Pets and the Renters’ Rights Act: What Landlords Need to Know
The Renters’ Rights Act has brought significant changes to the private rented sector, including new rules around tenants keeping pets in their homes. Designed to make renting more flexible and tenant-friendly, the reforms will give tenants the right to request permission for a pet, while placing clearer obligations on landlords when considering those requests.
Renters’ Rights Act: Pets – Q&A
Understanding what constitutes a reasonable response, the timescales involved, and how the new rules may affect your responsibilities will be essential. In this Q&A, we answer some of the most common questions about pets and the changes to renters’ rights.
Q: What has changed for tenants who want to keep a pet?
A: Since 1 May 2026, tenants have the legal right to request permission to keep a pet in their rented home, and landlords cannot unreasonably refuse that request.
Q: Does a landlord have to allow pets?
A: Not always. Landlords can refuse a request if they have a reasonable justification, but blanket “no pets” policies are no longer acceptable.
Q: How long does a landlord have to respond?
A: Landlords are generally required to respond to a pet request within 28 days.
Q: What should landlords consider when a pet request is made?
A: Landlords must consider if they can reasonably withhold consent. To help their decision, they may need to review tenancy agreements, superior leases, insurance arrangements and property suitability before making a decision.
Q: What does this mean for landlords?
A: Landlords need to assess requests on a case-by-case basis and ensure their policies, documentation and insurance arrangements reflect the new rules.
Q: Where can landlords get help understanding the changes?
A: Expert legal advice can help landlords understand their rights and responsibilities under the new legislation and how it applies to their circumstance.
Recent reporting by the BBC suggests that searches for pet-friendly rental homes have fallen following the legislative changes. The following article explores how the reforms may be influencing tenant behaviour and what the changes could mean for both renters and landlords as the private rental sector adapts to the new rules. Rental searches for pet friendly properties drop after law change - BBC News
Disclaimer: all information in this article was correct at time of publishing.
