I had an email from Susan (@crazydoll) a couple of weeks ago, and I have been meaning to post it here, but it had slipped my mind.
Susan is having a problem that many people moving to Ireland will have. In fact many people living in Ireland have it too. Finding rentals that will allow pets can be very difficult. Here's what Susan said:
Hi Liam - I am having a real bad time trying to find any properties that allow pets. Not sure if anyone has commented on this, but wonder if you have any advice or can post something to see if someone knows a way.
I avoided having to deal with this problem (at least in the short term) by renting houses from friends (when I moved to Ireland in 2007), and more recently family (in 2014). Neither minded that I had a little dog staying too, however I can't say that they'd have been as easy about it if I was a stranger to them.
I don't really have a good suggestion for how you go about finding a place to live for you and your pet. There are numerous places that you could try searching online for accommodation (e.g. rent.ie, let.ie, property.ie and myhome.ie). However, none of the websites I visited allow you to specify that you are looking for a pet-friendly property, so it seems you would need to painstakingly call each number listed on your search results. Alternatively a call to a few local auctioneers, a few months in advance of your move, might be a good idea.
Anyone have any suggestions?
I would be interested in this as well. We plan on bringing 2 dogs, a terrier & a lab. I typically look on daft.ie, and you can go to "Advanced Search" and select "Allows Pets" under the "Facilities" drop down box. I think my plan was to contact a local realtor or management company in the area we wish to move and see what they have or can locate for us. Probably a terrible plan, but seeing how we would be trying to secure a place while still in the US I figure I could maybe get pictures beyond what the listing shows.
Thanks Liam for posting this.
Jason- I think I will try the same method you are thinking. I called a few of the top estate agencies and each of them responded with "we have not had any landlords allowing pets since 2012. The rental market is so hot they can afford to be picky". That is a little deflating. We are moving to Ireland next month and I will be sure to update this post with any helpful information.
Jason,
Don't count on getting great feedback from local realtors/auctioneers. My personal dealings with them haven't always been favorable.
When I brought up the topic years back, the couple that got back to me made me think I was asking for something unusual. I definitely suggest calling, not emailing. You'll be lucky to get a reply via email. Thanks for the tip about daft.ie. MyHome.ie does allow a keyword to be specified, so you might have some luck that way too. Let us know how you get on.
Susan - thanks for the input, and for raising the topic. Sorry you haven't had any success yet. Looking forward to hearing what you find.
I guess the Irish rental system hasn't caught on yet to how landlords in the US cash in on this. I've been charged "pet rent" ($30-$50 per pet), and a specific pet deposit in CA. Not that we want to pay more, but I can't be alone in saying I certainly would if it meant having some choices, as opposed to none like it seems to be now. Right?
Thanks Liam and Susan. I will check out MyHome.ie as well. I do believe my youngest daughter(super excited to move, would leave tomorrow, lol) visits that site, but I'm not sure if she's using pets as a qualifier. I was initially concentrated on the Cork area, but I got a bite with a company in Galway, so maybe I'll have better luck looking there.
Susan, may I ask what area you are moving to? I look forward to your update!
@fionaz and anyone else having difficulty with this.
I played around with Daft.ie today searching for rentals that will allow pets. If you go to their 'advanced search' option, you can choose that as one of your criteria in the search. As an example a search in Dublin city, with no other options set, returned 65 results. Of course, other factors will limit your selection e.g. price, location etc, but at least it's a starting point.
Hi Liam,
Thank you so much for your advice! Actually, I found a place by following your suggestion and we have a viewing today! 🙂
Finger cross! 😀
I've been reading a blog by jcmurphy who moved to Ireland and is in a rental where he offered the landlord kind of a "pet security" payment against any damages and the landlord complied. It might pay to ask - then pay. Just a thought!
Our experience--just finding a decent place is nearly impossible in Dublin., SO search DAFT without the pet issue. Don't even mention a pet when you talk--let them meet you first and be persuaded by your professionalism.
When you go see a place, have referrals for your pet (prior landlords, pet boarding service, vet, workplace if they go with you)--and offer an extra refundable deposit to cover any damage.
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Great advice, Apu! As mentioned in my new FAQ guide, a lot of Irish landlords don't even think about allowing pets until it is brought up to them. They may be receptive, but just not advertise it.
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Welcome to the site 🙂