Ahead of today’s third reading of the Renters’ Rights Bill, which includes greater rights for responsible pet owners in the private rental sector, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, Dogs Trust, is urging the Government to extend these rights to renters in social housing.
In September, the Government announced that under the Renters’ Rights Bill, tenants in England’s private rental sector will be granted the right to request permission to keep a pet, with landlords unable to unreasonably refuse these requests. However, these new rights do not extend to tenants in social housing.
Dogs Trust is now calling on people to support its campaign by countersigning a letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, requesting that social housing tenants also be given the right to request permission to keep a pet, with that request not being unreasonably denied. The letter can be signed via www.dogstrust.org.uk/support-us/campaigns-appeals/renters-rights.
For years, Dogs Trust has advocated for greater rights for responsible dog owners in rental housing. Last year, the charity received over 45,000 handover enquiries, and around 15% cited housing-related issues, particularly the difficulty of finding pet-friendly accommodation, which forces them to make the heartbreaking decision to part with their pets.
Claire Calder, Head of Public Affairs at Dogs Trust, said: “We are pleased that the Renters’ Rights Bill will improve opportunities for tenants in the private rental sector to enjoy the companionship and benefits of pet ownership. However, we believe that there should be stronger rights for those renting from social housing providers too.
“While some social housing providers are already making positive strides towards being pet-friendly, finding suitable accommodation remains a lottery, with availability often dependent on your location and which provider you’re with. This is unfair. We need a baseline in legislation that ensures all social housing tenants can request a pet without fear of unreasonable refusal.”
While the new rights for private tenants will help those seeking to bring a pet into an existing tenancy, they will not address the overall shortage of pet-friendly housing. Dogs Trust is encouraging the Government to work closely with both private and social housing sectors to increase confidence in renting to pet owners and ensure they are not at a disadvantage when seeking suitable accommodation.
Research by Dogs Trust and Cats Protection shows that while 46% of private landlords say they allow pets, only 30% of tenants report that their tenancy agreements permit dogs. The same research revealed that in over a third of cases where pets were not allowed, landlords had not made a decision based on individual circumstances but rather followed generic advice or used standard templates.
Allowing pets in rental properties not only benefits tenants but also offers advantages for landlords. Studies show that 26% of tenants would be more likely to stay longer in a property if they were allowed to keep a pet, providing landlords with greater tenant stability.
To help increase the availability of pet-friendly rental properties, Dogs Trust has been offering guidance and resources for pet owners, landlords, and letting agents through its Lets with Pets scheme.
For advice on becoming a pet-friendly landlord or finding pet-friendly accommodation, visit www.letswithpets.org.uk.
