pets needs into the consideration too. Your pet will surely be happier in the place that has a doggy park and where there are other pets. You are your pets whole world, but it still needs to socialize with other pets.

Get it in writing

After you find a perfect pet-friendly rental home and negotiate your terms, be sure to put it in writing. Be sure to sign a pet addendum to your rental agreement. That way both sides are legally protected.

Verbal approval won’t be enough if your lease has a no-pets clause.
Make sure that no-pet clause is removed from the lease before you sign it. Also check if the clause is removed from the landlord’s copy, too.
If you have agreed about the pet deposit, it should be mentioned in the leas. Discuss deposits and monthly pet-related fees in advance and have these fees put into writing.

If there is a house rule about the pets, request the copy. Convince the landlord that you are planning to follow these rules and that you’ll make sure that your pet is not an inconvenience for other tenants.

Be honest

No matter how long you need to find a pet-friendly rental home, or how overwhelming it may be, the worst thing that you can do is to sneak your pet in.

Keeping a pet without a landlords approval is a serious violation. The one that can lead to eviction or even have some legal consequences.