Charlesons.

Are you currently trying to sell a house and you also own a pet? Not every potential buyer is comfortable viewing a house that was also home to a family pet. It’s important to remember the additional preparation needed to ensure house hunters will not be immediately turned-off, even before they step through the front door.

In 2018, the UK pet population was 51 million, according to Statista, global research and analysis group. The data further suggests that currently, more than one in three (40 per cent) of households in the UK are pet owners. It’s a figure that Statista shows has stayed fairly consistent over the last decade with sometimes even higher annual averages of between 44 – 48 per cent for householders who keep pets.

 

Irrational fear of pets

However, the figures also indicate that many more people do not share their home with any type of pet at all. Some people have an abiding irrational fear of pets, and are especially nervous of dogs – and cats – or may simply feel uncomfortable in the presence of a stranger’s pet.

Another concern relates to a potential buyer who may bring young children to a house viewing, and there is a pet around, especially a large dog. The presence of strange people inside the house may make a dog nervous and become agitated, which could upset and scare the children, if not the adults as well!

 

A faint but indelible odour

It means that when a non pet owner looks for a new home, they are more than likely to seek a property where previous owners did not keep a pet. It could mean the difference between a genuine interest expressed in the property and a potential buyer simply making their excuses and leaving earlier than expected.

Sometimes, a potential buyer may try to use the presence of a pet as a negotiating tactic to lower the price. The assumption being that a house pet would have caused scuff / scratch marks on walls, doors, skirting boards and carpets – often hidden from sight – or leave behind a faint but indelible odour. Increasingly, house hunters on tight budgets simply want to move into a new home and not have the immediate expense of removing all traces of a household pet.

So what actions can a pet owner take to ensure that any potential buyer sensitive to the presence of a household pet – even if not around – will not be put off when they arrive for a viewing?

Remove all physical tell-tale signs

The first action starts at the marketing stage. Decluttering and preparing the house for a professional photography session involves removing all ‘personal’ items from mantlepieces, side tables, display cabinets, walls – and the fridge door! By default, this means all family pictures – and of course, including any picture taken with and of their pet(s).

Next, remove all physical tell-tale signs including, food and water bowls, pet food bags, pet baskets and blankets, pet toys, litter trays, cat trees, and pet carriers. It will mean a thorough inspection, not only inside the house but outside too. If a water bowl or discarded ‘chew’ toy is spotted on the front lawn or driveway, a pet-averse buyer might promptly turn around and head straight to their next house viewing.

It’s important that all collected pet items should not be simply stored in a cupboard, which may be unexpectedly opened up for inspection during a viewing. Nor in the garage or garden shed – always a point of interest for male potential buyers!

 

Carpet stains will require professional cleaning

Probably, the biggest task will be to hunt down all signs of wear and tear around the house which was obviously caused by a pet. All carpet stains will require a professional cleaning service to properly remove with a ‘deep clean’. In some cases, it may be easier and quicker to simply have the carpet completely removed.

The chief aim is to completely eliminate traces of pet odour that may often linger in carpets, wooden floors, furniture and furnishings, such as rugs and cushions. A contributory cause are pet hairs which can be found anywhere in the house. Once again, it may be simpler to remove items such as suspect rugs, cushions and throws. A good agent should recommend their removal as standard practice in preparation for any house viewing, and replace with the latest, new accessories. An intensive regime of cleaning and thorough use of the vacuum cleaner should also be repeatedly carried out until all traces are removed.

 

Third party to carry out final odour checks

It’s always advisable to ask a third party to carry out final odour checks too. Any attempt to cut corners and simply mask suspect odours with an armful of air freshener products is more than likely to raise suspicions. Invariably, pet odours can still be detected, and the overuse of air freshener may cause a reaction in some house viewers too.

Last but not least… all pets must be completely removed from the house well in advance of a scheduled viewing. If the house seller is conducting the viewing, then arrangements must be made to leave the pet with a neighbour, family member or a friend, particularly if it’s a cat. However, an agent carrying out a viewing offers an owner an opportunity to take their dog for surprise walkies.