2022 marks a significant year for pets in rental properties

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13 Jul 2022 marks a significant year for pets in rental properties

The latest government proposal for pets in rental properties could be a real weight lifter for tenants with furry friends. If the recently announced proposal to make changes to the model tenancy agreement (the government’s recommended contract for landlords) is taken on by the next government and soon becomes law, tenants will not have to worry about having pets in their current or next rental property as landlords will no longer be able to issue blanket bans on well-behaved pets.

If you’re looking for a property to rent or buy in Slough and the surrounding area now, make sure you give the leading estate agents in Colnbrook a call on 01753 683000 or email us and we’ll help you find your next home.

The proposal shared by Boris Johnson’s Government stated that landlords of rental properties should no longer be able to ban new or existing tenants from having pets, as part of the Renters Reform Bill designed to give tenants more power and promising the biggest reforms to the private rented sector in decades. It also says that landlords will only be able to refuse the addition of pets if there is a clear supported reason to do so, such as the property is simply too small to accommodate the requested pet.

We’ve covered some questions below where pets in rental properties are concerned, however; if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to call our expert team on 01753 683000 or email us.

Will tenants need permission to have pets?

Tenants will still need to inform their landlord if they are intending to get a new pet. Even if the proposal becomes written law and landlords won’t legally be able to just refuse a pet, it will still be necessary to get their written permission (the same as it is to make changes to most things in a rental property).

It would still be necessary information to disclose to a potential landlord when looking for a new home, whilst they cannot say no pets they still have a right to know who and what is residing in the property.

Can a landlord say no to pets?

If a tenant is currently renting a property and has requested in writing to their landlord that they intend to get a pet, the landlord must object in writing within 28 days and must provide a reasonable explanation if they are refusing the request.

It’s not clear at the moment what the legal path would be for a tenant whose landlord refuses the request and they feel it was unreasonable for them to refuse. According to the proposal, the government will “legislate to ensure landlords do not unreasonably withhold their consent” to allow pets.

‘The choice of wording ‘unreasonably’ leaves a lot of scope for interpretation, and doesn’t guarantee that owning a pet in the property will always be allowed. It is not clear what would count as a reasonable refusal, details are still to be clarified by the government however some reasons may include that the property is too small for the size of the pet, or the property is in a block of flats and the noise for neighbours would be unreasonable.

Will the property be covered for pet damage?   

Prior to 2019 a landlord could increase the deposit request for tenants if they wanted to move in with a pet or request to get a pet, this extra deposit was to account for any potential damage caused or cleaning up after the tenant and their pet left. However, when the Tenant Fee Ban of 2019 came in to effect it meant that this was no longer an option for the landlord, which lead to some placing an all-out ban on pets in their properties in turn making it difficult for tenants to find properties that allowed them to move in with their beloved pets.

If the proposal becomes law in order to cover the risk of potential damage to a property that a pet may cause, the landlord will likely be within their right to request that their tenant obtains pet insurance in order to cover any damages to the property. This is an additional cost that tenants may have to prepare for in the future.

As with any damage to a rental property, the 5-week deposit may be at risk if a pet damages the property or fleas are discovered during cleaning. Having a good inventory taken is essential for both parties when a tenant intends to moves in.

Get in Touch

If you are looking to move to Slough and the surrounding areas, we are the leading independent estate agents in Colnbrook and are location experts, we have homes suitable for many budgets ready to view. So, contact us on 01753 683000 or email us. You can also follow us on FacebookLinkedIn and Instagram.