When you own an investment property in Nashville, you must understand and comply with a host of laws. Some of these refer to allowing service and support animals in your rental property.
So, whether you own a pet-friendly property or not, it's a good idea to brush up on the rules that apply to you when a tenant wants to bring an animal into your rental home.
Keep reading for an overview of how service animals, support animals, and pets affect you as a Nashville landlord.
Allowing Pets in a Rental Property
Deciding whether to allow pets on your property is entirely up to you. No laws prevent landlords from implementing a no-pet policy when renting their homes.
Pets can cause problems for landlords by damaging their property, digging up gardens, causing noise disturbances, or even biting neighbors. However, allowing your tenants to keep pets also has several benefits.
Regular property inspections and strict tenant screening can help reduce some of these risks.
Most pet owners consider their pets a part of their family, so they will go the extra mile to accommodate them. Thanks to the scarcity of suitable pet-friendly properties, they're often willing to pay more for a home that allows pets.
Likewise, pet-loving families are more likely to take good care of the property to renew their leases, so they don't have to start the search for a pet-friendly home over again.
What Are Service Animals?
Service animals are not pets. They're highly trained dogs, or sometimes miniature horses, that perform specific tasks for a person with a mental, physical, or psychological disability.
Some of these tasks include:
- Helping blind people navigate the world
- Identifying sounds for deaf people
- Assisting wheelchair-bound people to get around
All over the world, service animals may access almost any place their owners are allowed to go, and the same applies to your rental home.
If a person with a service animal applies to rent your property, you cannot discriminate against them based on this, and you may not charge them a pet deposit either.
Where do Support Animals Fit In?
Emotional support animal laws are a little hazier, but they are classified as assistance animals like service dogs are. Support animals can be almost any species, but the role is most often filled by dogs, too.
Some of them are highly trained, but the main difference when comparing emotional support vs. service animals is that emotional support animals don't perform specific tasks. Their role is usually one of supporting someone with a psychological issue, like anxiety or depression.
They help these people cope with their fears and manage stressful situations. If a tenant wishes to house one of these creatures, they must produce an emotional support animal letter specifying their need for the ESA and signed by a medical professional.
Landlords must provide the same concessions for support animals as for service animals.
Make the Best Choices for Your Properties
Whether you're deciding to allow pets or dealing with the vagaries of service and support animals, it helps to have a team of professionals by your side.
Green Tree Property Management can offer you expert guidance and assistance every step of the way. Our full range of property management services and expert guidance help you maximize your rental property under any circumstances.
Reach out for answers to all your property management questions.
