Your tenant wants a pet. Here's how to respond without breaking the law

Updated July 2026 · Based on official gov.uk guidance · General information, not legal advice

Under the Renters' Rights Act, tenants in England have a legal right to request a pet — and landlords have precise obligations in how they answer. Get it wrong and the refusal itself becomes a breach. The three rules:

You must respond in writing within 28 days of the request. Silence or delay risks being treated as an unreasonable refusal.
You can only refuse with a good reason, stated in writing. A blanket "no pets policy" is no longer a reason — it's the thing the law was written to end.
You cannot charge for consent: no pet deposit, no requirement that the tenant buys pet insurance. (You can still deduct for actual pet damage from the ordinary deposit at the end of the tenancy.)

What counts as a good reason to refuse?

Reasons that can be defensible: the building's head lease or superior lease prohibits pets (enclose the clause — it binds you both) · the property is genuinely unsuitable for the specific animal (a large dog in a small flat with no outdoor access) · a documented severe allergy of another occupant in a shared house/HMO · the specific animal has a documented history of nuisance or danger.

Reasons that won't survive scrutiny: "we don't allow pets" · "it might cause damage" (speculative — the deposit covers actual damage) · "the last tenant's pet was a nightmare" · "not without a pet deposit / pet insurance" (both now banned as conditions).

Consent with conditions — the sensible middle path

You can attach reasonable conditions to consent, and for most landlords this is the smart route: the pet is kept under proper control and doesn't cause nuisance; damage beyond fair wear and tear is made good; professional carpet cleaning at end of tenancy if soiling occurred. These conditions only restate obligations the tenant already has, so you can require them. What you cannot do is add new financial conditions.

Respond properly, in writing, on time

Whatever you decide, put it in writing within the 28 days, keep a copy, and if refusing, state the specific reason. A well-drafted response protects you in any later dispute; a missed deadline or a bare "no" hands the tenant the argument. Our £29 document pack includes three ready-to-send response letters — full consent, consent with reasonable conditions, and lawful refusal with worked examples of valid reasons.

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Pets are one question of twelve

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