Compliance
Can tenants keep pets under the new rules?
Last updated 4 July 2026 · Reviewed by Nick Thorpe, founder
The short answer
Yes, in most cases. Since the Renters' Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026, tenants can request a pet and landlords cannot unreasonably refuse. Blanket no-pet policies are finished. You cannot require pet insurance as a condition, so your protection is the deposit, a thorough inventory and written, case-by-case decisions.
For years the standard listing read the same way: no smokers, no pets. The Renters’ Rights Act has retired half of that sentence. A tenant can now ask to keep a pet and you cannot refuse without a reason that holds up. We are landlords ourselves, so here is the practical version: what changed, what you can still require, and how to handle a pet request without drama.
What the Act changed on pets
The change itself is simple. Pet requests must be considered on their merits, and refusal must be reasonable. Blanket bans, whether in the advert or the tenancy agreement, no longer work.
| Question | Before 1 May 2026 | Since 1 May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising | ”No pets” listings were routine | Blanket no-pet listings are finished |
| A tenant asks for a pet | You could refuse without giving a reason | You must consider the request and any refusal must be reasonable |
| Your protection | Deposit and inventory | Deposit and inventory, used properly; an insurance requirement cannot be added |
The pets rule sits inside a much bigger reform: fixed terms, Section 21 and rent increases all changed on the same day. Our working guide to the Renters’ Rights Act covers the full picture.
When you can still say no
You can refuse a pet where you have a genuine, defensible reason for that property and that animal. What you cannot do is refuse everything on principle.
The Act does not publish a tick list of acceptable reasons, so expect this to be worked out in practice over the next few years. Government guidance gives one clear example: where a superior lease or freeholder prohibits pets, refusal is likely to be reasonable. Beyond that, common sense about the match between animal and property will carry weight. Three large dogs in a one-bed flat is a different conversation from a cat in a three-bed semi with a garden.
Two habits protect you either way. Decide each request individually, never by policy. And put your reasoning in writing at the time, because a decision you can evidence is worth far more than one you can only remember.
What protects you, and the insurance point
One widely reported idea did not survive into the final Act: requiring pet insurance. That provision was removed before the Bill became law, and demanding insurance as a condition of consent would fall foul of the Tenant Fees Act 2019, which bans payments and requirements not on its permitted list. If an agent or a template tenancy clause tells you otherwise, it is out of date.
So the protection is the boring, reliable kind. The standard five-week deposit is there to cover damage, pet or otherwise, and the government has said as much. A detailed inventory with photographs, done before move-in, is what turns damage into a recoverable deduction rather than an argument. Regular inspections catch problems while they are small.
Record the consent itself in writing: which pet, how many, and the conditions attached. If the pet changes or multiplies, that is a new conversation, not an automatic extension of the old consent.
How to handle a pet request
- Get the request in writing: what animal, what breed, how many, and how long the tenant has had it.
- Judge it against the property and the tenancy, not against a blanket policy.
- If yes, confirm consent in writing with the details of the pet and any reasonable conditions recorded.
- If no, give the reason in writing and keep a copy on file.
- Note the pet on the property file and pay attention to it at every inspection.
A thorough inventory with photographs matters more than ever here, and it starts before the tenancy does. Good tenant referencing still does most of the heavy lifting: a tenant who looks after their affairs tends to look after their pet and the property too.
The honest upside
This is not all cost and risk. A large share of applicants own pets, and plenty of landlords are still quietly dodging the question, so a well-managed pet-friendly property fishes in a bigger pond and can let faster. In our experience pet owners who find a home that genuinely accepts their animal think very hard before giving it up, which is good news for anyone who dislikes voids. And in twelve years of letting, no dog has ever rung us at 2am about the boiler.
Where this leaves you
The Act rewards landlords who run pets like any other managed risk: written decisions, a protected deposit, a proper inventory and regular inspections. It punishes the blanket ban and the undocumented shrug. Some provisions and guidance are still bedding in, so treat this as a working summary rather than legal advice, check the current position on gov.uk, and know that we confirm the current requirements on every tenancy we set up. If you would rather hand the whole question to someone who deals with it weekly, that is what our full management service is for. Call 01484 981717 and tell us about the property.