How to Handle Pets in Property Inventories

Pet-friendly lettings are becoming standard. Whether that's because tenants genuinely want to keep their dog, or because legislation is gradually tipping the scales (probably both), the result is the same: you need to know how to handle pets in property inventories. Pet damage — scratches on doors, stains in carpets, odours — is among the most contentious deposit disputes landlords face. A thorough pet-focused inventory protects both you (evidence if damage occurs) and the tenant (proof the property wasn't already in questionable condition).

Why Pet-Friendly Lets Need Stronger Documentation

Pets interact with a property in ways that humans don't. Dogs scratch doors and skirting boards. Cats sharpen claws on carpet. Birds can damage walls and windowsills. Both can leave stains and odours that sit stubbornly in soft furnishings.

Here's the practical problem: if you allow pets but don't document the baseline condition of every pet-vulnerable surface, you'll struggle to prove that damage happened on the tenant's watch. A scratched door could have been scratched before they moved in. Carpet stains could be years old. Odours are nearly impossible to prove without evidence (was that from the last tenant's cat, or this one?).

The Tenancy Deposit Scheme handles hundreds of disputes each year about pet damage. Most could be resolved in 30 seconds with a check-in photo. The ones that escalate are exactly the ones where nobody documented the starting condition.

Your tenancy agreement should already say whether pets are allowed and set out who pays for damage. But the inventory is what proves the case if things go wrong.

What to Document at Check-In (Pet-Specific Areas)

Here's what pets target, and what you need to photograph:

Doors and door frames. Pets scratch doors to signal "let me out" approximately 1,000 times a year (rough estimate). Document every door — both sides — especially the lower half where scratches cluster. Pay attention to the base of the door frame too. If there's any existing damage, photograph it close-up.

Skirting boards. Dogs chew skirting. Cats scratch it. Look for marks at pet height (ground level to roughly two feet up). Note any existing scuffs or gouges that might later be confused with new pet damage.

Floors and carpets. This is where the damage multiplies. Document carpet condition throughout the property — stains, odours, general wear. Take close-up photos of areas near doors, under windows, and anywhere a pet might rest. If there's hard flooring (laminate, hardwood, tile), photograph any scratches, chips, or wear. Edges and corners are high-risk zones.

Walls at pet height. Marks, scuffs, and stains where pets brush past repeatedly. Note them in the inventory and photograph them.

Furniture in furnished properties. If the property is furnished, upholstered pieces are at high risk. Document sofas, chairs, and beds for claw marks, hair, stains, or existing wear. Check under furniture legs for scratching marks. The Landlord's Guide to Furnished Property Inventories goes deeper on this, but the short version: photograph everything.

The garden. Lawn wear from pet activity, fence integrity (especially ground level where dogs dig), gate latches (relevant for pet containment). Urine can kill grass or create brown patches — document the baseline lawn condition so later damage is clearly new. Handling gardens and outbuildings is its own topic, but for pets specifically, focus on wear patterns and fence-line damage.

Smell. This is the hard one. At check-in, note the property's smell profile: fresh and neutral, faintly smoky, damp, pet-smelling. If the property is odour-free at check-in, document that explicitly. It becomes your baseline evidence if pet odours appear later.

The goal: every pet-vulnerable surface should have a timestamped photograph. You're creating a visual baseline so that any new damage is obviously new.

Photography: Your Strongest Evidence

For pet-friendly lets, photography isn't optional — it's your primary evidence in any dispute.

Take multiple angles of high-risk surfaces:

Doors: front and back, full frame and close-up of any scratches or marks
Skirting boards: close-ups of any marks, wide shots of each room's perimeter
Carpet: wide shots of each room showing overall condition, then close-ups of seams, edges, stained areas, and worn patches
Furniture: full frame of each piece, then tight shots of legs, upholstery condition, seams, and any existing damage
Garden: lawn overview from multiple angles, then close-ups of worn patches, fence line, and gate hinges
General: wide shots of each room showing overall condition and lighting

Pro tip: when you photograph flooring or carpet, lay a dated checklist or note in the frame so it's obvious when the photo was taken. Photo evidence in inventories is what prevents disputes. If you're using a digital inventory platform, timestamped photos are attached automatically. If you're doing this manually, make sure the date and time are recorded — they matter in disputes.

Assessing Damage at Check-Out

At the end of the tenancy, compare check-out condition against check-in photos.

Scratches. Fresh scratches look different from old ones — sharp edges, exposed wood, clean lines. Compare against your check-in photos. One or two minor scratches on a door after a year with a dog? Probably fair wear and tear. Twenty deep gouges that have cut through the paint and into wood? That's damage.

Stains. Pet urine can soak into carpet and underlay. Brown or yellow discolouration is visible in photos. Compare check-in and check-out images. If the stain is new, it's a legitimate deduction. If it was already there, you can't claim it.

Odours. If the property was odour-free at check-in and reeks of dog at check-out, professional cleaning is a valid claim. Get a quote from a specialist pet-odour cleaner. Some odours require underlay replacement — get that quote too.

Garden damage. Urine burns on grass, worn patches from running, holes from digging. These are often fair wear and tear with pets allowed. But if the lawn is destroyed, that's damage.

Flea infestation. If there's evidence of fleas, professional treatment is a legitimate deduction (assuming fleas weren't present at check-in).

Here's the key: fair wear and tear is different for pet properties. Some scratching, some odour, some lawn wear is inevitable. But it has limits. You're looking for damage that goes beyond what a reasonable pet owner would leave behind. Adjudicators (and courts) understand this distinction.

How to Calculate and Defend Deductions

Professional cleaning. If your tenancy agreement requires professional cleaning (common for pet lets), and the tenant doesn't arrange it or it's inadequate, you can deduct the cost. Get a quote from a professional cleaner — specialist pet-odour services can be more expensive than standard cleaning. Document what you're claiming: "£180 professional clean + £120 specialist pet-odour treatment = £300 total."

Repairs. Scratched doors may need sanding and repainting. Damaged skirting boards may need replacing. Gouged hardwood may need refinishing. The key is applying "betterment" — the deduction should reflect the age and remaining life of the item, not full replacement cost. A door that had three years of life left costs less to replace than a brand-new door.

Replacement. If carpet is damaged beyond repair, you can replace it. Again, apply betterment. A 10-year-old carpet that was reaching end-of-life anyway doesn't justify a full replacement cost deduction.

Inventories protect landlords in deposit disputes — but only if the evidence is strong. Vague claims ("the tenant left the place smelly") fail. Specific evidence ("we have check-in photos showing no odour; check-out photos show discolouration in the master bedroom carpet; we have a specialist cleaning quote for £450") succeed.

Common Pet Disputes and How to Avoid Them

"But you let me have a pet, so wear and tear should be free." This comes up often. Your response: "We allowed pets. We didn't agree to pay for damage. Fair wear is normal use. Damage beyond that is your responsibility." The tenancy agreement should make this clear upfront.

"The stain was already there." This is why you have check-in photos. If the stain is absent in your check-in photo and present at check-out, the evidence is clear. Adjudicators will rule in your favour.

"I cleaned professionally, it's not my fault you still smell odour." Get a receipt showing what the cleaner did. If standard cleaning wasn't enough for embedded pet odours, you can claim the cost of specialist treatment. Document what you're claiming.

"Fair wear and tear should cover scratches I didn't even see." Again, the check-in inventory sets the baseline. If a scratch is visible at check-in, you can't deduct for it later. If it appears between check-in and check-out, it's new damage.

Most disputes start because the inventory was vague. You photograph the property, you're clear about what damage exists, and you have dated evidence. Handling disputes over inventory findings becomes straightforward when the facts are solid.

Best Practices for Pet-Friendly Inventories

Document obsessively at check-in. Take more photos than you think you need. Pet-vulnerable surfaces should have close-ups from multiple angles. Timestamp everything.
Set clear expectations in the tenancy agreement. Spell out: Which pets are allowed? Do you require extra deposit or higher deposit? Who pays for professional cleaning? What counts as pet damage vs. fair wear?
Use a digital inventory tool if possible. Timestamped photos, standardised templates for pet-specific fields, side-by-side comparison views at check-out — these make disputes easier to resolve. Relentify's Inspect tool handles exactly this workflow: create a baseline at check-in, document issues, compare at check-out.
Conduct mid-tenancy inspections. If you see minor damage early (a few scratches, a small stain), flag it with the tenant. They can address it before it worsens. It also shows you're monitoring, which deters damage.
Be fair at check-out. If you agreed to pets, accept that some wear is inevitable. Focus deductions on damage that goes beyond reasonable use. Adjudicators see unfair deductions and award in the tenant's favour.
Get quotes for any significant deduction. Professional cleaning, repairs, replacement — all should have documented quotes. Don't estimate; show the evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I charge a "pet deposit" on top of the tenancy deposit? A: In England, the tenancy deposit (capped at 5 weeks' rent) is protected by law. Any additional "pet deposit" or "pet fee" is separate and not protected by the Scheme. Make sure this is clear in the tenancy agreement. Scotland and Wales have different rules — check your jurisdiction's rules on the gov.uk private renting page.

Q: If a tenant doesn't report damage, can I claim it at check-out? A: Yes. The check-in inventory sets the baseline. Any damage that appears between check-in and check-out is the tenant's responsibility. You don't need them to have reported it. Your photos are the evidence.

Q: What if I don't have a check-in inventory because the tenant moved in before I started using digital inventories? A: You're at a disadvantage in any disputes without baseline photos. Start now. For ongoing properties, create a new baseline inventory. For new tenants, always do a thorough check-in with comprehensive photography.

Q: Is pet odour a legitimate deduction? A: Yes, if the property was odour-free at check-in and has noticeable pet smell at check-out. Get a specialist cleaner's quote. Adjudicators usually accept odour claims if you have contemporaneous evidence (check-in notes, check-out photos, cleaning quotes).

Q: Can I claim for damage I think the pet caused but didn't directly see? A: Only if you have evidence. Stains visible in photos, scratches visible at check-out that weren't present at check-in, odour that wasn't there before. If it's speculation, it won't hold up in dispute.

Q: Should I require professional cleaning specifically for pet tenancies? A: Many landlords do. It ensures embedded odours and hair are professionally removed. Include it in the tenancy agreement so it's not a surprise. Reasonable tenants will accept it; those who balk might be a warning sign.

Q: How do I prove a stain is pet-related and not just "wear and tear"? A: Location helps (kitchen stains are often food/drink; bedroom carpet stains are more likely pet-related if pets slept there). But your primary evidence is comparison: absent at check-in, present at check-out. That's usually enough. Combine it with colour (pet urine has a yellowish tint) and location (near where pets rest), and you have a strong case.

Q: Can I take deductions for cleaning if the tenant did clean professionally but odours remain? A: Yes. If the tenancy agreement requires professional cleaning and the cleaning was inadequate, the additional cost of specialist treatment is fair. Get the specialist's quote and include it in your deduction claim.