Animal enthusiasts are expressing joy over proposed adjustments to rental laws that would facilitate pet ownership for tenants. Presently, landlords retain the authority to prohibit tenants from housing animals such as cats and dogs in privately leased accommodations. The Renters (Reform) Bill, a segment of the government’s legislative agenda, recently cleared its second reading, aiming to prevent landlords from unreasonably denying tenants’ requests to have pets. Cats Protection, the UK’s leading feline welfare organization, welcomed this development, hailing it as a significant stride towards pet-friendly renting for millions of Britons.
Madison Rogers, the charity’s head of advocacy, campaigns, and government relations, hailed the bill’s progression, foreseeing it granting tenants the right to request pet ownership without fear of unjust refusal. If enacted, the legislation would empower tenants to contest unfair rejections while enabling landlords to mandate pet damage insurance. However, the National Residential Landlords Association urges for clear guidelines on when landlords can decline pets, fearing ambiguity and inconsistent legal rulings. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities committee suggested valid reasons for pet refusal, including size constraints and allergy concerns among tenants.
Dogs Trust, the country’s largest canine welfare charity, endorsed the bill as positive for pet-owning renters. MPs anticipate reasonable discussions between tenants and landlords, although the Renters Reform Coalition advocates for unrestricted pet ownership, emphasizing tenants’ rights once an agreement is signed. Nonetheless, they acknowledge tenants’ responsibility for any damages caused by their pets. The coalition is eager for swift progress of the bill to alleviate restrictions on pet ownership and benefit both owners and welfare organizations.
In a report published last week the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities committee said that a landlord could refuse a pet if it was “clearly too large for a small property” or if another tenant in a shared house had a pet allergy.
Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest canine welfare charity, previously welcomed the bill, saying it was “great news for pet owners who rent.”
MPs said they expected tenants and landlords to “simply have a discussion about what is reasonable”.
But the Renters Reform Coalition, which represents tenant groups, said people should be allowed to keep whatever pets they want – regardless of what the landlord thinks.
“Once a tenant signs an agreement, it is their home,” it said.
“If they want to have a pack of Great Danes live there, that should be their right, but they will also be liable for costs if the dogs tear the place up,” Tom Darling, the coalition’s campaign manager, previously told The Guardian.
“Our research shows there are one million households in the UK who would like to own a cat but can’t due to restrictive policies, so we will be pushing for this bill to progress swiftly so it can start to help owners, cats and welfare charities.”
