Don't Have a "No Pets Allowed" Policy

If you're a landlord, which many of you probably are - given that homeownership in Canada is over 70 percent and there's over $1 trillion worth of mortgage debt outstanding - then don't eliminate over 60 percent of your customers by having a "no pets allowed" policy.

Firstly, small pets cause less damage than spoiled and rotten children. And believe me, most children are totally spoiled and rotten these days. Secondly, large pets aren't any worse than the aforementioned difficult children.

Secondly, you'll be getting quality tenants by selecting from those that do have a pet or two. Not being a pet owner yourself, you probably don't go to the pet store or interact specifically with people knowing that they have pets. Trust me, however, that people who have pets are more caring, more empathetic, more honest, and more, more, more!

In the end, your goal as a landlord is to make money... and denying your product to over half of your target market is not a good business strategy.