Your pet is a part of your family and there is no question about your pet coming with you when you move into a new apartment home. Many apartments allow pets into the rental unit whether it is an apartment flat, a townhome, or a single-family rental house, depending on the property’s allowances and limits. So you will need to check for each specific apartment’s regulations to see if they do or do not allow pets into the property. The following recommendations can help you with your search for the right pet-friendly apartment.
Get Renter’s Insurance
Whenever you bring a pet with you into a new rental situation, a landlord can be hesitant to rent to you based on the risk of your pet damaging their property. And especially if a landlord has previously had a tenant who had a pet that caused damage to the property, including damage to the carpeting, wood framing, and yard landscaping. But when a landlord allows pets into their rental, they are going to be more accepting of your pet when you let them know you will have renters insurance.
A renters insurance policy is going to cover most types of injury that your dog causes to someone else, and will cover damage to someone else’s property inside your rental or in a nearby yard. Be sure you check with your insurance agent to answer any questions about the coverage and its liability limits. Then let your landlord or property manager know about the renter’s insurance and its coverage.
Prepare For the Pet Rental Costs
Along with renters insurance and the coverage it provides, you should also be willing and ready to pay for a pet deposit. Some landlords will charge an additional pet rent for your pet to live on the property, so be prepared to pay for this in addition to the apartment’s base rent. So, for example, if your apartment rent is $1050 and the pet rent is $25 per month, you will need to pay a total of $1075 each month.
With a new rental lease contract, a pet-friendly apartment will require you to pay a pet deposit in addition to a regular security deposit. A security deposit covers extra costs at the end of your lease and any unpaid rent or damages, but an additional deposit is needed to cover any damage your pet causes to the unit.
A pet deposit may not be as large as your security deposit, but it will provide protection to pay for any pet-related damage to the apartment. For example, if your dog accidentally damages a section of the carpeting near the door when they tried to “dig” their way outside, the carpeting will need to be repaired and the deposit will cover this cost.
