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Government changes model tenancy agreement to allow pets
The government has updated its standard tenancy agreement template to allow renters to keep pets as the default.
Under the changes, landlords will no longer be able to issue a blanket ban on pets, housing minister Christopher Pincher said.
Instead, they will be expected to object in writing when a renter requests to have a pet including a good reason, such as if a property is considered too small for this to be practical.
The changes are laid out in the government’s new Model Tenancy Agreement, which is the government’s recommended contract for landlords.
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Tenants will still have a legal duty to repair or cover the cost of any damage done to the property.
According to the government, just 7% of private landlords advertise pet-friendly properties, which has led to some renters having to give up their pets.
A 2018 piece of research found that social landlords tend to be more accommodating than private landlords when it comes to pet ownership, but that policies still varied from landlord to landlord.
Mr Pincher said: “We are a nation of animal lovers and over the past year more people than ever before have welcome pets into their lives and homes.
“But it can’t be right that only a tiny fraction of landlords advertise pet friendly properties and in some cases people have had to give up their beloved pets in order to find somewhere to live.
“Through the changes to the tenancy agreement we are making today, we are bringing an end to the unfair blanket ban on pets introduced by some landlords.
“This strikes the right balance between helping more people find a home that’s right for them and their pet while ensuring landlords’ properties are safeguarded against inappropriate or badly behaved pets.”
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