Tenant Pet Requests Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025

What Has Changed

Until 1 May 2026, private landlords in England had broad freedom to include blanket "no pets" clauses in tenancy agreements. According to 2024 data from Zoopla, only 7% of rental properties were advertised as suitable for pets. Tenants had no formal right to challenge a refusal, and most standard assured shorthold tenancy agreements prohibited animals outright. A landlord could refuse for any reason, or for no reason at all, and the tenant had no meaningful recourse.

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 fundamentally changes this position. Section 11 of the Act inserts new sections 16A and 16B into the Housing Act 1988, creating an implied term in every assured tenancy (other than social housing tenancies within the meaning of Part 2 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008) that a tenant may keep a pet at the property, provided they follow the statutory request process and the landlord consents. Critically, the landlord's consent is not to be unreasonably refused.

The Act defines a pet as "an animal kept by a person mainly for personal interest, companionship or ornamental purposes or some combination of the three." This is a broad definition and covers dogs, cats, rabbits, fish, reptiles and other domestic animals commonly kept as companions.

This does not mean tenants acquire an automatic right to keep any animal in any property. What it means is that the legal starting point has shifted. Before 1 May 2026, the default position was that pets were prohibited unless the landlord chose to allow them. After 1 May 2026, the default position is that a tenant may request a pet and the landlord must consider the request fairly. Blanket bans, regardless of the property type, are no longer lawful.

New tenancy agreements issued from 1 May 2026 will include a mandatory clause confirming that the tenant may request a pet in accordance with Section 16A of the Housing Act 1988, and that the landlord may not unreasonably withhold consent. Existing tenancies that convert to assured periodic tenancies on that date will also be subject to the new implied term.

The Statutory Request Process

The Act sets out a structured timetable that both parties are expected to follow. Understanding this process is essential, because failing to comply with it has consequences for both landlords and tenants.

The tenant's obligations. The tenant must make their request in writing. The request must include a description of the pet, covering details such as the species, breed and age of the animal. A verbal request or a casual mention in conversation does not satisfy the statutory requirement. For the purposes of the Act, a tenant "keeps" a pet at a property if they permit the pet to live there, whether or not they are the pet's owner. This means that a tenant who allows a partner's dog to live at the property full-time is keeping a pet within the meaning of the Act, even if the dog is not formally theirs.

The landlord's response window. Once the landlord receives a valid written request, they must respond in writing within 28 days. The response must either grant or refuse consent. Silence is not an option. If the landlord simply ignores the request, the tenant may treat this as an unreasonable refusal and pursue the matter further.

Requesting further information. If the landlord reasonably needs more detail about the pet before making a decision, they may request further information within the initial 28-day window. For example, a landlord might ask about the size or breed of a dog, whether it is house-trained, or whether it has any history of aggressive behaviour. If the tenant provides the requested information, the landlord then has a further seven days from the date they receive it to give their decision. If the tenant does not provide the information, the landlord is not required to respond at all.

The GOV.UK guidance illustrates this with an example. A tenant requests permission to keep a dog. The landlord asks within the 28-day period for more details about the dog's size and whether it is trained. The tenant responds with the details. The landlord then has either the remainder of the original 28 days or an additional seven days from the date the information was received, whichever is later, to issue their final written decision.

Superior landlord consent. There is a separate provision for leasehold properties. Where the landlord needs to obtain consent from a superior landlord (such as a freeholder) under the terms of their own lease, and they seek that consent within 28 days of the tenant's request, they may delay their decision until seven days after receiving the superior landlord's response. This recognises the practical reality that many landlords in leasehold flats do not have the final say on whether pets are permitted.

Combined extensions. If more than one extension applies (for example, the landlord both requested further information and needs superior landlord consent), the landlord may delay until whichever deadline falls latest. The landlord and tenant may also agree in writing to extend the deadline by mutual consent.

Separate requests for each pet. Each pet requires its own individual request. A tenant who wants a cat and a dog must make two separate requests, and the landlord must consider each on its own merits. Consent for one pet does not imply consent for another.

When Is It Reasonable to Refuse

The Act does not provide an exhaustive statutory list of what constitutes a reasonable ground for refusal. Instead, the standard is one of general reasonableness, assessed on the facts of each case. However, GOV.UK guidance published alongside the Act gives examples of circumstances where a refusal is likely to be considered reasonable. These include the following situations.

Where a superior landlord or freeholder prohibits pets under the terms of the head lease, and the landlord has taken reasonable steps to obtain consent but it has been refused or is not forthcoming. The government guidance states that it will always be reasonable for a landlord to refuse where their superior landlord prohibits pets.

Where the property is genuinely unsuitable for the type or size of animal requested. A large dog in a small studio flat with no outdoor access, for example, may be a legitimate basis for refusal on welfare and suitability grounds.

Where the presence of the animal would create a legitimate safety concern or risk of regulatory non-compliance, such as overcrowding in an HMO or a risk to the structural condition of the property.

Where the specific animal poses an identifiable risk. The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 remains in force, and landlords cannot consent to a prohibited breed regardless of the tenant's request. Restricted breeds, such as the American XL Bully (subject to specific restrictions since 2023), should be checked against current legislation.

Equally important is what the government's guidance suggests will not constitute a reasonable ground for refusal. A landlord's general dislike of pets is not a reasonable basis. Previous negative experiences with other tenants who had pets is not a reasonable basis. A policy of refusing all pet requests regardless of circumstances is not a reasonable basis. Having had a previous tenant whose pet caused damage to a different property is not a reasonable basis.

Each request must be assessed individually. A refusal that relies on a blanket policy rather than the specific facts of the request in question is unlikely to withstand challenge. Landlords who refuse are required to provide their reasons in writing, and those reasons may later be scrutinised by a court or, once operational, the PRS Ombudsman.

Pet Insurance and Damage

This is one of the most widely misunderstood aspects of the new framework, and landlords should pay close attention to the distinction between what was proposed and what was enacted.

Earlier drafts of the Renters' Rights Bill included a clause that would have allowed landlords to require tenants to take out pet damage insurance, or to reimburse the landlord for the reasonable cost of such insurance. The Bill originally proposed an exception to the Tenant Fees Act 2019 to permit these costs as lawful payments. This provision was removed by the government at Report Stage in Parliament and does not appear in the final Act.

As the law now stands, landlords cannot require tenants to take out pet insurance. Landlords cannot take out pet insurance themselves and charge the tenant for the cost. Doing so would constitute a prohibited payment under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 and could expose the landlord to enforcement action, including a financial penalty of up to £5,000 for a first offence and up to £30,000 for subsequent offences.

Similarly, landlords cannot charge a higher tenancy deposit to account for the presence of a pet. The deposit cap introduced by the Tenant Fees Act 2019 (five weeks' rent where the annual rent is below £50,000, or six weeks' rent above that threshold) applies regardless of whether a pet is present.

This does not leave landlords without recourse if pet damage occurs. The tenancy deposit can still be used to cover damage beyond fair wear and tear at the end of the tenancy, provided the landlord has adequate evidence. The key word is evidence. Properly documented check-in and check-out reports, supported by dated photographs and a detailed inventory, remain essential for protecting the landlord's position in any deposit dispute.

Where the cost of damage exceeds the deposit amount, the landlord retains the right to pursue a separate claim against the tenant through the county court to recover the additional costs. The NRLA has advised landlords to treat thorough inventories and condition reports as their primary line of defence.

Although the landlord cannot compel the tenant to take out insurance, nothing prevents a tenant from choosing to do so voluntarily. Some landlords may find it helpful to mention the availability of pet damage insurance when granting consent, without making it a condition of that consent.

Enforcement and Remedies

If a landlord refuses a pet request and the tenant believes the refusal is unreasonable, the tenant has a number of options.

The immediate route is to apply to the county court. The court may determine whether the refusal was reasonable and, if it finds in the tenant's favour, may order the landlord to grant consent. Where the landlord is the losing party, the court would ordinarily order the landlord to pay the tenant's costs. Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook confirmed this position in a written parliamentary answer in April 2026, stating that prior to the establishment of the PRS Ombudsman, tenants will be able to challenge unreasonable refusals through the courts.

The Private Rented Sector Ombudsman, which is expected to become operational from 2028, will also have the power to investigate how landlords handle pet requests once it is established. The Ombudsman will be able to order landlords to comply with the statutory process and may compel compensation payments to tenants. Until the Ombudsman service launches, the courts remain the primary route.

Once consent is given, the landlord cannot withdraw it for the pet that was approved. However, if the tenant wants an additional or different pet in the future, a new request must be submitted and considered separately.

Assistance animals. It is worth noting that assistance animals, such as guide dogs, hearing dogs and other trained animals relied upon by disabled persons, are not classified as pets under this framework. They are protected under the Equality Act 2010, and landlords are required to permit them as a reasonable adjustment regardless of any pet clause or policy. A refusal to allow an assistance animal is only permissible in very rare and exceptional cases, such as a proven and serious health and safety risk. Allergies of other tenants are generally not considered sufficient grounds to refuse an assistance animal.

Emotional support animals. Emotional support animals do not currently have the same automatic legal protection in the UK as assistance animals. Requests for emotional support animals may be assessed on a case-by-case basis under the standard pet request framework, and a landlord may refuse such a request if there are reasonable grounds to do so.

Unauthorised pets. If a tenant keeps a pet without following the statutory request process, they may be in breach of the tenancy agreement. New tenancy agreements from 1 May 2026 will include a clause stating the tenant may keep a pet if they request to do so in accordance with the Act and the landlord consents. Keeping a pet without making a request would therefore breach that contractual term. In such cases, the landlord could consider serving a Section 8 notice under Ground 12 (breach of tenancy), although this is a discretionary ground and the court would assess whether it is reasonable to grant possession in the circumstances, rather than granting it automatically.

Practical Steps for Landlords

Landlords who prepare now will be better placed to handle pet requests consistently, lawfully and without unnecessary disputes. The following steps are worth considering.

Review existing tenancy agreements and remove or amend any blanket "no pets" clauses that conflict with the new statutory framework. From 1 May 2026, these clauses will be overridden by the implied term in any event, but having outdated wording in a tenancy agreement creates confusion and may suggest to a tenant or a court that the landlord is not engaging with the new regime in good faith.

Establish a clear internal process for receiving and responding to pet requests. The NRLA has published template documents for handling pet requests, including a pet request form, a decision record template and a pet permission agreement. These are available to download from the NRLA website and provide a structured paper trail that may serve as supporting evidence if a decision is later challenged.

Invest in thorough property documentation. A detailed inventory with dated photographs taken at the start and end of every tenancy is the landlord's most important tool for evidencing the condition of the property. Check-in and check-out reports, ideally prepared by an independent third party, carry particular weight in deposit disputes. This applies to all tenancies, but becomes especially important where a pet is present.

For landlords who hold leasehold properties, check the terms of the head lease now to understand whether superior landlord consent is required and how that process works. Discovering this under time pressure when a tenant's 28-day deadline is running is not ideal. If the lease contains a blanket prohibition on pets, the landlord will need to contact the freeholder promptly once a request is received.

Consider the commercial reality. According to the NRLA, marketing a property as pet-friendly may attract a wider pool of responsible tenants and reduce void periods. With demand for pet-friendly rental homes significantly outstripping supply, landlords who engage constructively with the new framework may find it works in their favour.

LLCR helps self-managing landlords in England stay on top of compliance deadlines and documentation. Track your obligations at llcr.uk.

This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Landlords should seek independent legal advice for their specific circumstances.