Recent renting reforms in Western Australia have made owning a pet much easier for renters. Since July 29, 2024, landlords must have very valid reasons to refuse renters the opportunity to have a pet. This is fabulous news to renters who may previously have felt they had to choose between the joy of sharing their lives with a companionable feline and having a place to live.
Under the new reforms, tenants can also make minor modifications to rental properties. They can make the house feel like a home by drilling holes to put up paintings or installing a cat door. You might be surprised to know that putting up netting to create an outdoor enclosure for your cat involves little more than a few drilled holes for attachment points. If you’re really interested in setting this up and keen to be a caring, responsible cat owner, it could be worth discussing the idea with your landlord.
Let’s face it—dogs are known for their potentially destructive behaviors, such as digging up backyards and causing a bit of chaos, but it’s hard to find fault with a small, furry cat who just loves to curl up on our lap. Here, we will discuss the benefits of cat netting for rental properties and explore how it can be seamlessly integrated with your property.
Why Choose Cat Netting Enclosures for Rental Properties?
The benefit of choosing netting to create an outdoor enclosure for your cats is that it is a highly adaptable, strong, and durable solution, which is also very easy to remove when the time comes. Unlike steel mesh panels or framed structures, cat netting can be easily attached to existing fences, walls, and fascia with a few attachment points. The attachment points are used to run a strong steel wire along the edges of the area, and the netting is actually attached to the wire, not the walls or fence itself. This means that the netting can be removed easily if you decide to move house, and only a few holes will need to be filled in to restore the surfaces to their original condition.
Cat netting is architecturally attractive and relatively discrete, unlike heavy, oppressive caged enclosures. Also, if your landlord asks you to take down the cat netting, you can easily remove the enclosure, and the small holes the fasteners leave can be filled with patching compound or rivets and painted over, leaving no marks. They benefit from keeping your cat in, but are also a great way to keep nuisance stray cats out! That’s a benefit to any tenant and landlord! As per RSPCA WA, 48% of pet owners have a cat; the next tenant may just have a little kitty themselves, and the cat net will become a useful and desirable feature of the rental properties.
Do I Need Approval from My Landlord to Install Cat Netting Enclosures?
It is vital to provide details of your proposed cat enclosure and where and how it will be attached if you want to assure your landlord it won’t cause permanent damage. At the end of the tenancy period, any holes from fasteners can be filled with rivets, masonry holes with patching compound, and scratches painted over.
Having a professional install the cat netting can simplify the process and provide all the details your landlord might need. Additionally, explaining the benefits of outdoor cat enclosures can be persuasive. These enclosures protect local wildlife, offer stimulating environments for cats, and help avoid indoor accidents and odors by keeping toileting trays outside.
The list of modifications that can be made without approval of the landlord is quite specific, and more information can be found on the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety website.
What Are Some Common Reasons Landlords Might Deny Requests for Cat Netting?
Your landlord just wants to be assured that the installation of a cat enclosure will not cause any permanent damage to their property.
Some properties are subject to any strata rules about the external appearance of the building, and therefore, the landlord will need to ensure modifications do not breach any regulations. If you have images of other installations that are similar to your proposed one, then it could help your landlords and strata companies to understand the visual impact.
Landlords can also deny requests for cat netting if the works disturb asbestos or if the home is heritage-listed and, therefore, subject to strict regulations about how it can be modified.
In some cases, a landlord may not understand the benefits of a cat enclosure for their property and might deny the request for the installation of cat enclosures.
What Are the Potential Legal Consequences If I Install Cat Netting Without Landlord Approval?
The repercussions for making modifications without the landlord’s consent can be quite costly. Firstly, a landlord may use your bond to pay for the costs of removing the cat netting and repairing the property.
Landlords might end a tenancy agreement by applying through the Magistrate’s Court on the basis of willful and serious damage to the property. And if that is unsuccessful, they could also choose not to renew the lease when it is due to expire.
It is also possible for landlords to have a tenant blacklisted or noted as potentially troublesome tenants on privately owned and run tenancy databases, which are used to help landlords and real estate agents screen potential renters. If you have acted in a way that breaches rental regulations, such as making modifications without permission, this could be noted on your record in one or more databases and affect your ability to secure a rental property in the future.
Are There Any Local Regulations That Impact the Installation of Cat Netting?
While many councils in Western Australia have tried to introduce laws to force owners to keep cats contained within their own properties, currently, no one has succeeded due to conflicts with state laws. However, pressure is mounting on the government to do something about cat containment because the effects of cats roaming and negatively impacting the environment are well known.
Some councils are certainly keen to encourage them. The City of Bayswater and Bunbury are examples of 2 local councils that have introduced rebates for cat netting enclosures.
As each council sets its own regulations, it is always a good idea to check your local council’s planning regulations to ensure approvals are not needed. Disturbing asbestos or making changes to heritage-listed houses may breach local council regulations.
It is also just good practice to consult with neighbors if you are attaching to a common fence. The attachment points are not usually visible from the neighbor’s side, but it’s always best to practice common courtesy. And if your property is subject to strata or other homeowner association guidelines, then these need to be checked for compliance regulations, too. Check all laws local, state and federal on this point.
How Can I Ensure That Cat Netting Installation Won’t Cause Any Damage to the Rental Property?
While it is possible to attach cat netting to structures using non-permanent and non-damaging systems such as clips or magnets, the resulting cat netting enclosure may not be secure enough to contain a curious and determined cat. Also, anything non-permanent, such as a clip or rope, can come apart easily and provide easy escape routes if they are not consistently checked for damage.
Another option cat owners use is buying a standalone, cage-style enclosure that needs no attachment points. Out opinion is that enclosures should be easily and freely accessible from the home so that cats can move in and out of them as they need. A freestanding enclosure that you place your cat into, and is isolated from the house is basically a cage, and you may find your cat detests the forced outdoor experience and lack of movement despite your attempts to make it nice for them.
A secure cat netting enclosure requires holes to be drilled into fences, walls, fascia, or paving. When installed correctly and by a professional, the number of attachment points can be greatly reduced. While holes are not temporary, they can certainly be filled and repaired to a good degree, which means netting may be removed at the end of a tenancy without serious damage to any property.
Ensuring Safety and Comfort for Your Feline Friends in Rental Properties:
Integrating cat netting for rental properties is a great way to keep your cat safe while giving them access to some happy outdoor time. It’s also a great way to make a property more rentable. As a renter, you need to seek permission from your landlord or real estate agent if you would like to have a cat-netting enclosure installed at your home.
Kitty-Safe’s five-star reputation, our commitment to good communication and customer service, and our ability to create attractive and professional-looking cat enclosures may be just what your landlord needs to feel great about having a cat net installed. We’re happy to speak to them.
