Pets in Rental Properties UK 2026: Your Rights Under the Renters Rights Act

The Right to Request a Pet Under the Renters Rights Act 2025

Section 15 of the Renters Rights Act 2025 gives every private tenant in England with an assured periodic tenancy the statutory right to request permission to keep a pet in their rented home. This right came into force on 1 May 2026 and applies to all new and existing tenancies. Before the Act, tenancy agreements commonly contained blanket prohibitions on pets, and landlords could refuse any pet request without giving any reason. That position has been reversed: a refusal must now be justified on specific reasonable grounds.

The right is a right to request, not a right to keep a pet automatically. The tenant must make a written request. The landlord has the right to respond and to refuse on reasonable grounds. But a landlord who refuses without a reasonable specific ground, or who ignores the request, faces practical and potential legal consequences. This is a material change to the previous contractual position that favoured landlords absolutely on the question of pets.

How to Make a Pet Request

The tenant must make the request in writing. There is no prescribed form, so an email is sufficient provided there is a record of it being sent and received. The request should identify the type of pet being requested, for example a domestic cat, a small dog of a named breed, or a caged bird. Being specific about the pet makes it easier for the landlord to assess the request and reduces the risk of a vague refusal that the tenant cannot effectively challenge.

The tenant should keep a copy of the request and the date it was sent. If sent by email, a read receipt or a follow-up email confirming receipt from the landlord is useful evidence. If sent by post, recorded delivery provides proof of delivery. The 28-day response window runs from the date the landlord receives the request, not the date it was sent.

What the Landlord Must Do When They Receive a Pet Request

The landlord must respond in writing within 28 days of receiving the request. The response must either grant consent, grant consent subject to conditions, or refuse the request. A response that ignores the question or gives a non-committal answer does not satisfy the obligation. A landlord who fails to respond within 28 days is deemed to have given unconditional consent to the pet. The tenant can then keep the pet without further action required.

Where consent is granted subject to conditions, the only condition that the Act permits is a requirement for the tenant to hold pet damage insurance that covers damage caused by the pet to the property. The landlord can specify the minimum level of cover required. Any other condition, such as a higher rent or an additional deposit, is a prohibited payment under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 and cannot be imposed.

What Counts as a Reasonable Refusal?

The Act does not provide an exhaustive definition of reasonable grounds for refusal. Government guidance and the emerging body of case law as the Act beds in will develop this further. Based on the Act itself and the explanatory materials published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the following are likely to constitute reasonable grounds for refusal.

Head lease or superior lease restriction on pets. Where the landlord holds a leasehold interest and the head lease or building management agreement prohibits pets, the landlord has a valid basis for refusing the request. The landlord should provide a copy of the relevant provision in the head lease. This is likely to be particularly relevant in purpose-built flat developments where the building freeholder or management company prohibits pets across the block.

The property is unsuitable for the specific pet. A large energetic dog kept in a small studio flat with no outside space and communal stairs may be unsuitable on welfare and practical grounds. The unsuitability must relate to the specific pet requested, not to pets in general.

The pet is a prohibited breed. The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 prohibits the keeping of four breeds in England and Wales regardless of tenancy terms: Pit Bull Terrier type, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro. A request to keep one of these breeds can be refused on this basis regardless of any other circumstances.

Evidence of previous damage or nuisance. Where the landlord has documented evidence that the specific tenant or the specific animal has previously caused damage to property or nuisance to neighbours, this may support a refusal. Speculative concerns about possible future damage without any specific evidence relating to this tenant or this pet are unlikely to constitute a reasonable ground.

What Does Not Count as a Reasonable Refusal

A blanket no-pets policy is not a reasonable ground for refusal. A landlord who refuses all pet requests regardless of the type of pet, the property, or the circumstances of the tenant is not complying with Section 15 of the Act. Each request must be considered on its individual merits.

A general preference not to have animals in the property, concerns about resale value, or a statement that pets cause damage are not specific reasonable grounds. They apply to all pets in all circumstances and are the kind of general objection that the Act was specifically designed to prevent landlords from relying on.

Pet Damage Insurance

Pet damage insurance is a relatively new product in the UK market developed specifically in anticipation of the Renters Rights Act. Policies typically cover damage caused by the pet to carpets, flooring, skirting boards, doors, walls, and garden areas. Some policies also cover additional cleaning costs attributable to the pet at the end of the tenancy. The cost varies by pet type, property size, and provider.

Landlords who grant conditional consent should specify clearly what level of cover is required, for example a minimum of 10,000 pounds cover for damage to the property fabric. They should ask the tenant to provide evidence of the policy before the pet moves in and annually thereafter. The tenant must maintain the policy throughout the period the pet is kept at the property. If the policy lapses, the tenant should notify the landlord and arrange replacement cover promptly.

Existing No-Pets Clauses in Tenancy Agreements

A blanket absolute no-pets clause in a tenancy agreement is unenforceable against a tenant who has made a proper written pet request and either received consent or is deemed to have received it by the landlord failing to respond within 28 days. The clause cannot override the statutory right conferred by Section 15 of the Renters Rights Act 2025.

However, the clause may still be relevant to a pet kept without making a proper request, or kept after a refusal that was on reasonable grounds. Keeping a pet in these circumstances is a breach of the tenancy agreement and the landlord can serve a Section 8 notice on discretionary Ground 12 (breach of tenancy obligation). The landlord should first write to the tenant to invite them to either remove the pet or make a formal request before escalating to possession proceedings.

Pet Damage Insurance: What Landlords Should Specify

Pet damage insurance is a relatively new product class in the UK market developed in anticipation of the Renters Rights Act. Policies vary significantly in scope, so landlords who intend to require it should specify the minimum cover they need. A minimum cover level of 10,000 pounds for damage to the property fabric is a reasonable starting point for most residential properties. The policy should cover carpets, flooring, skirting boards, doors, walls, and garden areas. Some policies also cover additional cleaning costs attributable to the pet at the end of the tenancy.

Landlords should ask the tenant to provide evidence of the policy before the pet moves in, and to provide renewal evidence annually. If the policy lapses at any point during the tenancy, the tenant should notify the landlord and arrange replacement cover promptly. A landlord who discovers that pet damage insurance has lapsed can write to the tenant requiring reinstatement within a specified period. Persistent failure to maintain the insurance after being given notice to do so could constitute a breach of the tenancy agreement on which a Section 8 Ground 12 notice could be based, though a proportionate response short of possession proceedings would normally be appropriate in the first instance.

Pets and the End of Tenancy

At the end of a tenancy where a pet was kept with consent, the landlord can deduct from the deposit the reasonable cost of remedying pet-related damage beyond fair wear and tear. What counts as fair wear and tear for a pet-occupied property is a matter of judgment and adjudicators will consider the type of pet, the duration of the tenancy, and the condition of the property at the start. A carpet that shows light scratching from a small dog over a 3-year tenancy is likely to be regarded as fair wear and tear. A carpet destroyed by a large dog over the same period is not.

Landlords should carry out a thorough check-out inspection with dated photographs when a tenant with a pet vacates. This evidence is essential if a deposit deduction is disputed through the tenancy deposit scheme adjudication service. The existence of a pet damage insurance policy does not replace the deposit protection scheme for end-of-tenancy deductions: the deposit claim and the insurance claim are separate processes.

Pets Already Kept Without Permission

Where a tenant is already keeping a pet without permission, the landlord should write to them inviting them to make a formal written pet request under Section 15 of the Renters Rights Act 2025. This regularises the position and allows the landlord to respond with conditions, including pet damage insurance, rather than treating the situation as a breach of tenancy. Proceeding directly to a Section 8 notice for Ground 12 breach without first inviting a formal request may be seen by a court as disproportionate where the landlord has not demonstrated any actual harm from the pet and has not followed the statutory process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my landlord refuse to let me keep any pet?

Not without a reasonable specific ground. A blanket no-pets policy is no longer sufficient. The landlord must consider each request on its merits and refuse only on specific reasonable grounds relating to the pet, the property, or the circumstances.

What happens if my landlord does not reply within 28 days?

If the landlord does not respond within 28 days of receiving your written request, consent is deemed to have been granted unconditionally. You can then keep the pet without any further permission being required. Keep a record of when and how you sent the request.

Can my landlord charge me more rent because I have a pet?

No. A higher rent or an additional deposit as a condition of keeping a pet is a prohibited payment under the Tenant Fees Act 2019. The only permitted condition is a requirement to hold pet damage insurance.

My building does not allow pets. Can I still request one?

You can make the request, but if your landlord holds a leasehold interest and the head lease prohibits pets, that is likely to constitute a reasonable ground for refusal. The landlord should provide you with a copy of the relevant head lease restriction.

Can my landlord evict me for keeping a pet without permission?

A pet kept without making a proper request or after a reasonable refusal may constitute a breach of the tenancy agreement. The landlord can serve a Section 8 notice on discretionary Ground 12. The court would consider whether it is reasonable to grant possession. A landlord should normally write to the tenant to resolve the situation before escalating to possession.