UK pet friendly properties

Happy London Dogs

16.06.2020 12:46 pm

A third of Londoners claimed they would sacrifice living within the catchment area of a decent school if it meant their dog would have a happy home.

According to a survey carried out by a large estate agency in 2018, 33% of owners said they would put their pet before their child’s education. With a growing number of UK pet owners, these figures will have only increased.

Some 65% admitted they would forgo their dream home if their dog could not live in or would not be happy in the space. The respondents to the question all had children and owned dogs.

Additionally, more than a quarter of Londoners said they were prepared to pay a higher monthly rent to live within a pet-friendly property, according to the survey. Finding pet-friendly London properties is difficult. There are property portals which can help. Pets Lets www.petslets.com, is 100% pet-friendly, focused on London and has a pet information hub on what is going on in the Capital. Zoopla www.zoopla.co.uk, also offers a tick facility to find pet-friendly London rentals.

Meanwhile, 82% of London pet owners living in rented property said they would be more inclined to live somewhere if another tenant had a pet. Some 83 per cent of London dog owners said they would be more likely to choose a job if they were able to bring their pet to work. This is a big issue that London Dog Week are tackling www.londondogweek.com. We also a know a London law firm, Adams Kaye, www.adamskaye.com , where Stuart Kaye co-founded the business so he could bring his Cocker Spaniel, Barney, to the office.

The survey conducted among 1,000 pet owners, found British men spend 55 per cent more a month on their pets at £358.79 than women at £197.44. The average London dog owner spends £418.92 per month.

According to Statista data, there are 51 million pet owners in the UK, and 26 per cent of them own a dog, the largest proportion for any animal. The French bulldog is the most popular breed in the capital, with other popular breeds including Beagles, Pugs, Dachshunds, Cockapoo’s and of course Labradors. There are also an increasing number of mixed breeds.

Dogs cheer us up. They provide companionship and according to research are good for our overall health. In an age, post Lockdown, in which many Londoners are delaying starting a family, and choosing to live alone, it’s perhaps unsurprising that pet ownership is on the rise throughout the capital and that many younger people see pets as their ‘children’.

Historically, finding a pet-friendly home in London has often proved tricky, particularly if you own a large dog or more than one. Taking a pet-friendly approach can actually be good news for landlords, however, if the property doesn’t come with existing restrictions, as it can open up the market and enable smaller void periods. Letting to people with pets is a growing market, which Landlords cannot continue to ignore, unless they want to miss out.

Pet owners are also less likely to want to force upheaval on their pets, which is why they often make great long-term tenants.

Russell Hunt is Founder of Pets Lets, www.petslets.com, a 100% pet friendly London property portal with a relocation service and a hub of information about dogs in London. Pets Lets is a community where people with pets matter.