Despite the upcoming Renters’ Rights Act giving tenants the legal right to request pets in their homes the proportion of pet-friendly rental listings in England has barely increased.
Analysis from Inventory Base shows just 8.2% of properties are advertised as pet-friendly, up only 0.6% from January 2025.
The North East leads with 11.5% of listings, while the East Midlands lags at 5.6%, the only region to see a decline.
From May 1, tenants can formally request to keep a pet, and landlords must provide a reasonable written response within 28 days. Eviction will be more difficult under the ban on Section 21 notices, and landlords cannot charge extra fees or rent for pets.
LANDLORDS YET TO ADAPT
Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, Operations Director at Inventory Base, says: “Despite the Renters’ Rights Act significantly strengthening tenants’ ability to keep pets, this data shows that landlords are yet to meaningfully adapt, with pet-friendly listings increasing only marginally.
“This suggests many are either taking a wait-and-see approach or haven’t fully prepared for the changes ahead.”
“As The Act makes it harder to refuse pet requests or regain possession where pets are kept, landlords now need to prepare for the fact that more and more tenants are going to be pet owners.”
ACCURATE INVENTORIES
She adds: “As such, landlords must start focusing on protecting themselves against any financial costs this could possibly create.
“The best way to do this, given that landlords will not be allowed to take any additional deposit money to cover pet damage specifically, is by ensuring they complete comprehensive, accurate inventories with regular inspections.
“This is now essential to evidence property condition, manage risk, and safeguard against the potential costs associated with pet-related damage in the new rental landscape.”
