Despite new rules that took effect on May 1 giving 11 million tenants the right to request a pet, most landlords are still refusing to allow pets, according to a study by data analysis firm Ratings Atlas. The Renters’ Rights Act, which applies across Britain, prohibits blanket pet bans and requires landlords to respond to written pet requests within 28 days.
They can only say no for specific reasons, such as a property being too small or a shared tenant having severe allergies. But two months after the law took effect, 70 percent of rental listings examined still didn’t accept pets.
Where landlords are most resistant to pets
The analysts examined 15,522 live rental listings across 41 British cities. Derby had the fewest pet-friendly rentals — less than 15 percent. Plymouth came next at just over 15 percent, and Exeter followed at 17.4 percent. In Exeter, only 12 of the 69 homes available would allow pets.
On the other end, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Luton were the most pet-friendly, with more than 42 percent of listings permitting pets. London sat at 34.3 percent, which was above the national average but still meant nearly two-thirds of rentals in the capital said no to animals.
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Pet-friendly homes come with a higher price tag
The study found a £450 monthly price gap between rentals that accept pets and those that don’t. The firm said this wasn’t a deliberate “pet tax.”
Pet-friendly listings tend to be larger properties with gardens, which cost more to rent anyway. Smaller apartments and shared houses, where pets are rarely accepted, are cheaper. So the extra cost is mostly about size and type of property, not a penalty for owning an animal.
Rating Atlas founder Daniel Grainger said: “The Renters’ Rights Act gives tenants the right to ask to keep a pet. But our research shows most listings still say no.” He added that under the act, a refusal has to be grounded in something real about the property or the circumstances, not simply a preference or a past bad experience.
How to increase the chances of approval
Grainger’s advice for tenants: put the request in writing. Landlords can no longer impose blanket bans and must consider each request on its merits.
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A listing that doesn’t say pet-friendly isn’t necessarily a no — since the act, it’s always worth asking. “Include a reference from a previous landlord vouching for your pet, and any documentation that shows a landlord their property is safe in your hands.”
When a landlord can say no
If a landlord rejects a request, they must explain why. Valid reasons include a shared tenant with an allergy, a property too small for large or numerous pets, or a leasehold where the freeholder prohibits animals.
Landlords cannot refuse simply because they dislike pets, nor can they cite potential damage based on past cases. They cannot reject a request if the tenant needs an assistance animal like a guide dog. Tenants can challenge a refusal if they believe it’s unreasonable, and once approved, landlords cannot change their minds.
