Welcoming Pets Remains a Vexed Question

Although two-thirds of Australians own pets and renters make up close to one third of Australians, pet rental laws and rules differ around the country.

In some cases, pet ownership is discouraged, some lease agreements may include a clause that bans pets, and sometimes it is up to the landlord’s discretion.

In some states – Victoria and Queensland, for instance – tenants must fill out a pet request form and a landlord has the right to refuse based on legitimate reasons such as a pet being deemed dangerous or the premises not being appropriate because of size or security.

With pet-renters always a ‘hot’ topic, a report in March this year ranked Australia’s worst suburbs when it comes to accommodating tenants’ non-human companions.

The report from SuburbTrends analysed rental listings Australia-wide over a three-month period focusing on keywords such as ‘no pets’ or ‘no pets allowed’.

The research company then generated a ‘sad puppy score’ on a scale of one to five.

Australia’s ten least pet-friendly suburbs, according to the report, are:

• Oaklands Park, South Australia: 67 per cent ‘no pets’ – 0.5 per cent vacancy rate and a 13 per cent rent increase;
• Beresford, Western Australia: 65 per cent ‘no pets’ – 1.3 per cent vacancy rate and a six per cent rent increase;
• Nuriootpa, South Australia: 63 per cent ‘no pets’ – 0.9 per cent vacancy rate and a 19 per cent rent increase;
• Batemans Bay, NSW: 58 per cent ‘no pets’ – 2 per cent vacancy rate and a 15 per cent rent increase;
• Glenelg, South Australia: 55 per cent ‘no pets’ – 0.8 per cent vacancy rate and a 15 per cent rent increase;
• Newton, South Australia: 55 per cent ‘no pets’, – 0 per cent vacancy rate and a 14 per cent rent increase;
• Newport, South Australia: 54 per cent ‘no pets’ – 0.5 per cent vacancy rate and a 12 per cent rent increase;
• Lithgow, NSW: 50 per cent ‘no pets’ – 2.1 per cent vacancy rate and a 12 per cent rent increase;
• Lambton, NSW: 48 per cent ‘no pets’ – 0.7 per cent vacancy rate and an 11 per cent rent increase;
• Semaphore Park, South Australia: 48 per cent ‘no pets’ – 1.4 per cent vacancy rate and a 14 per cent rent increase.

SuburbTrends said the study highlighted the difficulties of renting with pets in Australia regarded of pets often viewed as an extended member of the family.

SOURCE: RE/MAX Australia