Pets in Rented Homes: The Rules Have Changed
The relationship between pets and private rented accommodation has long been contentious. Many tenants own or wish to own pets but face blanket "no pets" clauses in their tenancy agreements. Many landlords, in turn, worry about damage, noise complaints, and difficulty re-letting a property that has housed animals. Letting agents have been caught in the middle, often enforcing blanket bans on landlord instructions without any legal framework to guide the decision.
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduces a structured process for pet requests that replaces the old approach of blanket bans with a system of request, consideration, and reasoned decision. Every letting agent managing residential tenancies must understand how this process works.
The Tenant's Right to Request a Pet
Under the Act, tenants have a statutory right to request permission to keep a pet in their rented home. The request must be made in writing and should specify the type and number of animals the tenant wishes to keep. This right cannot be excluded or restricted by any clause in the tenancy agreement. A blanket "no pets" clause is no longer enforceable.
Importantly, the right is to request, not to automatically keep a pet. The landlord retains the ability to refuse, but only on specific grounds and within a defined timeframe.
The 28-Day Deemed Consent Rule
Once a tenant submits a written pet request, the landlord has 28 days to respond. The response must either grant consent (with or without reasonable conditions) or refuse consent with written reasons that fall within the statutory grounds for refusal.
If the landlord does not respond within 28 days, consent is deemed to have been granted. This deemed consent provision is one of the most significant aspects of the new rules. It means that ignoring or delaying a pet request is not a viable strategy. Agents must have a system in place to receive, log, and respond to pet requests within the statutory timeframe.
For letting agents acting on behalf of landlords, this places an operational obligation on the agency to process pet requests promptly and ensure that landlords provide a timely decision. A missed deadline results in automatic approval.
Statutory Grounds for Refusal
The Act specifies limited grounds on which a landlord may refuse a pet request. These include:
- Property type restrictions: Where the property is subject to a superior lease, freehold covenant, or planning condition that prohibits animals.
- Size and suitability: Where the property is genuinely unsuitable for the type of animal requested, such as a large dog in a small studio flat with no outdoor space.
- Impact on other occupants: Where the animal would cause unreasonable nuisance to neighbours, for example in a building with thin walls and shared corridors where noise is a documented concern.
- Insurance restrictions: Where the landlord's buildings or contents insurance explicitly excludes certain animals and alternative cover is not reasonably available.
General preferences, past experiences with other tenants' pets, or concerns about potential future damage are not valid grounds for refusal. Each request must be assessed on its own merits against the statutory criteria.
Reasonable Conditions on Pet Consent
When granting consent, landlords may impose reasonable conditions. The most significant of these is the ability to require the tenant to obtain pet damage insurance. This insurance covers the cost of repairing any damage caused by the animal beyond normal wear and tear, providing landlords with financial protection without preventing responsible pet ownership.
Other reasonable conditions might include restrictions on the number of animals, requirements for professional cleaning at the end of the tenancy, or obligations to keep the animal under control in communal areas. Conditions must be proportionate and directly related to the impact of the pet on the property or its occupants.
Managing Pet Requests in Practice
Letting agents should establish a clear, documented process for handling pet requests. This process should include:
- A standard acknowledgement sent to the tenant within 48 hours of receiving the request, confirming it has been received and will be processed.
- A notification to the landlord with the request details and a clear deadline for their decision, emphasising the 28-day deemed consent rule.
- A template decision letter for both approval (with conditions) and refusal (with statutory grounds cited).
- A record of the request, decision, and any conditions stored against the tenancy for audit purposes.
Tracking these requests manually across a portfolio of properties is a recipe for missed deadlines. LettingGuru's tenancy management features allow agents to log pet requests, set automated reminders for the 28-day deadline, and store all correspondence against the tenancy record.
What Happens If You Get It Wrong
Refusing a pet request without valid statutory grounds, or failing to respond within 28 days, exposes the landlord to potential complaints through the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman. The Ombudsman can order compensation and require changes to the landlord's practices. Repeated breaches could result in enforcement action.
For letting agents, mishandling pet requests also creates a professional liability risk. If a landlord suffers a penalty because the agent failed to process a request on time, the agent may face a negligence claim.
Preparing Your Agency
The practical impact of the pet request rules will vary depending on your portfolio. Agencies managing purpose-built flats with restrictive head leases will find themselves refusing more requests on legitimate grounds. Those managing houses and converted flats may see a significant increase in approved pet tenancies.
Either way, having a structured process, trained staff, and reliable software to track deadlines is essential. LettingGuru helps you manage every aspect of tenancy compliance, from pet requests to inspections to maintenance. Book a free demo to see how it works in practice.