Pet Ownership Disputes Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025: A Landlord's Guide

What does the Renters' Rights Act 2025 actually say about pets?

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 pet provisions sit in Section 11, which inserts two new sections, 16A and 16B, into the Housing Act 1988. Those sections create an implied term in almost every assured tenancy: a tenant may keep a pet if the tenant requests consent and the landlord agrees, and that consent is not to be unreasonably refused. The pet right commenced on or after 1 May 2026, so it applies to your tenancies now.

In plain terms, the Act flips the default. Before, a no pets clause within a tenancy agreement settled the matter. Now the starting position is that a responsible tenant can ask, and you must give the request fair, evidenced consideration. The right is an implied term of the tenancy itself, which is why a contractual ban can no longer override it.

Who does the new pet right apply to?

The implied term applies to assured tenancies, which covers the great majority of private rented homes in England let on an assured periodic tenancy (APT).

However, the right belongs to a tenant, not to a prospective tenant. You can still decline an applicant who tells you at the viewing stage that they have a pet, and you can still advertise a property without committing to allowing pets. What landlords cannot do is hold a sitting tenant to a no pets clause once they make such a request.

In practice this means landlords often receive the request shortly after a tenant moves in, so it is sensible to decide your position on pets before you start letting, not after the keys change hands.

What counts as a "pet" under the Act?

A pet is an animal kept by a person mainly for personal interest, companionship, ornamental purposes, or any combination of those. In the Animal Welfare Act 2006, "animal" reaches well beyond cats and dogs to most vertebrates kept in the home.
The wider the definition, the harder it is to justify a blanket refusal of a low-impact animal. Refusing a goldfish in a bowl, a house rabbit or a caged bird is very difficult to defend on reasonableness, because such animals carry little realistic risk to the rental property. A large animal in an unsuitable home is a different matter. When you assess a request, you are assessing this specific animal in this specific property, not pets in the abstract.

Are assistance animals treated as pets?

An assistance animal, such as a guide dog or a recognised support dog, is not classed as a pet under the Act. Refusing one is not a question of reasonableness under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 at all. It risks a disability discrimination claim under the Equality Act 2010, which is a far more serious exposure than an ordinary pet dispute.

If a tenant tells you they need an assistance animal, treat that as a request for a reasonable adjustment rather than a pet request, and take advice before you respond. Do not apply your standard pet assessment to it, and do not refuse on the grounds you would use for a companion animal.

How does a tenant make a valid request to keep pets?

For the statutory clock to start, the request has to be valid. Section 16B requires the tenant to make a written request and to include a description of the pet. A vague verbal mention in passing is not a formal written request, and your 28 days do not begin to run.

When you receive a request, check three things straight away:

• It is in writing (an email or letter is sufficient).
• It describes the pet, so you know what you are being asked to allow.
• It is from the tenant named on the tenancy, not a third party.

If the description is too thin to assess, for example "a dog" with no breed, size or number, you are entitled to ask for more information, which can affect your deadline. Keep the original written request on file, with the date received, because the date of the request is what fixes your response window. If you asked for further details, you should log this too, alongside any response from the tenant. This will allow you to show that you dealt with the request promptly and reasonably if the decision is later challenged. 

How long does a landlord have to respond to a pet request?

Under section 16A, you must give or refuse consent in writing within 28 days of the date of the request. An informal "we will see" given within 28 days does not count as a response, and landlords cannot let the deadline pass.

If you let the 28 days pass without a written decision, the tenant can treat the implied term as breached and apply to the court. The court can order specific performance, which means it can order you to allow the pet, and it may order costs against you.

Diarise the deadline the day the request arrives, and put your decision in writing well before it expires.

Can the 28-day deadline be extended?

The deadline can only be extended in defined circumstances, and only if you act inside the original 28 days. There are two extension routes in the Act:

• Where you reasonably need more information: if you ask the tenant for further information within the 28 days, you can delay your decision until the 7th day after they provide it. Government guidance explains you then have either the remainder of the original 28 days or an extra 7 days, whichever is later. If the tenant never supplies the information, you are not required to give or refuse consent.
• Where you need a superior landlord's consent: if your own lease requires the freeholder's or head landlord's agreement, and you seek that consent within the 28 days, you can delay until the 7th day after the superior landlord responds.

Both routes depend on you starting the process promptly. An extension is not a way to buy time by doing nothing. It is a structured pause for a genuine reason, and you should record when and why you triggered it.

When can a landlord reasonably refuse a pet request?

The Act itself names only two express grounds. The first is that allowing the pet would put you in breach of an agreement with a superior landlord. The second is that your superior-landlord agreement requires consent which you have taken reasonable steps to obtain but have not been given. Everything else is a question of reasonableness, and Government guidance fills in the practical picture.

Refusal may be on reasonable grounds where:

• Other tenants or occupants of the property have a relevant allergy, where allowing the pet would materially affect those other tenants.
• The property is genuinely too small for the size or number of animals requested.
• The animal is illegal to own or is a banned breed.
• You are a leaseholder and the freeholder does not permit pets.
• Lease restrictions in your head lease prohibit keeping pets.

The question is not the landlord's discretion in the abstract, but whether the reason for refusal is objectively reasonable. In each case you must point to a concrete, evidenced reason tied to this request. A refusal that rests on a real head-lease prohibition, or on a one-bedroom flat being unsuitable for two large dogs, may be a reasonable basis for refusal. A general unease about animals, or a blanket preference not to allow pets, is not enough. 

When is a refusal likely to be unreasonable?

Government guidance is equally clear that a landlord cannot unreasonably withhold consent, and these are the refusals that most often turn into disputes. A refusal is not usually on reasonable grounds where you have refused because:

• You do not like pets.
• You had a bad experience with a previous tenant's animal.
• A past pet caused damage in the property.
• You have a general worry that a future pet might cause damage.
• You think allowing a pet could affect future lettings.

The common thread is that none of these reasons is specific to the pet in front of you. The law expects you to assess the actual request, not to apply a precautionary ban built on past problems or hypothetical risk. If your only reason for refusing is one of the items on this list, you are exposed, and you should expect the tenant to challenge you.

Why is a "no pets" clause no longer enough?

A no pets clause in the tenancy agreement is now unenforceable against a sitting tenant who makes a proper request. The implied statutory term overrides the contractual ban, so you cannot point to the agreement and consider the matter closed. Both Government guidance and the National Residential Landlords Association confirm that a simple no pets clause is no longer acceptable, and that landlords will no longer be able to rely on a blanket ban in place of a proper assessment.

This does not make your tenancy agreement irrelevant. It changes what the agreement is for. A modern model tenancy agreement should explain how tenants request consent if they want to keep pets, the conditions that attach to consent and the standards expected of responsible pet owners during the tenancy. The Government's own model tenancy agreement has long taken this conditional approach rather than a flat prohibition. The clause that protects you now is not a ban, but a clear framework for dealing with pet requests fairly, giving consent where it would be unreasonable to refuse, and setting sensible conditions where appropriate. 

How should a landlord put a refusal in writing?

If you refuse consent, you should respond in writing and give clear reasons for your decision. The tenant can challenge an unreasonable refusal, and if it reaches a court you will need to defend your reasoning. A bare "no" with no explanation is the weakest possible position.

When you refuse, your written response should:

• State plainly that consent is refused.
• Set out the specific, evidenced ground for refusal.
• Reference the relevant facts, such as the head-lease term or the property's size.
• Be sent within the 28-day window and kept on file.

Treat the written refusal as a document you may one day have to justify to a judge. If it reads as a considered, property-specific decision rather than a reflex, you are in a far stronger position. For guidance on getting your tenancy paperwork right from the outset, our tenancy agreement service helps landlords build agreements that hold up.

Can a landlord withdraw consent once a pet is allowed?

Once you agree to a pet, you cannot change your mind later. Government guidance is explicit that consent, once given, cannot be withdrawn. Consent also attaches to the particular animal you approved, so if the tenant later wants a different or additional pet, that is a fresh request you assess on its own merits.

The practical lesson is that the moment of consent is the moment to set your terms, because you will not get a second chance to impose them. Decide what conditions you want, record them in writing and obtain the tenant's agreement before you say yes.

What are a landlord's rights and protections under the Act?

The Act strengthened the tenant's right to request a pet, but it did not leave landlords without protection. Your real protections are practical and enforceable, and they sit in four places.

The right to refuse on reasonable, evidenced grounds, as set out above.

• The capped tenancy deposit, which you can claim against for pet damage beyond fair wear and tear.
• Possession grounds where a tenant keeps a pet without consent, or where a pet causes a nuisance.
• A thorough inventory and dated photographs, which turn a damage claim into an evidenced one.
• Notice what is not on this list. The power to require pet insurance, and the idea of an extra pet deposit, are both gone, and trying to use them now will create liability rather than protection.

Can a landlord require the tenant to take out pet insurance?

No, and this is the single most common misconception circulating among landlords. An earlier version of the legislation would have let a landlord require a tenant to take out pet damage insurance, or to repay the landlord's reasonable cost of such cover.

The Government dropped that clause at Report Stage in the House of Lords in July 2025, and it is not in the final Act.
Landlords therefore cannot require a tenant to take out pet insurance, and you cannot charge the cost back to them. Doing either would be a banned payment under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, with the penalties set out later in this guide. Many landlord-facing pages still repeat the old line, so be careful where you take your information. The Government's reasoning was that the tenancy deposit is intended to cover pet damage, and that a suitable insurance market might not develop in any case.

Landlords must therefore rely on the tenancy deposit and their own risk management.

What can a landlord still do about insurance?

You are not without options on insurance, provided you keep the cost on your own side of the ledger. Two routes remain open to you:

• Take out your own landlord pet damage protection. You can review your policy and arrange specialist pet damage protection for pet-related damage, but you pay for it. Landlords cannot pass that premium to the tenant.
• Signpost the tenant to their own cover. You can recommend that a tenant takes out contents or tenant insurance that includes pet damage. You can suggest it, but you cannot compel it or make it a condition with a financial penalty.

The key point is control. You can decide what protection you want for your own property, but you should avoid making the tenant pay for it or tying permission to keep a pet to an insurance requirement. 

Can a landlord take a separate pet deposit?

A separate pet deposit on top of the standard tenancy deposit is unlawful where it breaches the deposit cap. That cap, set by the Tenant Fees Act 2019, is unchanged by the Renters' Rights Act 2025: a maximum of 5 weeks' rent where the annual rent is under £50,000, and 6 weeks' rent where the annual rent is £50,000 or more.

That cap is the ceiling on the total deposit. Landlords cannot add a pet deposit above it, and you cannot charge a fee for agreeing to a pet request. Any extra pet charge of this kind is likely to be treated as a banned payment.
Your protection against pet damage is the tenancy deposit you are already permitted to take, used correctly and supported by clear evidence. To make the most of that deposit, AST Assistance’s deposit management service helps landlords protect, document and claim against deposits properly.

Can a landlord charge "pet rent" or raise the rent for a pet?

You cannot increase the rent during a tenancy because a tenant has requested or kept a pet. A mid-tenancy rent increase can only be made through the statutory Section 13 procedure under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, which can be used only once a year, must reflect the open market rent and makes any proposed rent increase challengeable by the tenant at the First-tier Tribunal, which cannot set the rent above the figure the landlord proposed.

There is one legitimate route. When you market a new letting, you can set the rent at a level that reflects the property being pet-friendly, because that is a fresh letting on fresh terms. What landlords cannot do is treat an existing tenant's pet request as a trigger to put their rent up. For the detail of how rent increases now work, see our guide on Renters' Rights Act rent increases.

What happens if a landlord charges a prohibited pet-related payment?

The penalties are serious enough to make this worth getting right. Charging a banned payment, such as a pet deposit above the cap, a pet insurance premium or a pet fee, breaches the Tenant Fees Act 2019. A first breach carries a civil penalty of up to £5,000, imposed by the local authority Trading Standards team, with enforcement sitting within local government responsibility.
A further breach within five years is a criminal offence. The alternative to prosecution is a financial penalty of up to £30,000. In other words, the attempt to extract a little extra security against pet damage can cost you many times the tenancy deposit you were trying to protect. The lawful protections, the deposit and the inventory, cost nothing and carry no such risk.

How can a landlord prevent pet problems before they start?

Prevention is where landlords have the most control, and it is far cheaper than any dispute. The aim is to allow pets on clear, recorded terms, and to document the property's condition so thoroughly that any later claim is straightforward. The core measures are these:

• A comprehensive, signed check-in inventory.
• Detailed, dated photographs of every room.
• Clear pet terms built into the tenancy agreement.
• Written conditions agreed at the point you consent to a pet.
• A check-out inventory to compare against.

Together these measures convert the Act's stronger tenant right to request a pet into a managed, low-risk arrangement rather than a source of conflict.

Why is a detailed inventory so important for pet damage?

The inventory is your single most valuable document when a pet causes damage. You can lawfully deduct from the tenancy deposit for damage beyond fair wear and tear, but only if you can prove the damage happened during the tenancy. Without a signed check-in inventory and a matching check-out inventory, you cannot show the before-and-after, and your deduction is likely to fail at adjudication.

A strong inventory records the condition of floors, carpets, walls, doors, skirting and the garden, room by room, in specific terms. It should be signed and dated by the tenant at check-in so it cannot later be disputed. When a dog has scratched a door or a cat has damaged a carpet, the inventory is what turns "I think this is new" into an evidenced, recoverable claim.

What role do dated photographs and videos play?

Media do the work that words alone cannot. A written line that a carpet was "in good condition" is far stronger when paired with a clear, dated image or video. Take photographs or videos of every room at check-in, store them with their metadata intact, and repeat the exercise at check-out.

Dated media matters most for the kinds of damage pets cause: scratched skirting, chewed door frames, soiled or shredded carpet, and damage to the garden. They also support any mid-tenancy inspection where you notice an emerging problem. Landlords sometimes worry about whether they may photograph a let property during an inspection, and there are limits worth understanding, which we cover in our post on taking photos during inspections. A dated, metadata-intact photographic record costs nothing and is what supports a deposit deduction at adjudication.

How should pet terms be written into the tenancy agreement?

Because a flat ban is now unenforceable, your tenancy agreement should now  set out how pets are handled. A modern model tenancy agreement should require the tenant to make a written request before keeping any pet, describe the standard of care expected and make clear that the tenant is responsible for any pet damage beyond fair wear and tear.
Effective clauses commonly cover:

• A requirement to request permission to keep a pet in writing before getting the  animal.
• A duty to keep the property clean and free of pet odours and infestation, protecting the condition of the property for future tenants.
• A duty to repair pet-related damage and to treat the property for fleas at check-out where relevant.
• A statement that prior written consent applies to the specific animal described and cannot be transferred to a replacement animal without a fresh request.

These terms do not override the tenant's statutory right to request, but they create an enforceable framework around it, and they give you a clear basis for action if the tenant breaches them. Our tenancy management service helps landlords keep agreements current with the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

What conditions should a landlord set when allowing pets?

Because consent cannot be withdrawn once given, the moment you say yes is the moment to set your conditions in writing. Allowing pets on recorded terms is very different from allowing them by silence. Before you confirm consent, agree in writing:

• Exactly which animal, and how many, you are consenting to.
• That the tenant will keep the property in good condition and repair pet damage.
• That a replacement or additional pet requires a fresh written request.
• For a dog covered by the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, confirmation it is on the exemptions register.

This is also the point to carry out a suitability check, and where appropriate to ask for a pet reference from a previous landlord. Most tenants are responsible pet owners, and a considered, documented consent protects both the animal's welfare and your property.

What actions can a landlord take when there are pet problems?

The right response is usually staged, with each step supported by clear evidence and written records. This helps landlords show that they have acted reasonably if the dispute later escalates.

A staged approach may include:

• Documented communication: write to the tenant setting out the concern, the relevant tenancy terms and the action required. Keep copies of all letters, emails, photographs, inspection notes and complaint records.
• Opportunity to resolve the issue: give the tenant a reasonable chance to address the problem, such as removing an unauthorised pet, reducing nuisance, repairing damage or complying with agreed pet conditions.
• Mediation or alternative dispute resolution: where the issue remains unresolved, tenant mediation can help both parties reach a practical agreement without the cost, delay and uncertainty of court proceedings.
• Formal action where necessary: if the tenant refuses to engage, the pet causes serious nuisance or damage, or there is a repeated breach of tenancy, further legal action may be required.
• Court as a last resort: court proceedings should usually be reserved for disputes that cannot be resolved through communication, evidence-led negotiation or mediation.

Many pet ownership disputes can be resolved before court action becomes necessary, particularly where the landlord has clear evidence, follows a fair process and responds proportionately to the issue.

How will the new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman be used?

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 establishes a Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman, sometimes described as the private rented sector ombudsman. It is a free redress scheme that landlords in the private rented sector will be required to join. Once it is live, it will be able to investigate how a landlord handled a pet request and can order compensation.

It is not yet operational. The Government's implementation roadmap, published on 13 November 2025, indicates the Ombudsman is expected from 2028. Until it is live, it is not a route a tenant can use to challenge a pet refusal, and the external route remains the court. For a fuller explanation of the scheme and what membership will mean for landlords in the private rented sector, see our guide to the landlord redress scheme.

How does a landlord deal with an unauthorised pet?

If a tenant keeps a pet without consent, or after a reasonable refusal, this may amount to a breach of the tenancy agreement, provided the agreement clearly requires permission before a pet is kept.

A breach of tenancy can potentially be addressed under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 using Ground 12. However, Ground 12 is discretionary, meaning the court will decide whether possession is reasonable. For a single unauthorised pet, possession proceedings are unlikely to be the first or most proportionate response.

In most cases, landlords should first require the tenant to regularise the position by submitting a formal pet request or removing the animal where appropriate. All communication, evidence and decisions should be documented.

If possession action is being considered, any Section 8 notice must be prepared and served correctly. Errors in the notice, evidence or process can lead to dismissed claims, delays, legal costs and potential repercussions for non-compliance.

Landlords should seek advice before serving notice to reduce risk and protect their position.

What can a landlord do about an aggressive or nuisance pet?

Where a pet causes nuisance, anti-social behaviour or presents a risk to other occupants or neighbours, landlords are not without options. However, the Renters' Rights Act does not provide a mechanism for simply withdrawing consent once permission for the pet has been granted.

Instead, landlords may need to rely on other legal remedies depending on the circumstances.

Potential options include:

• Section 8 Ground 14: where the pet is causing anti-social behaviour, nuisance or annoyance to neighbours or other occupiers.
• Section 8 Ground 12: where the tenant has breached specific pet-related obligations contained within the tenancy agreement.
• Local authority intervention: where the behaviour is causing wider anti-social behaviour concerns, the local council may be able to investigate.
• Police involvement: where a dog falls within the scope of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 or presents an immediate public safety concern.
• Court injunctions: in some circumstances, the court may impose restrictions designed to prevent further nuisance or anti-social behaviour.

The appropriate course of action will depend on the facts of the case, the evidence available and the severity of the issue. Before taking formal action or serving a Section 8 notice, landlords should seek advice to ensure the correct grounds and procedures are being used.

When does a pet dispute reach the courts?

The courts are the last stage, used only when communication, mediation and the relevant notices have not resolved matters. There are two directions a pet dispute can take in court.

• The tenant's route: if a tenant believes you have unreasonably refused or ignored a request, they can apply to the county court, which can order specific performance, requiring you to allow the pet, and may order you to pay the tenant's costs.
• The landlord's route: where you are seeking possession for an unauthorised pet (Ground 12) or anti-social behaviour (Ground 14), the matter proceeds through the possession process, and a judge decides the outcome on a discretionary ground.

A separate claim arises where pet damage exceeds the tenancy deposit. You can pursue the tenant for the shortfall, but you will need the inventory and photographs to prove it. Our suing a tenant for property damage page explains how landlords recover losses beyond the deposit. Because court is costly and uncertain, the staged approach in this guide, with the right evidence at each stage, is almost always the better path.

How AST Assistance can help

AST Assistance is a landlord consultancy that helps UK private landlords handle pet requests, refusals and pet ownership disputes under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. We advise you on whether a refusal is reasonable, how to document it, how to set the right conditions when you consent, and how to build the inventory and deposit practice that protects you against pet damage. Where a dispute escalates, we guide you through documented communication and mediation, and we resolve approximately 75% of cases before court. AST Assistance is a consultancy, not a firm of solicitors.

Where legal proceedings or legal paperwork are required, we instruct trusted independent solicitors to handle that work on your behalf. To discuss a pet request or a dispute, call AST Assistance on 01706 619954, and see our Renters' Rights Act compliance service.