Renters' Rights and the Proper Approach to Pets
With the Renters’ Rights Act now in force and us heading towards implementation I am increasingly being asked by landlords and agents about consent for pets. I was recently speaking with a journalist on this topic and found myself using the meme “it's not about you”.
While this might seem facetious, what I mean by this is that frequently landlords and their agents will give reasons for wanting to say no to pets that are entirely to do with them and their personal viewpoints on pets. So, for example, people will say to me that they don't want pets in their property or, more usefully, that they have a potential allergy to pet hair and might want to live in the property again themselves. There also seems to be quite a narrow assumption for most landlords and agents that pets that we mean cats and dogs, while the definition of pets is not limited in the RRA. Of course most people have cats and dogs as pets but there are a lot of other possibilities. There is also the point that cats and dogs are not all the same. There are wide variations in size, exercise needs, allergens and space requirements. The current thinking for a lot of landlords and agents is quite one dimensional in relation to pets.
The Responsible Pet Owner
With the onset of the Renters Rights Bill becoming law at some point this year, one of the prominent area relates to Pets, reported by the press as a total ban on landlords being able to refuse a tenant with pets.
In fact, the Bill places a great deal of ‘responsibility’ on the pet owner.
I am the proud owner of two kittens Zeus Maximus and Apollo Aurelius. Taking on these little ones demonstrates exactly what a ‘responsible pet’ owner needs to deal with.
A Pet Profile provides an overview of the type of pet that will be living at the property and will give the landlord an idea of whether or not consent will be granted.
1. Has the pet owner registered with a vet?
2. Does the pet owner have insurance cover for any unforeseen medical circumstances?
3. Have the pets in question - generally cats and dogs, kittens and pups been. Micro-chipped?
Will the Renters’ Rights Bill truly help Pet Owner-Tenants?
The Renters’ Rights Bill has some promising ideas to help tenants with pets, but how much it will actually change things depends on how it works alongside existing laws and whether landlords fully embrace the new rules.
What will the Renters’ Rights Bill do for Pet Owners?
The Right to Ask for a Pet
Under the new rules, tenants can formally REQUEST permission to keep a pet, and landlords can’t just say no without a good reason. This stops landlords from banning pets outright in tenancy agreements.Reasonable Refusals Only
If a landlord wants to say no, they’ll need to have a valid reason, like the property not being suitable for pets or other specific concerns. They can’t just refuse because they feel like it.Tenant Responsibilities
Tenants might have to get pet insurance to cover any damage their furry friends might cause. This is designed to reassure landlords while giving tenants more freedom.
Pets in Properties
What does the Renters Reform Bill say about Pets?
The Bill will set in place the opportunity for tenants to request to have a pet within the property.
Landlords must give the request reasonable consideration; this will be on a case-by-case basis. If a landlord refuses, tenants can escalate the matter if they believe that their landlord has been unfair, and tenants will have access to the Landlord Ombudsman as well as the First Tier Tribunal (FTT).
The view of all the animal centric organisations is that this Bill will be revolutionary for tenants who own pets because large numbers of animals are given up to the RSPCA, Dog’s Trust, and Cat Protection every year due to landlords not allowing pets in their properties. For example, the Cat Protection League received 1,300 cats last year, from people who couldn’t keep them due to issues with private rented and social housing.