Brisbane vet Michael O’Donoghue has seen too many people have to give up, or put down, their pets because they could not find a rental property that welcomed animals.

"It’s very heart-breaking, people euthanising their beloved pet because they can’t find accommodation," he said.

The People and Pets veterinarian is pushing for more pet-friendly rental properties to be made available to encourage more families to adopt animals and stop the displacement of loved family members.

According to the RSPCA, 30 per cent of pets surrendered to the organisation are from owners who cannot find adequate accommodation.

Mr O’Donoghue’s effort to publicise the need for more pet-friendly rentals, and his ideas for homes to be built to be more welcoming to cats and dogs, have been praised by the celebrity vet Katrina Warren as part of a competition calling for ways to create a pet-friendly world.

His perspective is also shared by Tenants Union of Queensland coordinator Penny Carr, who said renters struggled to find properties that allowed pets and often had to settle for homes which were unsuitable in the short term while finding a new home.

"It’s really difficult and I think it is really unfair especially for kids who are denied having a pet as a child because of these unreasonable restrictions," she said.

The Residential Tenancies Authority states a tenant can only keep pets on a premises if their tenancy agreement states pets are allowed.

It does not allow landlords to make pet owners pay a larger bond.

Property Owners Association of Queensland president Bruce McBryde said, apart from body corporates and real estate agents warning against landlords allowing pets, owners were also wary of the cost of damage to their properties and the difficulties in recouping those costs.

He said it was difficult to get tenants to take responsibility for damage caused by pets to rental properties since the RTA allowed for no extra protection for landlords.

"Ideally if you really want to make landlords more pet friendly you need to change the regulations to allow them to take a bigger bond," Mr McBryde said.

"At least then the landlord would have more incentive."

Mr McBryde also suggested routine treatment for carpeted homes.

"Perhaps in the legislation it could be mandated that if you have carpet you would need to have a flea treatment before you leave the property, similar to how tenants have the carpets shampooed," he said.

Mr O’Donoghue was supportive of the idea of mandating flea treatments when a pet owner leaves a carpeted property.

But he did not believe dogs and cats were more destructive than children or teenagers.

"Generally a normal bond should cover any sort of damage a pet could possibly do, it is only going to be a scratch on the wall or replace a bit of carpet," he said.

"But I find in my own personal experience that young children are more destructive to houses than pets are."

Ms Carr agreed.

"Tenants already have an obligation to restore the property to the same condition as it was when they got it except for fair wear and tear," she said.

"If tenants don’t restore their property there can be a claim against their bond and sometimes there are orders over and above the bond for tenants to compensate."

Ms Carr said she would love to run a test case on whether pet owners had a right to house pets on their rental property.

"I think there is an argument in saying that not allowing pets is a breach of the right to ‘quiet enjoyment of the property’," she said.

"You have a contract which says this is your home and you can’t do anything illegal in that home, but other than that you have a right to peace and comfort and privacy in using that property."

RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty said the organisation urged landlords to be a lot more sympathetic to people who want to have pets.

"If you look at it logically someone who is going to take good care of their animal is going to take good care of their property," he said.

Mr Beatty said the Companion Animal Council provided contracts for landlords and tenants to sign when entering an agreement to allow pets on to a property.

Story by Dan Nancarrow, www.domain.com.au

Potential first homebuyers who want to jump off the rental roundabout should consider the effects of a strengthening economy, particularly as lenders begin improving borrowing conditions.

Expected interest rate rises and higher living costs will compel many landlords to recoup lost funds by hiking rental prices, affecting many prospective buyers who juggle rent with saving for a deposit.

Mortgage Choice spokesperson Kristy Sheppard said, “Consumer confidence in the housing market is quite strong as we face a bumper spring, but there are hesitations from first time buyers who are unsettled by affordability concerns as they struggle to raise a significant deposit.”

“The latest ABS housing finance figures show a small increase in the number of first homebuyers as a percentage of total owner-occupied dwelling commitments, up point one of a percent to 16.1% in July. Our data supports this. However, that ABS figure was 25% for the same period last year.

“Many would-be buyers biding their time as tenants will be feeling a tighter pinch thanks to already-rising house and unit rents. Combined, these increased 2.9% over the year to June, according to RP Data’s June 2010 Quarterly Rental Review. While this probably hinders their savings ability it could be the persuasive stimulus they need to move into home ownership.

“The good news is, several lenders have begun loosening loan approval criteria. In some cases this means increasing the amount they will lend to 95% of the purchase price from 90% earlier this year and 80% during the GFC. Borrowers who choose such lenders will require only a 5% deposit plus other possible purchase costs such as lenders mortgage insurance and legal fees.

“With lenders tipped to soon raise variable interest rates independently of the cash rate cycle, fixed rate loans are looking more attractive. Mortgage Choice’s August customer loan approval data shows fixed rate demand rose for the first time in three months. These loans are often popular with first timers, who are more likely to need peace of mind over their repayment level.

“That’s all well and good, but potential buyers must knuckle down to combat higher housing prices, which inevitably mean higher loan sizes. Thankfully for them, growth is plateauing in many areas.

“The ABS reports the current first homebuyer average loan size is $282,500. In contrast, the Mortgage Choice 2010 First Homebuyers Survey found the majority of respondents purchasing their first home before February 2012 will apply for a loan of between $300,001 and $400,000.

“At present, we’re looking at higher than average property listings with lower than average competition between buyers. But it’s a cycle. As positive sentiment grows so too will demand, which may mean now is a good time to act. What prospective first homebuyers really need to do is explore their choices carefully – both property and mortgage wise – before leaping in too quickly.”

Source: www.australianhousehunters.com.au

Thousands of animals across the country are being abandoned every year because landlords are unwilling to rent homes to people with pets, the RSPCA says.

The RSPCA manages about 160,000 animals Australia-wide each year, and the charity’s ACT chief Michael Linke says shelters are bursting at the seams because changing living situations mean people can no longer stay with their pets.

"It’s unfair someone’s expected to surrender an animal under those circumstances," he said.

"It’s a heartbreaking thing. I’ve sat in the room with people as they’re surrendering their animals; they don’t want to do it but their choices have been limited.

"It’s their only option because of pressure on rental accommodation, and they’ve taken that difficult decision.

"It’s heartbreaking for our staff, but then we’ve got the double whammy because we then need to find a home for that animal."

Mr Linke says pet owners struggle trying to rent private and single-dwelling houses the most.

"We’ve been calling on the Real Estate Institute and private land-holders to loosen the ties a bit and be more forthcoming in allowing people with pets to find accommodation, because we’re finding a lot of people are surrendering animals to move into free-standing houses," he said.

Jacqui Limberger and her partner Ryan Blunden created a software application which helps find pet-friendly rentals on realestate.com and domain.com.

Their website also helps pet owners write a resume for their furry friends, to help give them a better shot of being approved by real estate agents.

"Research has show a lot of landlords and agents may not even consider letting to someone with a pet until they’ve seen its credentials and references from other landlords," Jacqui says.

"It gives applicants another piece of evidence to say ‘My pet’s not a problem, I’m a good tenant and I take responsibility for my pet.’

"It’s about providing people with information and resources, so landlords see pet renting doesn’t have to be a problem and also to help applicants put their best foot forward."

Inner-city kitty?

But there may be some good news for pet lovers.

The RSPCA’s Mr Linke says that these days, there’s more chance of then being approved to rent units and apartments, and a new study has found you don’t necessarily need a big back yard to own a dog or cat.

Susie Willis from the Petcare Information and Advisory Service (PIAS) says a recent study of 800 people found pets and owners who live in units are just as happy as those who have backyards.

"There are some breeds of dogs that really fit indoor living – like pugs, whippets, french bulldogs – that don’t actually like it too hot or too cold, so being indoors is ideal for them," she said.

"Toilet training is obviously important but the reality is, most healthy adult dogs can be quite happy with two or three toilet breaks a day."

She says there’s no reason for people who live in a small inner-city place to not have a pet, and the PIAS has put out a ‘how to’ guide to help people out.

"We’ve got tips on how to prevent people from becoming bored, exercise, how to create a pet-friendly environment," she said.

"The whole point is, you can keep dogs without a backyard, but you do have to be careful with the way you manage the situation.

"We go through things from what to think about when choosing a dog or cat, how to find reliable sources to get them, what to think about when deciding on different breeds, and then we look at common problems and give tips and advice on how to solve issues.

"We also look at rental situations because it can be difficult to own pets in that situations.

"One of the things we’re conscious of doing is trying to make sure that people don’t get the wrong sort of pet and they don’t get a pet if they can’t give the necessary commitment to its ongoing care."

Story By Cassie White – ABC News

It can be desperate times if you are looking to rent something. Especially when vacancy rates are dipping under 2 per cent in some areas, such as Melbourne’s inner city and its outer reaches.

Even if you’re not too fussy, tight rental vacancy rates in many cities means the situation can be dire. So it’s not surprising that when we asked our readers what they had done to secure a rental property, more than one-quarter said they had offered more than the asking price, taking a punt that a landlord couldn’t resist some extra income.

It seems if people find a house or an apartment they like, they are often pulling out all the stops to secure it. Other survey respondents told us they had payed the rent and bond on the day, completed their application before the open for inspection because it showed they were keen and ready to go, or buttered up the leasing agent, believing it never hurts to be friendly.

Personally, the most ridiculous thing I’ve had to do is provide pet references for our two small dogs who aren’t large enough to chew the big toe off the postman. My two ankle biters are another matter – but no references requested for them. Yet.

Looking around Australia, there’s bound to be a vast chasm in how easy some tenants will be having it in their hunt for a home. As the below figures show, it’s likely to be difficult in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide, but a whole lot easier in Brisbane and Perth. But if mining returns to its previous highs, that could change too.

There’s also news that investors are making a comeback to some parts of the market – for example in Sydney in the city’s west and south west. That could help to ease the situation for some tenants by providing more rental properties. The other good news is first home buyers are expected to begin buying again soon, potentially freeing up some rental homes as well.

Vacancy rates around the country

Canberra; About 1 per cent, as of April, 2010

Adelaide; 1.03 per cent for the month of May.

Wollongong; 1.1 per cent in May. Up 0.2 per cent from the previous month.

Sydney; Overall 1.2 per cent in May, a fall of 0.1 per cent from the previous month.

Melbourne; Overall 1.5 per cent in May. Within 4kms of the CBD, 0.9 per cent in June, down from 1.6 per cent in May. Outer suburbs 0.8 per cent.

Newcastle; 1.6 per cent in May, a fall of 0.3 per cent from the previous month.

Darwin; 2.5 per cent, as of April.

Brisbane; 3.9 per cent in the three months to the end of June. Within 5kms of the CBD 2.6 per cent. Remainder of Brisbane 4.6 per cent.

Perth; 4.1 per cent in the three months to the end of March. This is a significant turnaround from March 2007 when the Perth vacancy rate plunged to just 0.8 per cent.

Carolyn Boyd is a property journalist and keen follower of Australia’s housing market.

Rising interest rates are discouraging first home buyers and keeping them in the rental market, which in turn is good for property investors, according to leading online mortgage broker e-choice.

Property investors, who themselves say they aren’t deterred by rising interest rates, can look forward to strong rental returns as larger numbers in the rental market keep rents from falling.

A survey released by e-choice recently found that 41 per cent of would-be investors would reconsider if rates rose by two percentage points compared with 53 per cent current or prospective owner occupiers.

Executive director of e-choice’s parent, Firstfolio, Mark Flack said the outlook was good for property investors as first time buyers were shying away from any prospective purchase.

“We believe more prospective first-home buyers will pull out of the market compared to property investors, and as such we see a great opportunity in the investment property market,” he said.

University of Western Sydney property lecturer Za Manaf said it was a `sellers’ market’, which made it hard for first home buyers to find an affordable property.

“It is becoming more expensive to take out mortgages because the interest rate is going up,” she said.

“Demand is higher than supply, which leads to market being more favourable to sellers.”

The survey also found that between 20 and 22 per cent of respondents listed government charges and securing financing as the two biggest concerns when considering buying property.

The lack of attractive property investment options came in third, with 15 per cent of respondents citing it as a challenge when buying.

The majority of respondents picked Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide suburbs as areas with the best residential property return prospects.

A little under half of respondents, 47 per cent, chose an existing house as the most attractive investment option, with 18 per cent preferring an existing apartment as opposed to a newly built dwelling.

The online brokerage site e-choice polled 1,000 Australians looking to buy property, 32 per cent of which were property investors.

Story by Curtis Cooper REA