Renting with pets: Renters (Reform) Bill
Information on how the Renters (Reform) Bill supports responsible pet owners in the private rented sector.
Applies to England
Pets can bring a huge amount of joy to their owners. We are committed to supporting responsible pet ownership in the private rented sector. The Renters (Reform) Bill will ensure landlords do not unreasonably withhold consent when a tenant requests to have a pet in their home, with the tenant able to challenge unfair decisions.
We know that some landlords are concerned about potential damage caused by pets. That is why the Renters (Reform) Bill will allow landlords to require insurance covering pet damage. This will provide landlords with reassurance that any damage caused by a pet can be taken care of, and that the responsibility for preventing and resolving damage caused by a pet will fall to the tenant.
We will publish guidance for landlords and tenants before the new rules come into effect.
Frequently asked questions
What is it reasonable for a landlord to refuse a tenant having a pet?
- Landlords will be required to fully consider all requests on a case-by-case basis. Due to the diversity of landlords, tenants, and properties in the private rented sector, it would not be possible to legislate for every situation where a landlord would or would not be able to ‘reasonably’ refuse a pet.
- There are situations where it will always be reasonable for a landlord to refuse a request – including where their superior landlord prohibits pets. We will provide guidance to landlords and tenants to support decisions.
- Where there is disagreement, a tenant can escalate their complaint to the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman or through the court which makes the final decision based on the evidence provided by both parties.
What happens if a landlord unreasonably refuses?
- Where a tenant feels that a landlord has unreasonably refused their request, they will be able to escalate their complaint to the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman or they could take the case to court.
- The Ombudsman or court will make the final decision based on the evidence provided by both parties.
What happens if a pet damages a property?
- We are amending the Tenant Fees Act 2019 so that landlords can require insurance to cover any damage caused by pets living in the property.
- Tenants also pay a tenancy deposit which can be used for damages although landlords should not attempt to recover costs twice for the same damage.
- In the very rare cases where the insurance and deposit do not cover the cost of the damage, a landlord could take the tenant to court to recoup additional funds in line with wider rules in the sector.
When will the changes be implemented?
- We will implement the new system in two stages, ensuring all stakeholders have sufficient notice to implement the necessary changes.
- We will provide at least 6 months’ notice of our first implementation date after which all new tenancies will be periodic and governed by the new rules including the changes to renting with pets. The date of this will be dependent on when the Bill has received Royal Assent.
- To avoid a two-tier rental sector and to make sure landlords and tenants are clear on their rights, all existing tenancies will transition to a new system on the second implementation date. We will allow at least 12 months between the first and second date.