Online searches for rental properties that permit pets have decreased significantly in England following the introduction of the Renters' Rights Act in May. According to data from Rightmove, searches for pet-friendly homes fell by 54% in May and 52% in June compared to the same period last year.
The new legislation mandates that landlords must consider requests to keep pets fairly and cannot issue blanket refusals. However, landlords retain the right to decline such requests for valid reasons, including property size constraints, allergies, or restrictions imposed by freeholders. Industry experts suggest that the decline in search volume may stem from a misunderstanding among tenants, some of whom incorrectly assume that keeping a pet is now an automatic right.
Megan Eighteen, former president of the lettings agents trade body ARLA Propertymark, noted that there is significant "potential for misunderstanding" regarding the new rules. Marc von Grundherr, director of the agency Benham and Reeves, observed that the power dynamic has shifted, leading some tenants to disclose pet ownership only after signing agreements, while others have been discovered during property inspections.
Despite the legislative changes, landlords continue to express concerns regarding potential property damage. Chris Norris of the National Residential Landlords Association highlighted that owners face challenges such as the inability to mandate pet insurance or request additional deposits to cover potential costs. While landlords cannot charge pet-related surcharges, they remain entitled to deduct costs from a tenancy deposit if damage is proven at the end of a lease.
Source: BBC News
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