Allowing pets opens up a genuinely underserved market, and adds real cleaning cost. Here’s how to price it.
What to charge
| Approach | Typical |
|---|---|
| Flat pet fee, per stay | $30 – $80 |
| Per pet, per stay | $25 – $50 |
| Per pet, per night | $10 – $20 |
Flat per stay is usually best. Per-night pet fees compound unpleasantly on longer bookings and put off exactly the long-stay guests you want.
What the extra cleaning actually involves
Not a token surcharge, a pet stay adds genuine time:
Hair removal. The big one. Hair works into carpet, upholstery and bedding in a way normal vacuuming doesn’t address. Needs a rubber brush or specialist tool on soft furnishings, plus a slower, more thorough vacuum. Adds 30–60 minutes for a two-bedroom property.
Soft furnishings. Sofas, cushions, rugs, curtains at nose height. All need attention rather than a glance.
Odour. Dogs leave a smell on fabric that isn’t obvious to the person who’s been in the room but is instantly obvious to the next guest walking in. Needs airing plus fabric treatment.
Floors. Muddy paw marks along entry routes, and around water and food bowl locations.
Outdoor areas. Waste in the garden, and the deck or lawn if the pet has been out there.
Damage checks. Scratched doors and frames, chewed furniture legs, marked skirtings.
Realistically, a pet stay adds 45–90 minutes to a two-bedroom changeover. At $40–50/hour, that’s $30–$75 in additional cost, which is why the fee range is what it is.
Deep clean intervals
Pet-friendly properties need periodic deep cleaning more often:
| Task | Standard property | Pet-friendly |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet extraction | 12 months | 6 months |
| Upholstery cleaning | Annually | 6 months |
| Curtain cleaning | 2 yearly | Annually |
| Mattress protector replacement | 2 yearly | Annually |
Budget for that in your annual numbers, not just the per-stay fee.
Protecting the property
Set up for it rather than hoping:
- Hard floors in entry areas
- Washable throws over sofas, cheaper to replace than upholstery
- Washable rugs rather than fitted carpet in living areas where practical
- A designated feeding area with a wipeable mat
- Outdoor water bowl and a hose near the entry
- Removable, washable cushion covers
In your house rules:
- Pets not on beds (and provide a pet bed so there’s an alternative)
- Pets not left alone in the property, or a stated maximum
- Owners clean up outdoor waste
- Pets on leads in shared areas
- Number and size limits stated clearly
Making the fee palatable
Guests with pets are used to being charged, and generally accept it, but they respond to how it’s framed.
Explain what it covers. One line in the listing: "Our pet fee covers the extra deep cleaning a pet stay needs, hair removal from soft furnishings, fabric treatment and a longer changeover." That converts a surcharge into a service.
Provide something for it. A dog bowl, a towel for muddy paws, a note about the nearest dog-friendly beach. It costs almost nothing and it lands very well in reviews.
Don’t stack fees. A pet fee and a higher cleaning fee and a bigger bond reads as punitive.
Is it worth allowing pets?
For most properties, yes. Pet-friendly listings are a much smaller pool than the demand for them, which means:
- Higher occupancy, particularly off-peak
- Longer average stays, pet owners travel less often but stay longer
- Less price sensitivity, because their options are limited
- Strong repeat booking rates
The cleaning cost is real and manageable. The occupancy gain usually more than covers it, but only if you set the property up for it rather than allowing pets into a space designed for people.