Renting With Pets? Find 5 Things To Know

Renting With Pets? Find 5 Things To Know

Renting With Pets can be a difficult chore as landlords do not want their properties ruined. Or the neighbours and the landlord do not want too much noise in the area and some dogs are prone to bark no matter what.

With roughly 50 to 60% of the London population renting homes and flats, it may be difficult to find an available space to rent with pets. But it can be done if you know what to look for and how to go about finding a great place that accepts your pets.

Take a few moments to continue reading our article. It has the information you should know before you start looking for a place to rent when you have pets.

Renting With Pets Find 5 Things To Know

The horror stories that pet owners tell. Some people will not accept pets even if the pet owner offers a pet deposit. Or they have turned away from a pet-friendly rental because of the dog’s breed.

Renting with pets is a minefield that has to be tread very carefully. Here are some things you need to know when you start looking for a pet-friendly rental.

1. Regarding renting with pets, there are no hard and fast rules in place

It is the landlord’s final judgment that will either give you the green light or deny you the rental. If they do not like your pets, then you should go to the second place on your rental list.

Sometimes there are good reasons why the landlords say no. One is that the landlord or other tenants have allergies to dogs or cats. A second legitimate reason would be that the landlord feels your dog is too big for the property.

Finally, the landlord may object because they fear your pet is going to make too much noise and disturb everyone else in the building.

2. The Dogs And Domestic Animals Accommodation Protection Bill

This bill is changing the way landlords and tenants can do when it comes to renting with pets. The effect this bill has had so far is to make the government change its model tenancy agreement.

The agreement allows the landlord 28 days to object to his or her tenant having a pet but they must provide a solid reason for their objection. Other proposed changes are:

• Tenants are to pass a responsible ownership test
• The landlord can now charge a pet insurance fee
• The automatic right to keep pets will be done away with but those tenants with responsible guardianship papers can only lose that right if their dog is a nuisance or a risk to other people
• The landlord has an exemption certificate. Those exemptions include religious rules about coming in contact with domestic animals, the landlord or other tenants having a medical reason, and the property being deemed unsuitable for pets.

3. Use Pet References

This is a good way to get your foot in many a door that does not want pets. If your last rental was a good experience, have the landlord write a pet reference letting future landlords know that the dog, etc., did well in that home and with people.

Or you can offer to pay for some of the pet insurance your new landlord may have to pay. This offer may be what changes their mind and let you have a nice pet if he or she is not too big.

4. Obey The Lease Agreement

One of the ways to get into trouble and find yourself looking for another place to live is to break your tenancy agreement. If the agreement says no pets, don’t keep one behind your landlord’s back.

If you do, you just gave your landlord a legitimate excuse to evict you. Then if your landlord consents to you having a pet in the house or flat, then get that agreement in writing.

Without that proof, you have no evidence that you had permission in the first place.

5. Apps And Estate Agents

There are two good ways to find a nice pet-friendly home within your budget. The first would be to use an estate or letting agent. These men and women will have a good idea of which landlords allow pets and which ones do not.

These people are a great source of information and can help cut your search time down significantly. It is their business to know these little details about the homes they represent.

The second great way to find a pet-friendly rental is through the different apps. The modern age has developed quite a few apps to help people find homes they can rent with pets.

• Movebubble- Recently updated their mobile app to include a pet-friendly filter to help you find available homes that rent to people with pets
• Petslet.com- Offer a pet relocation service and viewing service to help you find a pet-friendly home. They also offer a lot of advice for renters needing help in negotiating agreements
• Spareroom- Has a mobile and desktop app that can help you find pet-friendly rentals. They also work hard to get more landlords to become pet friendly

There are other apps you can use and each one is dedicated to helping you find a rental that allows you to own pets. Things are changing in the London letting market and you may find more changes as time goes by.

Some Final Words

When you are having trouble finding a place or a landlord that will rent to you because you have a pet, give us a call. Our estate agency has over 10 years of experience in letting out homes, flats, and other homes.

Our estate agents will know if your dog's breed and size will fit into the many homes they can find for you. All you have to do is give us a call and let us do the hard work for you.

Finding a home that accepts pets takes a lot of hard work and good negotiating skills. Our agents love hard work and can negotiate for you. Call today before that ideal home disappears.