Lets with Pets  

The Dog Blog

We’re a nation of animal lovers. In fact, it’s estimated that nearly half the population own a pet, mainly dogs, cats and caged birds. Yet anyone who owns a pet and is looking to rent a property knows it can be a real stumbling block. Many landlords are unwilling to let their property to a tenant with a pet, concerned about damage caused by their furry friends.

A surge in rental demand from Tenants with Dogs

Of course, this seems illogical – if tenants with pets account for around half the population, refusing to rent to them is effectively halving your potential market.

Some of our lettings offices, Hampstead and Highgate in particular, are finding that requests for pets, in particular dogs, are actually the norm now. Around 70% of tenants in these locations are asking for a property where they can bring their dog – and that’s for all types of property, from one bedroom flats to four bedroom family homes. It could be that they’re drawn to the area because of the beautiful parks, Hampstead Heath, Primrose Hill and Regent’s Park, and because it’s very family friendly – and families often have dogs. Certainly dogs are part of the family and landlords that are happy to take them will find their properties let much more quickly.

The good news is that we find around 60% of landlords are happy to have a pet at their property. If there is some uncertainty, we usually find that telling the landlord a little about the pet in question can work wonders. We recently had a tenant with a tiny, little Pomeranian make an offer on a property but the landlord wasn’t keen. So we sent a picture of the dog to him and he fell in love and instantly said yes! A little education can go a long way!

The advantages of letting to pet owners

In fact, there are distinct advantages for landlords willing to have a pet in their property. With some landlords unwilling to take pets, and sometimes unable, perhaps if the property is in a block with restrictions on the lease, a landlord happy to accept a pet will have a larger number of tenants keen to rent his property so will usually find that void periods are reduced. We also find that pet owners tend to stay longer. We usually take a slightly higher deposit (8-10 weeks’ rent) from pet owners and we would recommend a specific pet related clause as part of the tenancy agreement. You could also take a ‘pet payment’ to cover the cost of a thorough clean at the end of the tenancy. Pet owners may also agree to pay a slight rental premium to cover additional wear and tear. These measures will protect your financial position but we’ve never had a problem and pet owners seem to be very responsible.

The Dog’s Trust

So, accepting a pet can increase demand for your property and encourage responsible tenants so there’s nothing to lose.

Landlords and tenants can find more information about renting a property with pets at lets with pets, the Dog’s Trust’s website.

If you’re still unsure, insurance companies like Endsleigh offer specialist pet insurance – go to https://www.endsleigh.co.uk/personal/lets-with-pets/ for more information.

And finally, if you’re a tenant currently based overseas planning to live in the UK, don’t forget that you’ll need to take certain measures before bringing your pet into the country, including ensuring they have a microchip, arranging a rabies vaccination and organising a pet passport. Go to https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad/overview for more information.