If you’ve tried to rent a house or apartment recently with a pet, you already know that in a lot of cases the odds are stacked against you.
However, there’s a growing number of renters who are going the extra mile to promote their furry friends to prospective landlords, by creating a separate ‘pet resume’ and attaching it to their rental application to pump up their pooch’s chances of being accepted.
Agents say it will often be the difference between an owner allowing a pet to move in and having them say no.
Currently, rental application site 1form allows tenants to upload a cover letter and pictures of their pets.
So if you’re putting together a pet resume what should it include?
Pet resume basics
Sam Nokes from Jellis Craig South Yarra says that first and foremost, your pet resume should have a cover letter that helps agents and landlords get to know your pet.
“Size, weight, breed – those things are very handy,” Nokes says.
“It is something the landlords appreciate when they’re considering it. It’s a great way of swaying a landlord that’s pretty 50-50 about pets.”
References
Nokes says probably the most important things to include are independent references.
“Things that are good are letters or a note from the current agent to say that the property’s been good with inspections, there’s no pet damage, no smells or anything like that,” Nokes says.
“A note or reference from the neighbours is always a good one, saying they haven’t had any issues with the pets – they’re the two main issues, so it’s really about addressing those: Noise and damage or smells.”
Photographs
Some landlords are concerned about the size of the animal. Picture: Getty
Without an indication of what a pet looks like, an agent or prospective landlord might be reluctant to accept an animal, sight unseen.
Biggin & Scott Richmond’s Jenn Durling says attaching a couple of photos is the best way to demonstrate a dog’s size and show that it’s unlikely to cause any property damage.
“It’s certainly helpful. I don’t know anything about dogs, I’m not a dog person, so when someone says they have a dog on an application, it means nothing to me, but if I can see a photo and I can see it’s a small dog then I can relay that information to the owner,” Durling says.
Nokes adds that it can also pay to include a photo of the area the dog sleeps, to show that the area is well kept.
A personal touch
Try to make the application and your pet memorable. Picture: Getty
Both Nokes and Durling say including something a little bit memorable will not only potentially endear the animal to a landlord, but also put your application at the front of an agent’s mind.
“We often see funny photos,” Nokes says.
“We might see the last three years of the Christmas card that’s got the dog in it, we’ll see the wedding photo that’s got the dog in it. They’re just trying to show you that this isn’t a dog that they just leave at the property, this is an animal that is part of their life that they respect and look after.”
Durling says she’ll never forget some of the applications that cross her desk.
“Some of them make them look like dating ads. They put a real story behind it and they’re very, very witty.”
“When I’m just looking at application after application, when someone puts something in that’s a little bit amusing, I quite like it, and it sets them apart.”
Pick up the phone
Durling also advises renters to speak to agents to introduce themselves and explain their pet situation.
“If you’re sending you’re dog off to your mum and dad’s while you’re at work, that’s really important information for the owner of the property to be aware of.”
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