Rental Applications & Pet Resumes

With the additional wear and tear a pet can do to a rental property, a lot of landlords have gone to strict "NO PETS, NO EXCEPTIONS" policies.  So as a well qualified tenant looking for a new rental, what can you do when your fur baby is limiting your options?  As a realtor that represents tenants, when I see a rental that I know will be a good fit for my client, but then see "NO PETS" in bold type, I will often reach out to the landlord to see if there is any flexibility in their "NO PETS" policy.  For a tenant that has a strong application package with great credit, employment history, income verification and rental history, landlords have been known to bend their own rules and let Spike or Spot or Fritz the Cat move in.  They may require an additional pet security deposit, but you'll do anything for your four legged family member, right?  

So how do you improve the chances that your rental application is accepted when you are planning a move with a pet?  With a pet resume of course!  Being prepared ahead of time with the information suggested below will strengthen your chances of having your pet pass through the application process as easy as you did with your credit score over 750 (which by the way if your credit is so good, why are you renting?  We should be talking about buying! More on that later.).  

To start your pet's resume, get the basics in order.  It is recommended that all resumes start with this information:

• Pet’s name
• Age
• Breed
• Weight
• Proof of vaccinations
• Disclosure of any incidents
• Current photo

Mention any special training your pet has received and what traits make them such a good animal.  You can also add your vet's information so the landlord may contact them to confirm the details included in the resume.  

If you take the time to put your pet's best paw forward, you extra effort may pay off!