Pets and Their Vacation Homes and Condos: The Real Truth

So you bought a vacation home or condo and are now trying to decide whether to allow pets. Ask yourself these questions:

Will I get more bookings if I allow pets in my vacation home?

Will tenants not want to rent my vacation home because I allow pets in my home?

Do Pets Really Hurt Vacation Rentals?

If I say pets are not allowed, can I really enforce that rule?

What kind of pets should I allow if I decide to allow them?

How many pets should I allow?

Am I trying to rent my vacation home to guests with pet allergies?

If I decide to allow pets, what should I do to minimize the associated risks?

After all, should I allow pets?

Here are my tips and advice based on 8 years of experience and owning 7 vacation rentals.

Will I get more bookings if I allow pets in my vacation home?

Our experience has been that allowing pets has increased our rents. If you reject pets, you will lose rentals for anyone who wants to vacation with their pet. It becomes a matter of balancing the number of rentals lost due to pet rejection, with the number of rentals lost due to renters with allergies. They may not be willing to stay if you สัตว์น่าเลี้ยง in your rental home. However, please note that we have rules regarding the type of pet, the number of pets, and the activity of pets. We also have tenants who bring pets and have them sign a pet policy.

Will tenants not want to rent my home because I allow pets in my vacation home?

Some renters will already have in mind that pet-friendly vacation rentals are dirty, smelly, and run-down. You won't be able to change your mind, so don't even bother trying. These tenants would probably be problem tenants anyway. Some renters with allergies will also avoid your home, but in our experience there are fewer of these than pet owners.

Do Pets Really Hurt Vacation Rentals?

While some pets do, the vast majority do not harm vacation rentals. You wouldn't even know that a pet has been there. Most pet owners who travel with their pets have clean, well-kept homes. They expect their pets to behave well in their own home and on vacation. These types of tenants will always ask if they can bring their pet into their home. These are not the tenants and pets you need to worry about. The pets you should be careful of are those that are not used to traveling or even being indoors.

Unfortunately, there are some tenants who rarely admit that they are bringing a pet because they anticipate damage or at least a disaster. Protecting yourself with a good pet policy is more effective than simply banning pets. Banning them will not ensure that tenants won't bring them in anyway and try to sneak in.