Yes, a landlord can still refuse a pet, but only when the refusal is reasonable, and the burden is now on you to explain why. That is the real change under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. You no longer get to write a blanket "no pets" clause into the tenancy and leave it there. A tenant can formally ask, and you have to give a proper answer within a set time.
Here is exactly how the consent rules work, what counts as a reasonable refusal, and whether you can protect yourself with pet insurance or a bigger deposit.
The new right to request a pet
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025, and the main tenancy reforms commenced on 1 May 2026 (legislation.gov.uk). One of those reforms inserts an implied term into every assured tenancy: the tenant may keep a pet if the landlord consents, and the landlord must not unreasonably refuse.
In practice that means:
- The tenant makes the request in writing (email counts).
- You must respond in writing within 28 days of the request.
- If you need permission from a superior landlord or freeholder first, the clock can pause while you seek it, but you cannot simply sit on the request.
- If you refuse, you have to give your reason. "Because I would rather not" is not a reason.
A "pet" here is an animal kept for personal companionship or enjoyment. It is deliberately broad. It is not limited to cats and dogs, so the same test applies to a request for a rabbit, a house cat or a small caged animal.
What counts as a reasonable refusal
The Act does not hand you a fixed list. Reasonableness depends on the specific animal and the specific property, which is why a flat "no pets" policy no longer works. That said, the direction of travel and existing guidance make some grounds clearly defensible and others clearly weak.
| Likely reasonable | Likely unreasonable |
|---|---|
| Your head lease or freeholder genuinely prohibits pets and consent cannot be obtained | You just prefer tenants without pets |
| The property is plainly unsuitable for that animal (for example a large, high-energy dog in a small studio with no outdoor access) | The tenant has a well-behaved cat and the flat is a typical one-bed |
| The request is for an animal that would be a statutory nuisance or is dangerous/prohibited by law | You worry about wear and tear in the abstract, with no specific concern |
| You already keep the maximum sensible number of animals the property can support | A previous, unrelated tenant once caused damage |
The safest approach is to treat each request on its facts and write down your reasoning. If a dispute reaches the courts or the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman, a short, dated note explaining why a particular animal did not suit a particular property will carry far more weight than a policy.
You can also grant consent with reasonable conditions, for example that the tenant keeps the pet under control, has it professionally cleaned at the end of the tenancy, or repairs any specific damage it causes.
Can you require pet insurance?
This is the part that changed late in the Bill's passage, so it is worth being precise. An earlier version of the reforms (the previous Renters (Reform) Bill) would have let landlords require the tenant to hold pet damage insurance, or to pay the landlord's cost of taking out that cover. That mechanism did not survive into the Renters' Rights Act as enacted.
Why it matters for your cash position: the Tenant Fees Act 2019 already bans "prohibited payments". Charging a tenant for your own insurance policy, or forcing them to buy a named policy as a condition of the tenancy, risks falling foul of that ban. So do not build a mandatory pet insurance fee into the agreement.
What you can do:
- Suggest that the tenant takes out their own pet damage or third-party liability cover voluntarily.
- Make it a non-charged condition of consent that the tenant is responsible for any damage the pet causes, which is the position you are in anyway.
Because the guidance around this is still bedding in after the 1 May 2026 commencement, check the current gov.uk landlord guidance before you draft any clause (gov.uk).
Can you take a larger deposit for a pet?
No. The Renters' Rights Act did not lift the deposit cap set by the Tenant Fees Act 2019. That cap is still:
- 5 weeks' rent where the annual rent is under £50,000, or
- 6 weeks' rent where the annual rent is £50,000 or more.
There is no separate "pet deposit" and no pet premium on top. Asking for one would be a prohibited payment.
Worked example: the deposit maths
Say you let a two-bed flat at £1,300 per month.
- Annual rent: £1,300 x 12 = £15,600 (under £50,000, so the 5-week cap applies).
- Weekly rent: £1,300 x 12 / 52 = £300.
- Maximum deposit: £300 x 5 = £1,500.
Now imagine a tenant asks to keep a medium-sized dog, and you estimate a worst-case scenario of around £1,800 to replace a section of carpet and repaint. You cannot legally take a bigger deposit to cover that gap. Your realistic options are:
- Rely on the standard £1,500 deposit and deduct evidenced pet damage from it at the end of the tenancy.
- Encourage the tenant to hold their own pet damage cover.
- If damage exceeds the deposit, pursue the balance through the normal small-claims route, as you would for any other tenant damage.
The lesson is that consent conditions and good check-in/check-out inventories, not fees, are your protection.
A simple process to stay on the right side of the rules
- Ask tenants to put pet requests in writing, so the 28-day clock is clear.
- Check your own lease or freeholder position early if you are a leaseholder.
- Decide on the specific animal and property, not a blanket policy.
- Reply in writing within 28 days: consent, consent with reasonable conditions, or a refusal with a genuine reason.
- Keep a dated record of your decision and reasoning.
- Update your inventory and check-in photos before the pet moves in.
Handled this way, most pet requests are straightforward, and a documented, reasonable process is your best defence if a tenant challenges a refusal.
This is general information, not tax or financial advice. The reforms commenced on 1 May 2026 and detailed guidance is still settling, so confirm the current rules on gov.uk or with a qualified adviser before you act.
