Have you ever rented somewhere but really wanted a pet like a dog or a cat only to find out the tenancy has a no pet clause? Or are you being turned way from renting because you already own a pet?
Under the new Model Tenancy Agreement, announced by Housing Minister Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP in January 2021, landlords will no longer be able to issue bans on pets by default, instead, consent for pets will be the default position. Landlords will then have to object in writing within 28 days of a written pet request from a tenant and provide a good reason.
However, In July 2022 Propertymark conducted a joint online survey with the NRLA, Landlord Zone and pets charity AdvoCATS to show how common pet damage really is and how difficult the costs are to recover. The results of the survey will be able to download below.
The point of the survey was to make the government understand the cost of pets to landlords after they issued a no more ban on pets by default. Around 537 landlords responded and 85.3% had said they had sustained damage by pets to their property. Although this showed to be a similar percentage to damage by the tenants themselves, the extent of the damage by pets is much greater and the cost is harder to recover due to the limitations imposed by the tenants fees ban.
Timothy Douglas Head of Policy and Campaigns for Propertymark said: “The data from this research backs up what Propertymark and others have been warning for some time, that the unintended consequences of the Tenant Fees Act have reduced the appetite for many landlords to take on the greater risk of damage.
“With the demand for pet-friendly homes continuing to increase, the UK Government must now understand the costs involved for landlords and implement rules that support the sector to take on greater risk in order to support more people to rent with pets.”
NRLA Policy Manager James Wood said: “With many landlords unable to recover damage caused by pets, it is no surprise that landlords generally prefer to let to tenants without pets. Particularly those with smaller portfolios who are not able to absorb the losses caused by damage.
“If the UK Government is to increase the supply of pet-friendly homes then it is vital that landlords and agents have confidence they can recover the cost of repairs. Amending the Tenant Fees Act to permit pet insurance or pet deposits would provide this confidence and give tenants with pets more options in the private rented sector.”
PET DEPOSITS IN SCOTLAND, WALES AND NORTHERN IRELAND
If you do manage to find a landlord who is happy to take both yourself and your pet, they might ask for a higher deposit. This will be an additional pet cover against any potential damages caused by the animal at the end of the tenancy. If no damages have occurred then this should be returned to you when you decide to end your tenancy.
Just like a normal deposit, this should also be protected in a tenancy deposit scheme.
PET DEPOSITS IN ENGLAND
In England, landlords cannot request a higher deposit for renting with a pet as deposits are capped since the introduction of the Tenant Fees Act in 2019. Instead landlords can charge you extra rent for having a pet.
Landlords also cannot insist on a professional cleaning or de-flea treatment service at the end of your tenancy, instead must return the property in the same condition as it was at the start of the tenancy. Professional cleaning services are a prohibited payment under the legislation.
FOLLOWING YOUR LANDLORDS RULES ON PETS
It goes without saying, but never get a pet without your landlords permission if you're move into a property that doesn’t permit pets, even if it’s something small like a hamster or tortoise. Read your tenancy carefully as there most certainly will be a clause in the agreement that says you cannot keep pets. Breaking this clause will be used as grounds for eviction.
If you have a pet and you’ve agreed with the landlord you can bring them with you, they might add additional clauses into the tenancy agreement. For example; what to do around messes in the garden or inside the property.
Although landlords in England cannot charge you a larger deposit for pets, they can still deduct damages from your tenancy deposit so make sure to follow the terms of your agreement to the letter.
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