Would you Prefer a Cat or a Person as a Tenant?

[Nir]

Hi All,

I have a few people interested in a 1-bedroom apartment. All applicants are couples except one lady with a cat.

There is new laminate in the kitchen and living room and new carpet in the bedroom.

Would you prefer a couple or a lady with a cat assuming everything else is the same for simplicity (meaning assuming all applicants have the same credit score, same references etc.).

Cat or Person? who wins?

THANKS,
Neil

 

[retiredby50]

I think you should win the prize for the greatest question asked on this website.

Go visit her at her current place. If it smells like cat urine, then there`s a problem. If not, the thing is probably litter box trained.

One other thought. The cat, unless it`s got a gig in the next Garfield movie, is probably not generating income. Therefore, if the lady runs into employment issues, she`s got a cashflow problem, which means you have a cashflow problem. If there`s a couple, in this modern world, chances are very good they`re both working. This doubles the chance they can continue to pay rent if there`s a layoff or injury.

My two bits.

Keith

 

[Allie]

Ahh, we have here REIN`s own version of the short story, "The Lady, or the Tiger?" I wanna know who prevails. Prey tell!
What if the cat lady had frequent overnight gentlemen suitors? Now you have an extra cat in the equation

 

[housingrental]

Cat piss smell doesn`t come out

 

[terri]

I allow cats in my rentals. I`ve never had problems with tenants cat`s destroying anything or causing odour problems, but then that may depend on the cat owner and the cat. I think it`s always going to come down to the individual tenant on how they look after and maintain the property.

who pays for utilites? you or the tenants? the cat would use less hydro, take less showers.

for me, if all else was equal, and they all had good credit, good landlord references, good job references, I would pick the tenants I had the best "vibe" about, or in this economy maybe the tenant with the best job security.

Terri

 

[mrshort]

Take the couple, most likely they both work which means two incomes and less problem to pay the bills.

 

[klewlis]

If you do go with the cat, make sure it`s fixed! Male cats spray and female cats get pregnant.

I live in an apartment with a cat and a dog, and we have had no damage problems.

 

[Nir]

Thanks everyone for some great input!
Neil

 

[invst4profit]

If considering the cat lady Retiredby50s suggestion to visit her present lodgings is dead on. Without knowing the cat or how the owner takes care of it you are taking a chance.
Another consideration regarding cats, although less of a concern in a apartment, is fleas. Is it a inside or a outside cat.