Landlords Urged To Look Out For Tell-Tale Signs Of Pet Damage

The boom in the rental market has led to a large number of former homeowners with pets looking for accommodation.  Many prospective tenants find it difficult to find landlords that will accept pets in their properties.  The result has been a rise in the number of ‘undeclared’ pets living in rented accommodation, with the landlord or agent, often none the wiser.

According to the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC), there are often tell-tale signs of pet damage to property and landlords and agents need to be vigilant about regularly checking their properties for signs of pets.

Many tenants will work hard to hide any signs of pets in advance of a visit from a landlord and agent. So landlords and agents need to be vigilant in looking for evidence - the most obvious being pet hairs on sofas, chairs and on curtain linings: claw marks/scratches on doors and door frames, table legs and kitchen cupboards; fluffing or threadpulls on carpets, especially at door ways; and outside, yellow patches on the lawn.

Pat Barber, Chair of the AIIC, said: “We have seen all kinds of pet damage over the years – some amounting to very expensive repairs.  More recently, we have seen a trend of outside pets becoming inside pets – especially rabbits.  They can create expensive damage to cables, doors and frames and furniture from chewing.  Many tenants will go to great lengths to conceal a pet from an agent or landlord as they are well aware they are breaking the terms of the tenancy agreement.

“Cats seem to cause the most problem in a property because they love sharpening their claws on every surface. A recent check-out concerned a flat with leather sofas. There were deep claw marks and pulls all around the base of both sofas, the back seams had been ripped open and cat hairs were matted under the seat cushions. The furniture was damaged well beyond repair and the tenant did not have permission to have a cat or any other pet in the flat. The result was that the tenant had to pay for two new sofas as they were both almost new at the start of the tenancy just 6 months previously.

“Our advice to landlords and agents is to be vigilant about checking the inside and outside of properties for pet damage.”

AIIC has put together guidelines to help agents and landlords spot pet damage:

• Regular visits to the property – ensure you make regular visits to the property, so that you can check the property over for damage on both the inside and the outside
• Pet Hair/Bird Feathers – check under the sofa cushions (as tenants often forget to vacuum here); linings of curtains, pelmets, curtain tops
• Pet stains – check under mats, tables, beds for pet stains
• Scratches – check furniture, doors and frames, kitchen cupboards for claw scratches
• Carpets – Look out for thread pulls and fluffing on carpets and rugs – especially in door ways
• Cables – check for damage from chewing – a favourite of pet rabbits
• Patches on the lawn – yellowing of the grass is often the sign of a cat or dog

The AIIC is committed to excellence and professionalism in the property inventory process and works hard to ensure that all landlords, tenants and letting agents understand the importance and benefits of professionally completed property inventories.

For further information, please visit www.theaiic.co.uk.