Landlords & Agents

By excluding pets, you will miss out on a huge pool of tenants, a chance to maximise rental potential and tenants with pets tend to be more ‘house proud’ and stay longer. Also because of the shortage of pet-friendly rentals in London, they are responsible for their pets and preventing any damage. Finally, by opening your doors to pets, you will stand out from the other properties on the market in the local area. This could minimise void periods with no rent.

As a pet-friendly Landlord, you can specify number of pets allowed as well as the size. Always ask about the breed of dogs or cats and request a Pet CV with references from a previous or current landlord. You can specify dogs or cats only if you wish. If so, this must be specified in the pets clause in the tenancy agreement.

There is no guarantee of the tenant’s full stop. Some people smoke in the property, others have a big party and damage the carpet, a dog could make a mess. The difference between dog and cat owners is that to have a pet you have to be responsible in the first place. Therefore, statistically, they are more inclined to make sure there is no damage to the property than people without pets.

If as a landlord you are unsure, then ask to meet the tenants and their pets(s) at their current home/ surroundings or ask to meet them at your property, to see how they live together and how the pet behaves.

You can ask the question. Many people take their pets/ dogs with them. Other will have them looked after by a professional.

It is possible that tenants with pet allergies can move into a property where pets have previously lived. As long as it has been professionally deep cleaned and aired, there should not be a problem.

Most tenants with pets keep the property clean anyway as they are responsible and live there. However, to be certain, specify that pet cages and litter trays be cleaned regularly. Dogs must not be allowed to foul inside.