Tenants push for pets

Tenants are calling for more pet friendly homes in the latest State Government review of strata management laws.

Camperdown, Australia (prHWY.com) March 8, 2012 - Tenants are calling for more pet friendly homes in the latest State Government review of strata management laws.

The Department of Fair Trading is conducting community consultations online in a bid to revise strata management laws - by asking tenants about the changes they would like to see made.

Pets have become one of the biggest issues in the online forums where more tenants increasingly pushing for more strata managed properties that provide pet friendly accommodation.

This comes as no surprise to Exchange licensee and real estate expert, Ian Comyns, who has watched the rising demand for pet friendly properties develop over the past decade.

"There definitely is a demand for it and it certainly must be difficult for people with pets," Comyns said.

Australia has the highest incidence of pet ownership in the world according to recent figures from the Australian Companion Animal Council (ACAC).

The ACAC's latest report has revealed that two thirds of Australians are now pet owners, with 66 per cent owning either a cat or a dog.

"Whilst a lot of tenants do have pets, they are invariably aware that they're going to rule themselves out from the majority of properties just by having pets," Comyns said.

"In the instances where our owners do allow pets, we do get photographs and references of the pets, just as we would for people," Comyns said.

"I know of one building in Crows Nest where they are actually pet friendly and they advertise the fact that they're pet friendly.

"They believe that this helps them to attract tenants and buyers to their property, so the owners who have taken the decision to make the whole building pet friendly can see some advantages," Comyns said.

Under the current strata laws, tenants can only keep pets if they have been allowed under a tenancy agreement.

"Even if the bylaws were changed so that pets are not banned, it wouldn't prevent an individual owner from banning pets from their own lot," Comyns said.

From a property management perspective, Comyns knows that the disadvantages of allowing pets in strata managed buildings far outweigh the advantages.

"You've got to imagine the management issues," Comyns said. "Imagine if you were living in the floor of a building and half of the units had dogs and all of those dogs barked, and let's face it, most dogs do bark. How would you feel?"

"It'd be a noise management issue and then you'd have to complain. Strata management would then have to go back to the tenant and the owner of that lot because of complaints about your pet."

Comyns believes that pets can not only become a noise issue, but can also cause damage to the property as well.

Common issues that arise from pets living indoors include scratches on polished floors and walls as well as ruined carpets that could involve costly repairs and cleaning.

"The [pet's] smell can permeate carpets and be virtually impossible to eliminate, resulting in replacement of the carpet," Comyns said.

"If the owner sought replacement cost in the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal they would need expert evidence to support their claim that the carpet smell was due to animals.

"So you've got to think about the sanitary issue as well, while not being a nuisance to neighbours," Comyns added.

"The reality is if you're renting a property it's best not to have pets."

Ian Comnys is the owner and Director of Exchange property, Exchange property sales & management is a Sydney based property management company helping you in selling your home or renting out a property in Sydney's inner west.

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Tag Words: property management

Categories: Real Estate

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