Landlords – Do you allow pets?

Do you allow pets in your rentals? If not, perhaps you are concerned that pets will cause damage, or annoy the neighbours, or generally create problems?  If so, you are not alone, as according to research although 40% of UK households currently own pets, disappointingly only 7% of private landlords advertise properties as pet-friendly.

Government and leading animal charities are acting to rectify what they view as discrimination against responsible pet owners, but some landlords are now concerned about whether or not they are legally obliged to accept pets. The answer is no, you are not obliged to say yes at present  – it is not yet a legal requirement for landlords to automatically accept pets. In the not too distant future, however, the default position could well be that responsible tenants are allowed well-behaved pets. The proposals being put forward are that if the landlord objects to a written request from the tenant they will be required to respond within 28 days, also in writing, to justify refusal. Any objections must be considered reasonable, such as concerns over the animal’s welfare or the suitability of the pet for the type of accommodation being let.

If you’re not allowing pets you may well be missing some excellent tenants. Our experience at Adams is that locally many people enjoy the true companionship of a dog or cat being part of their family and we encourage landlords with suitable properties to consider tenants with pets. Tenants with pets often tend to stay longer, valuing the property as their home, and doing their best to maintain the indoor and outdoor space really well. If a landlord has concerns, we recommend they talk to their agent.

If you have a property To Let in Winchcombe, Bishops Cleeve or the Cotswold villages contact Adams Estate Agents 01242 603601.