Did you know that Belfast is the UK’s friendliest city for renters with pets?
According to this article, only 7% of UK landlords advertise their properties as allowing pets. On the one hand, I can understand that, but it’s also cutting off a massive part of the population who may want to rent their property… and as a dad, I know that kids can be just as messy as a pet (sometimes more so )
It’s heartbreaking that each year 200 dogs are taken to UK rehoming centres because of rental restrictions. It’s not all bad news though, alongside Belfast, over 90% of Oxford and Manchester landlords allow pets.
Is this an issue that you’ve encountered in your area?
That’s interesting, I’d imagine a lot of it is to do with some places having more owners than renters.
I love the stats in this grid better… possibly because Newcastle is quite close to where I’m from in Durham, and I know Durham is a very VERY dog friendly place.
When the Renters Rights Bill becomes law this summer it will be very difficult for landlords to refuse to take tenants with pets:
"the Renters’ Rights Bill, will give tenants the right to request to keep a pet, and landlords cannot ‘unreasonably refuse this request’. Landlords can require tenants to have pet insurance to cover potential damage. The bill aims to support responsible pet ownership and make it easier for tenants to keep pets in rented properties.
For eg if the communal management terms of the property specifies no pets (so it’s not up to the home owner to make a decision) or, I’m guessing, keeping a designated ‘dangerous breed’ etc.
Unfortunately I’ve had some really terrible experiences allowing tenants to have pets - one left their 3 small dogs all day in the house alone and the constant yapping led 3 of my neighbours to raise a noise disturbance complaint to the council, which they upheld and then I had to deal with removing the tenants, which took many months and cost a lot of money.
Then I allowed a cat which did 1K damage to the furniture and carpets in the house and also got in through neighbours open windows and left dead animals, which they naturally did not want.
Unfortunately you can’t legislate for responsible tenants any more than you can for good landlords. And insurance only covers damage not other legal costs and the bad feeling generated amongst neighbours.
You took the words out of my mouth! The new act is the main reason I’m going back into my home having rented it out since January 2019, with a break during the pandemic
Aha I did wonder if that was the reason-lots of retired friends are selling 2nd homes, these are places they inherited from parents and let out. It’s caused huge issues as there’s now increasingly a reduction in rentals available as more private landlords sell up, due to not wanting the hassle of a sitting tenant once the rules change and then you can’t ask tenants to leave….
Well, not so bad if it’s a second home and they have no mortgage but mine is my only home. The other thing is that tenants can bring pets, and landlords cannot stop them. A lot of people with mortgages on their buy to lets no longer can the tax break, which I think is the main reason people have been selling them. The act is great to protect tenants against the dodgy, unscrupulous landlords but there will be less rentals which will no doubt push the prices up of those that are available.
It’s the law of unexpected consequences, as landlords will still avoid tenants with pets/children due to there being huge numbers applying for each rental so the landlord has greater choice. It’s hard to prove there was bias.
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