Renting With Pets: Can My Landlord Say No?
Since 1 May 2026, a tenant in England can request to keep a pet, and the landlord must respond in writing within 28 days and cannot unreasonably refuse. Blanket "no pets" bans no longer apply.
Information last verified on 18 July 2026. This page is general legal information, not legal advice.
Jurisdiction scope: The statutory right to request a pet described on this page comes from the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and applies to private tenancies in England only. See the per-nation notes below for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The right to request a pet in England
Since 1 May 2026, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 gives a private tenant in England the right to ask their landlord for permission to keep a pet. The landlord cannot simply refuse, and cannot rely on a blanket "no pets" clause in the tenancy agreement to say no automatically. The landlord must consider the request and cannot unreasonably refuse it. This replaces the position before 1 May 2026, when a tenancy agreement could ban pets outright and a landlord had no duty to consider a request at all.
The landlord must respond within 28 days
Once a tenant makes a request to keep a pet, the landlord has 28 days to respond in writing. If the landlord does not reply within that window, or replies without good reason for refusing, that can itself support an argument that consent has been unreasonably withheld. Keeping the request and any response in writing, such as by letter or email, gives both sides a clear record of what was asked and when the 28 days started.
What counts as "unreasonably" refusing
The law does not hand a landlord a free veto, but it does not force them to accept every pet either. A refusal is more likely to be reasonable where the landlord themselves rents from a superior landlord or under a head lease that itself bans pets, since they cannot grant a permission they do not have. A refusal may also be reasonable where the property is genuinely unsuitable for the specific pet requested, for example a large dog in a small flat with no outside access or shared communal areas with safety concerns. A blanket objection to pets in general, or a refusal with no stated reason, is unlikely to hold up.
Pet damage insurance
The Act lets a landlord require the tenant to take out pet damage insurance as a condition of agreeing to the request, covering damage the pet might cause to the property. Alternatively, the landlord can arrange the insurance themselves and ask the tenant to reimburse their reasonable cost. This is meant to protect the landlord against damage risk without letting them refuse the pet outright once a reasonable insurance arrangement is on the table.
How to make a pet request
There is no single prescribed form, but a tenant should put the request in writing to the landlord or letting agent, describing the pet (species, breed if relevant, and size) and confirming they can meet any reasonable condition such as pet damage insurance. Keeping a copy and noting the date sent starts the 28-day clock and gives a clear record if the request is later refused or ignored.
If the landlord refuses or does not respond
A tenant who believes a refusal is unreasonable, or who gets no response within 28 days, can raise this with the landlord in writing and point to the statutory right to request a pet. Guidance from Citizens Advice or Shelter can help assess whether a specific refusal looks reasonable. There is not yet a dedicated tribunal or ombudsman route built specifically for pet-request disputes: the free redress route via the forthcoming Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman, covered in the Renters' Rights Act guide, is not yet running. Until it is, a tenant with an unresolved dispute should seek advice from Shelter or Citizens Advice on the options available, including small claims routes in limited circumstances.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: no statutory pet-request right yet
The pet-request right described above comes from the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and only applies to private tenancies in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have not introduced an equivalent statutory right, so whether a tenant can keep a pet in those nations depends entirely on what the occupation contract, Private Residential Tenancy or private tenancy agreement actually says. A landlord in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland can still include a blanket "no pets" clause and lawfully refuse a pet on that basis, unless the specific agreement says otherwise. A tenant moving into a new tenancy in any of these three nations who wants to keep a pet should check the written agreement, or negotiate a pet clause before signing, rather than assume the England right applies. See the tenancy types guide for how each nation's tenancy agreement is structured.
Frequently asked questions
This page is general legal information about renting with pets in England, verified on 18 July 2026. It is not legal advice. For help with a specific tenancy, contact Shelter, Citizens Advice, or a solicitor. See the Renters' Rights Act guide and tenancy types guide for related detail, the UK tenant rights hub for the full four-nation picture, and the United Kingdom law hub for other UK legal topics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landlord say no pets in England?
Not through a blanket ban. Since 1 May 2026, a landlord in England cannot rely on a blanket 'no pets' clause and must consider an individual request, responding in writing within 28 days and not unreasonably refusing it.
How do I ask my landlord if I can get a pet?
Put the request in writing to your landlord or letting agent, describing the pet and confirming you can meet reasonable conditions such as pet damage insurance. Keep a copy and note the date, since this starts the landlord's 28-day response window.
How long does my landlord have to respond to a pet request?
28 days from the date of the request. A landlord who does not respond in that time, or who refuses without good reason, may be treated as having unreasonably withheld consent.
Can my landlord charge me for pet insurance?
Yes. The landlord can require you to hold pet damage insurance, or reimburse their reasonable cost of arranging it themselves, as a condition of agreeing to the pet.
What is a reasonable reason to refuse a pet?
Examples include the landlord themselves being bound by a superior landlord's or head lease's ban they cannot override, or the property being genuinely unsuitable for the specific pet, such as a large dog in a small flat with no suitable outside space.
What can I do if my landlord unreasonably refuses my pet request?
Raise the refusal in writing and seek advice from Shelter or Citizens Advice. The dedicated free redress route via the Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman is a forthcoming Phase 2 measure and is not yet running, so options are currently limited.
Does the right to request a pet apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?
No. This is an England-only right under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, whether you can keep a pet depends on your tenancy agreement, and a blanket 'no pets' clause can still apply.
Does my landlord have to accept any pet I ask for?
No. The landlord cannot unreasonably refuse, but a refusal can be reasonable in some circumstances, such as an unsuitable property or a superior landlord's own ban. The right is to have the request properly considered, not an automatic yes.
Updates
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 gave private tenants in England the right to request a pet, requiring landlords to respond in writing within 28 days and banning blanket 'no pets' clauses.
Sources and References
- Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 11 (right to request a pet)(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- GOV.UK: If a tenant wants a pet to live with them(gov.uk).gov
- Shelter England: Pets and the Renters' Rights Act(england.shelter.org.uk)
- House of Commons Library: Can my landlord prevent me from keeping a pet?(commonslibrary.parliament.uk).gov