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A leading lettings agency says increasing numbers of tenants are seeking pet-friendly homes to rent.
Chestertons claims up to 35 per cent of tenants currently looking for rental properties in London are pet owners, and the agency calculates some 3.2m UK households have bought a dog since the start of the pandemic in 2020.
Richard Davies, head of lettings at Chestertons, says: “The rental market is extremely competitive but pet-owners face the additional challenge of finding a property in which pets are allowed.
“To win over landlords, many tenants are creating pet CVs featuring references from previous landlords giving assurance that their pet is well-behaved, but even then, many are still finding it hard to move with their pet.
“As supporters of the Dogs Trust’s ‘Lets with Pets’ scheme, we do everything we can to try and help tenants with pets find a suitable property and also encourage more landlords to allow pets in their properties.”
Meanwhile a survey by rental cleaning firm End of Tenancy has found Belfast to be the most pet-friendly city in the UK - but even then with just 12.1 per cent of available properties for rent, allowing pets.
Glasgow was second with 11.5 per cent of properties followed by Manchester with 9.2 per cent.
In fourth place is Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, with 8.9 per cent of accommodation being pet-friendly.
In London, End of Tenancy says only 624 properties out of the total 8,531 accept pets, which at 7.3 per cent of properties puts the capital at the bottom of the top 10 best cities for pet-friendly accommodation.
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Here's an idea... why don't agents and landlords take a 'pet deposit' to cover for any damages? That way they would be greater incentivised to allow pets.
Oh yeah, I remember. They're not allowed to any more. Whose brilliant idea was that?
"Well behaved" needs to be removed from this discussion. Its not dogs that behave versus dogs that dont, I am sure there are very few dilaps from crazy dogs losing the plot in a fit of rage and smashing the place up. Chestetons dog cv therefore simply confirms the dog isnt a rabid lunatic, and whose to say you can take its contents at face value anyway.
Its about the fact dogs are animals, they have fleas, claws, they smell, cant clean themselves and whilst we all love our own pets and put up with the accidents, worn carpets etc, it isnt possible to return any property in the same condition after a dog has been in residence, and this pretence that a dog or its owner somehow has some control over this inevitability is wasting everyones time, we have been going round the houses on this for 3 years nearly already with passports, and vet certificates, now cvs.
So in trying to persuade LLs and other agents to be more pet friendly, it would be helpful if those promoting it, address this point directly, and what their proposed solution might be, and dispense with all the irrelevant whacky ideas that wont make any difference to the tenants they are campaigning for. If they really want to make a difference if they care so much for this section of tenants, then start and mobilise a campaign to lobby government to amend the TFA. I would welcome and support that effort, as I agree we need to find a way to support tenants who do want to have a pet, but not at the expense of the property owner.
It’s undeniable that the Tenant Fees Act has had a direct impact and there are now nearly 20% fewer landlords willing to accept pets since the legislation was passed. But we’re confident the industry has the ability to mobilise and innovate in order to meet the needs of today’s tenants whilst balancing suitable protection for landlords in compliance with the current laws. Kudos to Chestertons and many tenants for taking a pro-active approach to the challenge faced, but it’s also understandable that others are still hesitant to accept pets without the option to increase security deposits. These tenants need to live somewhere and we’re sure no one wants to see pets abandoned due to not being able to find a suitable home, so the government (and we as an industry) have to seriously look at how we can meet the needs of all stakeholders as this issue isn’t going to go away.
Funnily enough the prime minister's wife is an animal lover, and her undisciplined dog ives at their government flat, and is not averse to urinating on guests ! So that's the role model. !
Her upstairs is also the reason we are suffering Net Zero and Green taxes.
Fed up landlord, yes, but their guiding light is that German family at buck house ! Further Carrie is a member of peta, l should read their website, rather anti human being.
edwin - at least I am not being racist.
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