Pets and private renting: how to balance tenant rights with landlord protection

For many people, a pet isn’t just part of their ideal home, it’s a part of the family. Yet with Zoopla reporting that as little as 7% of its private rented listings are pet-friendly, it’s a dream that is out of reach for many renters.

This is set to change now that the Renters’ Rights Bill has committed to support pet ownership for private renters. Tenants can now request to have a pet in their home and landlords cannot unreasonably withhold consent, with the tenant able to challenge unfair decisions.

However, the issue of how to protect landlords from potential damage has remained a sticking point.

U-turn on pet damage insurance  

Asking tenants to take out pet damage insurance was ruled out in the House of Lords in July. It was felt that appropriate insurance products may not become available “at the scale necessary”.

This was amended to an extra three weeks’ deposit for renters with pets. However, given the lack of Government support for it, it is likely to be taken out of the Bill when MPs vote on the changes this Autumn.

So where does this leave landlords and what does the data tell us about the risks involved in letting to a tenant with pets? Are they outweighed by the benefits? And what safeguards exist to ensure landlords are protected if things go wrong?

Research says that pets are a positive for tenants and rented properties

In 2024, the University of Huddersfield led the first ever cost-benefit analysis of landlords letting to tenants with dogs and cats.

It found that renting to pet owners can be financially viable and beneficial for landlords. Pets are not a major risk, and in fact, pet owners tend to stay longer in their properties.

Findings include:

• Three out of four landlords (76%) did not encounter any damage caused by pets

• On average, the total reported cost by landlords of pet-related damage was £300, compared with £775 for non-pet-related damages

• 50% stayed in their rented home more than 3 years, compared with only 31% of non-pet-owning renters

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At TDS, we investigated how many pet-related deposit disputes occurred within a recent three-month period. The answer? 23.

To put this into perspective, TDS adjudicated a total of over 14,000 deposit disputes in England and Wales in 2023-24 so, as you can see, this is a very small proportion.

Safeguards for landlords

 If you’re considering allowing pets, there are ways to help reduce the risk and impact of potential damage while supporting a positive landlord–tenant relationship. This article from the TDS Help Centre outlines many practical ideas for handling pet requests in a way that works for everyone.

You’ll find suggestions such as including a tailored clause in the tenancy agreement, asking for pet references, recording the property’s condition, and arranging regular inspections to give you peace of mind.

Government will “closely monitor” how provisions work in practice

As it stands, Baroness Taylor (the Lords Minister for Housing and Local Government) maintains that traditional deposits will be enough to sufficiently protect landlords.

However, the Government has committed to closely monitor how the provisions work in practice following implementation. Ministers would consider allowing landlords to charge a larger deposit if costs from pet damage “frequently” exceed deposit amounts.

Existing research suggests that, with sensible precautions in place, the risk of damage can be kept to a minimum.