It's estimated that 97% of pet owners view their pets as family. There's no denying that pet owners are often devoted to their dogs and cats. For proof, all one needs to do is look at rental and home-buying habits.
Most owners will search out specific apartments and home communities that accept pets when searching for property. Allowing pets in a community opens up your property to these prospective buyers and improves resident retention.
However, they can also create some trouble in Columbus properties. That's why it's important to set some ground rules for the dos and don'ts of pet ownership in a community.
Do: Charge More for Rent
If you're looking for renters in an apartment community, it's important to charge more for rent. This can be either in the form of one-time or monthly pet fees. Or, you can simply bake the cost into the rent. This rent increase isn't for the privilege of having pets.
It's for the increased maintenance costs from pet damages that affect both the property and the surrounding HOA community. This can come in the form of scratched floors and walls, hair in the HVAC system, and more clean-up required on community grounds.
Don't: Ignore Service Animals
Even if you don't allow pets in your community, it's vital to familiarize yourself with both the federal and local laws surrounding service animals.
According to the government, service animals require accommodation in any type of community, whether that's for rental properties or HOAs that may otherwise exclude them. Otherwise, you could face a lawsuit. Make sure to check out the official definition of service animals that we have here in Ohio.
Do: Create Policies for Pets in a Community
If you don't establish policies in your pet-friendly community, then owners will believe they have free reign to do whatever they want with their animals.
Some sensible pet policies include things like requiring leashes whenever the animals are outside, picking up after any pet waste, and limiting the number of animals per household or the type of animals allowed.
Different communities will have different expectations surrounding pet policies, so it's important to engage with residents to get feedback on the rules you put forth.
Don't: Rule Out an Association Management Service
There are a lot of reasons why you should consider a Columbus Community Association management service for dealing with pets in your community. For one thing, these professionals can provide maintenance services to keep your community pristine despite pets in the area.
They can also deal with enforcing any rules and policies you have regarding animals in the HOA. Plus, this type of association management can provide a lot of other services, from accounting and reporting to compliance and inspections.
Need Help Running Your Columbus Community? Contact PMI Scioto Metro
We hope this guide helped you learn what you should and shouldn't do when allowing pets in a community. While renting and selling homes to people with pets can increase your tenant and owner pool, they can also create a lot more work.
Whether you need help with pet-related maintenance, or rule enforcement within your community, PMI Scioto Metro is here to help. Get in touch with us today to learn about how we can make pet ownership in your community a breeze.
