Renting a house, are dogs ever welcome?

Molasses

Molasses

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Hello to the “All about Dogs” folk :D

We’re soon to be moving to England (herts/beds area) from Ireland thanks to a great job offer. So I need to find a house anywhere from St.Albans to Stevenage to Leighton Buzzard to Milton Keynes that welcomes a dog.
Is it possible?

Is there anywhere in particular I should be looking ?
Or any particular tactic to use to avoid the ‘no pets’ stipulation?

The dog is question is a rescue of questionable heritage. She’s a collie-X (more or less) and found us as an unwanted puppy on April Fools day 3 years ago (little did we understand the significance of that:p)
We absolutely couldn’t live without her. We choose her from other rescues as she looked like she’d grow into being the active sort (we’re sporty people) but there’s something odd in her genetic make up and she seems to prefer to sleep….all…day…!
She has manners to boot as she’s grown up around horses, cattle and farm machinery so knows how to mind p's and q's and has the best recall and is far far too clever at plotting to get something if she wants it.
Any advise on finding dog-friendly rentals?

And as I couldn’t not post a pic :o
Introducing April Fool, you wouldn’t believe how much her name suits her :rolleyes:
april-3.jpg


apriltable.jpg


aprilwet.jpg
 
Hi, and what a gorgeous doglet!! any chance there could be some skinny dog lurcher in there making her enjoy the sleeping all day??

I currently rent and my landlord has accepted 2 dogs 1 cat and soon to arrive 3 chickens! I think I was just very lucky, however one thing I know people have done in the past is offer increased deposits on rental as well as stipulating in the contract to agree professional carpet cleaning x times during the rental period etc.

Best of luck!
 
Hello, welcome:) Gorgeous dog!:D

It's not easy finding a let that takes pets, but it is possible. Firstly, I would get references for your dog to show that you are responsible - from existing landlords if possible, or trainers, vets etc. You will probably need to consider offering more deposit. I think that showing you have insurance to cover any damage that might done would help, and also offer to have the place deep-cleaned when you move out.
 
It is definitely harder but is possible to find rentals allowing dogs.

Usually the deposit is higher or 6 months rental up front is quite a carrot.

Personally I would try a rural cottage type rental as they in the main almost expect animals whereas the BTL owner with the bog standard 2 bed flat on an estate is less tolerant.
 
Hedwards - thank you, anything is possible with this little madam, i think she is the genuine Heinz 57 dog:o . Good to hear it's at least possible :)

Spudlet - thank you, great suggestions to help start negotiations with possible landlords :) Ireland is a bit laissez-faire about letting with pets e.g. the landlords couldn't give a fig as most rental properties are falling down and leaking and a dog probably improves most of them:rolleyes:
 
Wellll.... I rent out a house (using a letting agent) and always say that pets are welcome!

I think there is a stipulation in the contract that if anyone does have a pet, then they must at their own expense pay for the carpets to be cleaned professionally before they move out plus there is a deposit held to the effect that if anything like walls etc damaged (by scratching for instance) then that will be forfeit.

I have never had any problems with pets!!! ............. its the people that are the problem NOT the animals ....!! :) LOL. But seriously, it is.
 
You would be better off looking in local papers- not easy when you are not local tho! Local websites maybe, or definately anywhere that agents are not involved. Our landlady said NO to a dog for a whole year (despite there being a dog here with previous tenents grrr)... so I just asked on a weekly basis (oh how the management company loved me!!!)- it was not until I said I would not re sign our tennancy for another year that she caved in- the ginger gobshite arrived a week later!
 
Sorry, no advice about property rentals - I don't even live in UK! ;):D

However, I simply couldn't pass up the chance to say what a grand looking gal your April Fool is! And I do agree with Hedwards - deffo Lurcher lurking in there somewhere! ;)

Looking forward to seeing more of your beautiful girl. :D
 
thanks lexiedhb, not that different to here then,
Agents seem to hate dog people, whereas local landlords are easier to talk to one on one. strangely agents think a family with kids are better than a working couple with one dog:confused: odd when you think about it:confused:
 
Its hard but certainly do-able. I would relish the opportunity to find a property allowing just one dog, that would be worlds easier than my last 2 moves needing to accomodate 4 dogs...quite a task! But again even that is possible. Recommend trying to get a reference from previous landlords, offering a double deposit (if you offer sometimes just the fact you have offered is enough, I offered but never paid a double deposit on this place), carpet cleaning promise is another bargining point. Far easier to find a property without an agent involved, some smaller letting only agents in rural areas are more realistic but the 'big' agents in towns and cities pretty much laugh at the thought of a dog in one of their properties! Good luck, I'm sure you will find somewhere no problems.
BTW love your dog and welcome!
 
the firs ttime I rented with a dog they put a thing in teh contract to say the floors had to be professionally cleaned. The second time was in a rush and the landlord technically doesn't know I have a dog :o
 
I'm trying to move at the moment, I'm not finding it TOO difficult. I'm having to pay a higher deposit and agree to professional carpet cleaning (and provide proof) when I leave but I'll probably do it once a year.
 
I moved at the start of this year and in my previous home, it was in the contract that carpets had to be professionally cleaned (and this was without a dog). They point blank refused any pets.

My current home is so much better, found through an agent and I asked about pets where they phoned the owner and then let us know that the owner had agreed to a dog - better than a pot smoking hippie was their words :) and the rent is cheaper than the previous house. It is doable, it's just finding places.
 
If I was to rent my house out then I think I'd be certainly more open to having dogs than someone moving in with their cats - that smell is VERY hard to get rid of!!! No idea about the area you're moving to but I do love your dog!!
 
I have a house that I rent out and would rather the tenants had a dog than children!
It was much the same when I rented it out for summer lets, found walls scribbled on and other damage done by children but never had a dog even pee in the house.
 
Not impossible. My mate has an American Doberman in her very posh rental. Just get deciding where you want to be! St Albans is expensive, Stevenage has chewinggum boards in the town, I'd frankly rather shoot my hand off than live there. Leighton Buzzard is excellent value, I can ask my colleague who moved there recently to give me info.

Hemel Hempstead isn't bad, cheap, really horsey. Watford is quite busy, parts are worse than others (ask me!). The M1 will be fab to get to work as you'll be against traffic if going north to it and south away from it if you're working standard hours. Going south on a morning and I'm telling you, you're screwed on it or the A1!

North Herts might be the cheaper, more availability option re rentals and livery.
 
Whats his nationality got to do with it CT? Surely the landlords arent fussed with dogs race and colour :p :D I've got an Hungarian American English Welsh French dog in my house....and shes ginger! :p But none of my landlords have ever asked to see her passport and visa :p :D
 
Vizslak said:
Whats his nationality got to do with it CT? Surely the landlords arent fussed with dogs race and colour :p :D I've got an Hungarian American English Welsh French dog in my house....and shes ginger! :p But none of my landlords have ever asked to see her passport and visa :p :D
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Because her dog is fricking massive. Some landlords she approached immediately said no due to the dog's size. Dunno :confused: think they would have been ok about a little bitty lap dog. This is purely from what she said to me.

She had somewhat of a tricky time initially until she got to know a few landlords. The dog is also mental. It would help if she ever walked the poor b****r. :(
 
CaveCanem said:
I'm looking around at the mo too - I hope there are no signs saying 'No blacks, no Irish, no dogs' or I will be really screwed - he's all three!!!!!
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oh golly all of us are screwed if they say that :o
well the irish and dog bit anyway:D

thanks for all the advise on areas to concentrate on, very helpful
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Wellll.... I rent out a house (using a letting agent) and always say that pets are welcome!

I think there is a stipulation in the contract that if anyone does have a pet, then they must at their own expense pay for the carpets to be cleaned professionally before they move out plus there is a deposit held to the effect that if anything like walls etc damaged (by scratching for instance) then that will be forfeit.

I have never had any problems with pets!!! ............. its the people that are the problem NOT the animals ....!! :) LOL. But seriously, it is.
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This, although to my knowledge none of my tenants have had pets yet.
 
cinammontoast said:
Because her dog is fricking massive. Some landlords she approached immediately said no due to the dog's size. Dunno :confused: think they would have been ok about a little bitty lap dog. This is purely from what she said to me.

She had somewhat of a tricky time initially until she got to know a few landlords. The dog is also mental. It would help if she ever walked the poor b****r. :(
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Thats weird Europeans are normally substantially larger than Americans, they are known for being much lighter boned and smaller!
Ah yes well behaved doggies are generally more welcome than mental ones I guess!
 
Vizslak said:
Thats weird Europeans are normally substantially larger than Americans, they are known for being much lighter boned and smaller!
Ah yes well behaved doggies are generally more welcome than mental ones I guess!
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She says it's AMerican, I have no idea about Dobes. Its mahoosive. It peed off big dog so badly trying to run him down that for the first time ever, he turned round, growled and bit him! :eek:
 
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