Renting With Pets Under the Renters’ Rights Act: What Landlords in East London and Essex Need to Know

The rules surrounding pets in rented properties have changed, and landlords need to understand what the new legislation actually means. Since the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 came into force, tenants in England have strengthened rights to request permission to keep a pet in their rented home.

But there is an important distinction.

Tenants have not been given an automatic right to keep any pet in any property. Landlords can still refuse a request where there is a valid reason. What has changed is that a landlord cannot unreasonably refuse a tenant's request.

For landlords in Leyton, Gidea Park and across East London and Essex, this means pet requests now need to be considered carefully, documented properly and handled within the rules.

At OC Homes, we believe landlords should understand both their obligations and the practical steps available to protect their property.

Can landlords still say no to pets?

Yes, but there needs to be a justifiable reason. Propertymark's updated guidance for England explains that potentially reasonable grounds could include another tenant having an allergy, the size or layout of the property being unsuitable for the number or size of pets, the animal being illegal to own, or the freeholder or superior landlord prohibiting pets.

Simply not liking pets, having experienced problems with pets previously, being generally concerned about possible future damage or worrying about future rental prospects would not usually be considered reasonable grounds according to the guidance.

This means landlords should consider each request individually rather than applying a blanket "no pets" policy.

How long does a landlord have to respond?

The timescales are important. When a tenant makes a request to keep a pet, the landlord initially has 28 days to consider it.

A landlord can ask the tenant for additional information. Once that information has been received, Propertymark's guidance states that a decision must be made within seven days.

For landlords using OC Homes' fully managed service, this is precisely the type of ongoing tenancy administration our Property Management team can oversee.

What should landlords consider before accepting a pet?

It should not simply be a question of "dog or no dog". The individual animal and the property need to be considered together.

A landlord or managing agent may want information about the pet's age, breed, behaviour, training and vaccinations. References from a previous landlord or veterinary practitioner can also help establish whether the arrangement is suitable. Propertymark even suggests that a pet CV can form part of this process.

The property itself matters too. A particular animal may be entirely appropriate for a house with outside space but less suitable for a smaller flat without appropriate access.

The objective should be a sensible, evidence based decision rather than an automatic acceptance or refusal.

What about leasehold properties and flats?

This is particularly relevant across Leyton, Gidea Park and many parts of East London and Essex where landlords own leasehold apartments.

A landlord may be happy to allow a pet but still be restricted by the property's headlease or superior landlord.

Propertymark advises agents and landlords to check the lease and any relevant covenants because these may prohibit pets or impose conditions on keeping them.

This should therefore be checked before permission is granted.

Can landlords charge a bigger deposit for a pet?

Not in England. The Tenant Fees Act limits security deposits to five weeks' rent where annual rent is below £50,000 and six weeks where annual rent is £50,000 or more.

A landlord or letting agent cannot simply increase the security deposit beyond the permitted limit because the tenant has a pet.

This makes good inventories and property inspections even more important.

Can landlords charge additional rent for a pet?

This is another area where landlords need to be careful. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, rent increases are limited to once a year through the Section 13 procedure. Propertymark's guidance explains that there is no separate exception allowing a landlord simply to increase the rent after accepting a pet.

Landlords should therefore obtain professional advice before changing the rent or attempting to introduce additional charges following a pet request.

Protecting the property when accepting pets

Allowing a pet does not mean landlords have to abandon sensible property protection. In fact, good property management becomes more important.

A detailed professional inventory establishes the property's condition at the beginning of the tenancy. Regular inspections can then identify problems early, while a comprehensive check out report provides evidence if damage occurs.

Propertymark specifically recommends inventories, interim inspections and check out reports as important tools for reducing disputes and establishing whether legitimate deductions should be made from a deposit.

Landlords should also check whether their landlord insurance covers accidental pet damage and whether alternative cover may be appropriate.

Can landlords require professional cleaning?

Landlords need to be careful here too. A landlord cannot insist that the tenant uses a professional cleaning company or pays for professional de flea treatment.

What landlords can require is that the property is returned to the same standard of cleanliness and condition as at the beginning of the tenancy, allowing for reasonable wear and tear.

Again, the inventory becomes crucial because without evidence of the original condition, proving deterioration or damage becomes considerably harder.

Are assistance animals different?

Yes. Assistance animals should not be treated in the same way as an ordinary pet request.

Propertymark's guidance highlights protections under the Equality Act 2010 and states that where a tenant has a qualified assistance animal, they must not be refused the right to keep the animal even where an ordinary pet might otherwise reasonably have been refused.

Landlords and agents therefore need to be particularly careful when dealing with these requests.

Pets can also benefit landlords

It is easy for the conversation around pets to focus entirely on risk. There is another side to it.

Pet friendly properties can appeal to a wider pool of prospective tenants and may encourage good tenants to remain in a property for longer.

Propertymark cites University of Huddersfield research suggesting that pet related damage was less than half the level of non pet related damage in the research and that longer average tenancy lengths for pet owners could provide landlords with a financial benefit.

The sensible approach is therefore not automatically to fear pets, but to manage the risk correctly.

Another reason professional property management matters

The Renters’ Rights Act has changed much more than Section 21 and periodic tenancies. Day to day issues such as pet requests now carry statutory processes and considerations that landlords need to understand.

A request that once might have been answered with a quick "no pets" now requires proper consideration of the tenant, animal, property, lease, timescales and legal position.

For landlords managing their own properties or using a let only service, these ongoing responsibilities remain with them.

For landlords using OC Homes' fully managed service, our Property Management team can oversee these issues as part of the ongoing management of the tenancy.

Speak to OC Homes

If you are a landlord in Leyton, Gidea Park, East London or Essex and are unsure how the new rules surrounding pets affect your rental property, get in touch with OC Homes. We've been overseeing property sales, lettings and management across East London and Essex since 2008.

Whether you have received a pet request from an existing tenant, are preparing to let a property or want to understand whether fully managed property management could reduce your compliance burden, our lettings and property management teams can guide you through the process.

The rules have changed. The key for landlords is not simply saying yes or no to pets. It is making the right decision, for the right reasons, and documenting it properly.