Renting with pets is an emotionally charged topic for both pet-owning tenants and landlords. There’s a clear divide in opinion on the matter.
Many landlords see pets as potential liabilities, causing property damage, noise disturbances from barking, and even future issues for tenants who suffer from pet allergies.
On the other hand, 51% of the UK population owns a pet including 10.6 million dogs and 10.8 million cats. For many households, pets are part of the family—often considered as children—and countless studies confirm pets’ positive impact on mental health and well-being.
Unfortunately, it often feels like government policymakers drafting rental legislation aren’t pet owners themselves.
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 Made It Even Harder for Pet Owners
The Tenant Fees Act, in my professional opinion, actually made things worse for pet owners. While it aimed to protect tenants by capping upfront fees, one unintended consequence was the cap on security deposits—limited to just five weeks’ rent.
For many landlords, five weeks simply isn’t seen as sufficient to cover potential pet-related damage. As a result, landlords who previously allowed pets have reversed course and now refuse tenants with animals altogether.
To put it into perspective: back in 2016, 64% of our landlords were open to tenants renting with pets. After the Tenant Fees Act came into effect, that figure plummeted to just 7–10%.
In my view—as a leading UK expert in pets and property, the government should have introduced flexibility. For pet owners, extending the deposit cap from five to, say, eight weeks would have been a sensible compromise. Most pet owners would have accepted that: if there’s no damage, they get their deposit back at the end of the tenancy.
Instead, the government focused on pet insurance. But having spoken with numerous landlords, many remain highly sceptical, viewing insurance as little more than another money-making scheme.
The Model Tenancy Agreement 2014. An Absurd Proposal
With landlords, unless you make something legally enforceable, you’re unlikely to see any change. Simply suggesting landlords “should” allow pets is not enough. More often than not, the response is an emphatic no.
Landlords approach property as an investment, often with little emotional consideration for the tenant’s circumstances. Pets are seen as a nuisance that carries financial risk.
Which begs the question: why did the government believe that a voluntary model tenancy agreement would change anything?
The Renters Rights Bill 2025: What Changes for Renting With Pets?
So, what does the Renters Rights Bill 2025 actually mean for tenants and landlords?
✅Tenants Now Have the Right to Request a Pet
- All tenants will have a legal right to request permission for a pet.
- Landlords cannot unreasonably refuse.
- This applies even if a previous tenancy agreement banned pets.
✅ Landlords Must Provide Valid Reasons for Refusal
Acceptable reasons for refusing pets include:
- The property is unsuitable (e.g. too small, no outdoor space).
- The freeholder or building lease strictly prohibits pets (i.e. a building-wide no-pets policy).
- The tenant has a problematic tenancy history (e.g. past damage or irresponsible behaviour).
✅ Landlords Cannot Discriminate Unfairly
- Every request must be considered individually.
- A landlord may approve a house cat or small dog but decline multiple large dogs, depending on the property.
✅ Landlords Can Request Pet Insurance
- To protect against potential property damage, landlords may require tenants to hold pet insurance before allowing animals in the home.
Impact on Tenant Demand & Rental Values
- Many landlords remain concerned about possible property damage caused by pets.
- However, with 51% of the UK population owning pets, the tenant pool is larger when landlords are open to pet-friendly rentals.
- Responsible pet ownership can actually encourage longer-term, more stable tenants.
What Will Happen in Reality?
As a UK pets & property broker, I would love nothing more than for landlords to start saying yes to pets. It would certainly make my job easier when securing UK pet-friendly rentals.
However, despite the Renters Rights Bill, many landlords are still refusing pets . Here’s why real change remains unlikely:
- The Renters Rights Bill, alongside increasing regulation, is pushing many landlords to exit the market entirely. The remaining rental market is even more competitive, especially for pet owners competing with tenants who don’t have pets.
- Landlords may still simply choose another applicant, citing other reasons: better references, quicker move-in dates, or fewer special conditions.
- Estate agents ultimately serve the landlord. They won’t risk upsetting landlords—especially portfolio landlords who bring repeat business, over a pet request.
- Speaking as a former estate agent: agents are very skilled at crafting polite excuses to reject pet owners without openly breaking any rules.
My Professional Opinion
Unless pet acceptance is legally enforced, landlords will always find loopholes to decline pets. I see this play out repeatedly.
With high demand for each property, landlords can easily pick and choose their tenants. And, as always, agents are incentivised to keep landlords happy.
Finally, it’s important to remember that many buildings in the UK already have strict no-pets clauses in their leases. The Renters Rights Bill does not override these, creating confusion for many pet owners who assume the new rules apply universally. They don’t.
Conclusion
While the government may claim progress is being made, the reality for pet owners in the UK rental market remains challenging. The desire for true, meaningful reform is long overdue, but without enforceable legal protection, pet owners will likely continue to struggle.
Russell Hunt is a leading UK pets & property expert. Founder of Pets Lets and the Relocating to the UK with Pets Facebook Group who offers pet owners advice with no obligation calls
