A lot of pet owners do not realise what a powerful tool the Pet CV is when applying for a pet friendly rental in the UK. A large percentage of people when renting with dogs for example, do not realise that Pet CV’s exist, let alone make a difference. Even estate agents look at you twice when you mention you have a Pet CV.
Why does a Pet CV help? When a landlord sees a Pet CV they visualise a responsible pet owner, who will look after their property. They have gone to the effort to put down all their details about their pets. It shows how important to them their dogs and cats are. They are part of the family. The principle is the same as a normal employment CV. The better it is collated the more impressive you come across as a potential employee.
Pets Lets secured a property for a client in February 2022 against another relocation agent and two parties without pets. A little surprised we ask the estate agent how? The response was the landlord loves pets, loved your Pet CV and the package you put together. We were not the highest offer either. The main thing with a Pet CV is that the images of your cute pets, can be the difference between a landlord saying yes or no to pets. A cute image(s) of your pets can ‘win’ people over. I have witnessed it. Best not to have a picture of your dog chewing anything or a cat clawing something. That would have a negative effect with a landlord.
Only when you see the sweet images of the dogs and cats, can you then see how unlikely those pets will ‘destroy’ the property. Whether you let to any tenant with or without a dog or cat, it is luck of the draw. As a landlord, experience in property, gives you that ability to know from ‘gut instinct’.
People renting with dogs tend to stay longer as they appreciate the ‘pet friendly roof over their heads’. Sharers are known for creating damage, something we have witnessed at Pets Lets. There is no fixed rule of thumb, and all landlords have their preferences. In an ideal world they would rather rent to someone who is hardly veer in the property, minimal wear and tear.
For more information about renting with dogs and pet cv’s, there is the Dog’s Trust Lets with Pets website.) Very informative with plenty of tips about looking for pet friendly accommodation. The UK property market is complicated enough as it is; when you add dogs or cats to rental properties, it makes it very much more focused as according to UK government statistics only 7% of UK landlords are actually pet friendly when it comes to their properties.
However, steps by the UK government to make it easier for pet owners to rent are merely suggestive and not enforced legally.
Stand Out Amongst the Crowd
Again just like a normal CV, it is about your USP (unique selling point). With landlords, as a pet owner, you are at the back of the queue.
You need to find ways of jumping that queue and getting to the front. A Pet CV is one of the tolls to achieve that. This interesting article from Australis on pet resume tips give a few more pointers as to what to include in a pet cv and achieving that objective of securing your pet friendly rental, whether it is in the UK or in any other country. The concerns of landlords renting to people with dogs or cats is a global one. It is just more ‘entrenched’ in some countries than others. Something that is slowly improving.
Successful Pet CV Case Study
February 2022 We secured two properties in sealed bids for clients. One had two dogs and the other two dogs, a cat and a hedgehog. The majority of those who we bid against did not have pets. Against the odds we secured the properties for our clients. Sometimes you have to find the angle to stand out amongst the crowd Some of the reasons why we succeeded:
- One client ran her own doggie day care business. Therefore, we emphasised that our client was a professional in the pet sector and the pets were therefore well trained.
- The pets were not puppies so unlikely to chew any furniture, more likely to sleep most of the day.
- Flexible on move in date and longer length of tenancy, keeping a year break clause in case.
- One of the landlords in particular loves pets and loved the CV. That helped secure the property for the client.
*Read between the lines. What is important to that particular landlord? Is it price driven, longevity, a couple over sharers? Was this the landlords home so there is an emotional attachment or is this a figure driven buy to let only?
How a pet friendly landlord reference helps
The landlord reference is important because it is a recommendation from a fellow landlord. Apart from credit check and a brief meeting (via an agent), how well do you know a potential tenant? At least a previous landlord reference which says that the tenants pets did not cause any damage and they looked after the property and were responsible pet owners, gives any landlord and agent that bit more of a reassurance. Tenants with pets, with children, young professionals and so on, can all potentially cause damage or be irresponsible. Anything to reassure a landlord is a bonus.
Benefits of a pet friendly relocation agent
Estate agents talk their ‘own language’. They like dealing with other professionals. It makes their life easier, and the deal is more likely to go through whether you are renting or buying with pets. The relocation agent will guide everything and deal with any issues that arise. Relocation agents vet their clients in advance and make sure all is in order including proof of funds. Preparation is key in a fast-moving market. At Pets Lets, we won’t take on clients that we don’t feel we can help. We look to find out all about the property requirements, location preferences, budgets as well as number and breed of pet(s). A UK relocation agent helps you ‘jump the queue’ when it comes to getting a property.
Great blogs on advice moving to the UK with dogs and cats
Here are a couple of informative blogs on moving with a dog or with your pets. They are written by people who have themselves experienced relocating with your pet to the UK. Abroad purpose is an informative expat lifestyle blog which is well worth reading. The Portable Wife is a great travel blog which amongst many topics covers relocating with a pet to the UK from the US. Again worth looking at.
This article was written by Russell Hunt, Founder of Pets Lets, who has over 25 years’ experience as an estate agent as well as a London search agent.
Pets Lets is a UK pet friendly property portal where landlords consider pets. There is no obligation to say yes to pets; just give it a go renting to tenants with pets. Consider a tenant with a small dog or a house cat. If the property is pet friendly and the building, if not freehold, allows pets, then open your door to a huge UK pet friendly property market.
For pet owners, based in the UK as well as overseas, we also offer a Relocation Service. We go through what you are looking for, come up with suggestions, source pet friendly properties through contacts, as well as negotiate on the rent and make sure all is in order with the tenancy agreement and includes a pets clause.
At Pets Lets we are so passionate about renting with pets, that we set up the Pets & Property Tips Facebook Group to offer fellow pet owners advice about the UK pet friendly rental market.