The rules around pets in rental properties have changed but perhaps the bigger change landlords need to make is not to their property, it’s to their perception.

For years, three little words appeared on thousands of rental listings:

“No pets allowed.”

For many landlords, it was an easy decision.

No dog meant no scratched doors.

No cat meant no damaged carpets.

No pets meant one less potential problem to worry about.

But since the Renters’ Rights Act changes came into force on 1 May 2026, landlords in England can no longer rely on a simple blanket approach.

Tenants can make a written request to keep a pet and landlords must consider that request rather than unreasonably refusing it.

That doesn’t mean landlords have lost control.

And it certainly doesn’t mean every pet must automatically be accepted.

What it does mean is that we need to look at each situation individually.

So, can a landlord still say no to a pet?

Yes — provided there is a fair reason.

Government guidance gives several examples of circumstances where refusing a request may be reasonable.

For example, a property might simply be too small for a particularly large pet or several animals.

Another occupant may have an allergy.

The animal may not legally be kept.

Or, particularly with leasehold properties, the landlord’s own lease or superior landlord may prohibit pets.

So if someone asks to keep a Great Dane in a very small studio flat, there may be a perfectly sensible reason to say no.

But the important difference is that landlords now need to consider the circumstances rather than simply applying a blanket “no pets” rule.

What isn’t likely to be a reasonable refusal?

This is where landlords need to be careful.

According to current Government guidance, simply not liking pets would usually not be sufficient.

Neither would having had a bad experience with a previous pet-owning tenant.

General concerns that a pet might cause damage in the future would also usually not, by themselves, justify refusing a request.

In other words:

“The last tenant’s dog ruined my carpet, so I’m never accepting another dog” isn’t the approach landlords should now be taking.

The new system is much more about assessing:

this tenant + this pet + this property.

Ask questions before making a decision

Rather than immediately saying yes or no, I would encourage landlords to find out more.

A sensible assessment might include:

• What type of pet is it, and how large is it?
• Is it house-trained?
• Is the property genuinely suitable for that particular animal?
• Are there restrictions within the landlord’s lease or from the freeholder?
• Are there any other circumstances that would make keeping the pet inappropriate?

Landlords can request further information where reasonably required. The initial written response period is generally 28 days, with provisions allowing additional time in certain circumstances, including where further information or superior-landlord consent is needed.

The point isn’t to make the process difficult.

It’s to make an informed decision.

But perhaps we also need to change the way we think about pets

This for me, is the more interesting part of the conversation.

The legislation tells landlords what they must consider.

But perhaps it’s also an opportunity to reconsider something we’ve assumed for years:

Does a tenant having a pet necessarily represent a greater problem?

I’m not convinced it does.

For many people today, their dog or cat isn’t simply an animal that happens to live in the house.

It’s part of their family.

And once you start looking at it from that perspective, the conversation changes.

A pet owner could be exactly the tenant you’re looking for

Of course, owning a pet doesn’t automatically make somebody a good tenant.

But equally, not owning a pet doesn’t make somebody a good tenant either.

That’s why referencing, affordability checks and the tenant’s overall profile remain so important.

But consider the bigger picture.

Someone looking for the right home for themselves and their pet may also be looking for something many landlords want from a tenant:

Stability.

They may not want to move every year.

They may want somewhere they can genuinely settle.

And a responsible person who takes excellent care of an animal may also take excellent care of the property they call home.

That doesn’t mean we should make assumptions in either direction.

It simply means that “has a pet” shouldn’t automatically translate into “higher-risk tenant.”

What about damage?

This is probably the first concern I hear from landlords.

And it’s understandable.

What if the dog damages a door?

What if the cat scratches something?

What if a carpet is damaged?

The important point is that the normal protections surrounding genuine tenant damage haven’t disappeared.

If a pet causes damage, reasonable repair costs can still be claimed from the tenancy deposit, subject to the usual deposit rules. Government guidance also notes that relevant insurance may provide another route where applicable, although a landlord cannot recover twice for the same damage.

This is also why a good inventory and check-in report remain so important.

The condition of carpets, flooring, doors, walls, furniture and other relevant items should be properly documented at the beginning of the tenancy.

That protects everybody.

Pet-friendly doesn’t have to mean landlord-unfriendly

I think this is ultimately where the conversation needs to move.

The Renters’ Rights Act has undoubtedly changed the legal position.

But landlords don’t need to view that change purely as another restriction.

A pet request can still be assessed sensibly.

You can ask questions.

You can consider whether the property is suitable.

You can check the lease.

You can properly document the property’s condition.

And you still have protection if genuine damage occurs.

So instead of starting with:

“I don’t want pets in my property.”

Perhaps start with:

“Is this a good tenant, with a suitable pet, for this particular property?”

That’s a very different question.

And you might discover that the person you would previously have rejected because they own a dog or cat could actually become a responsible, settled and long-term tenant.

Sometimes legislation changes the rules.

Sometimes it should also make us question an old perception.

If you’re a landlord and you’re unsure how to respond to a pet request under the Renters’ Rights Act, ABX Properties can help you assess the request, understand the circumstances and make a sensible decision for both you and your tenant.

Xavier Boulanger
Founder & Director
ABX Properties

Property advice you can trust. Property management you don’t have to worry about.