Pet-Friendly Rental Searches Plummet 50% After Renters' Rights Act

New Pet Protections Reshape Rental Market Dynamics

Searches for pet-friendly rental properties have dropped dramatically since England's Renters' Rights Act came into force in May, with data revealing a stark shift in how tenants and landlords approach pet ownership in the rental sector.

According to Rightmove figures shared with the BBC, rental searches specifically filtering for pet-friendly properties fell by 54% in May and 52% in June compared with the same months in 2023. The sharp decline suggests that renters' behaviour has fundamentally changed following the legislative change, which now requires landlords to consider pet requests fairly rather than imposing blanket "no pets" policies.

Understanding the New Rules

Under the updated legislation, landlords in England can no longer unreasonably refuse pets. However, they retain the right to decline pet applications on valid grounds, including allergies affecting other tenants, property size concerns for large or multiple animals, illegal pet species, or leaseholder restrictions from freeholders.

Megan Eighteen, immediate past president of lettings agents trade body ARLA Propertymark, warned of significant "potential for misunderstanding" amongst tenants about what the changes actually permit. Many renters appear to have misinterpreted the new rules as guaranteeing automatic pet permission, creating friction in the lettings market.

Marc von Grundherr, director of Benham and Reeves, noted that the balance of power has shifted noticeably. "Tenants now understand that landlords can no longer rely on a blanket 'no pets' policy to deter applications and should instead expect conversations around pet ownership to arise much later in the letting process," he explained.

Landlord Concerns Remain Despite Reform

Whilst the legislation aims to protect renters' rights to pet ownership, landlords continue raising legitimate concerns about property damage and tenant irresponsibility. Representatives from the National Residential Landlords Association highlighted three key issues: landlords have no power to compel tenants to take out pet insurance, no legal right to request additional deposits, and face a burden of costs should pets cause damage.

Chris Norris, chief policy officer at the NRLA, acknowledged that "many landlords have legitimate concerns about the risk that some irresponsible pet owners pose to rental properties." The organisation emphasised that some owners may attempt to keep unsuitable animals in inappropriate properties.

However, the UK's chief property ombudsman, Lesley Horton, clarified that landlords cannot levy pet surcharges, as these fall outside permitted fees. Deductions from tenancy deposits remain permissible only for proven pet-related damage at the end of a tenancy.

Market Impact and Future Outlook

Despite searches declining, pets remain the most commonly searched-for term on rental portals—ahead of gardens, garages, and furnishings—though the lead is narrowing. Russell Hunt, founder of Pets Lets, argued that landlords should evaluate each pet request individually rather than applying broad dismissals. He advocated for pet CVs and consideration of circumstances such as older dogs being calmer than younger animals.

For property investors using planning alert tools and deal finder services, understanding how the Renters' Rights Act affects portfolio composition is increasingly important. Landlords managing BTL investments may wish to review their policies and consider BTL hotspot analysis to identify markets where pet-friendly properties command premiums or appeal to broader tenant pools.

The legislation represents a genuine shift in renter protections, though confusion persists on both sides of the landlord-tenant relationship regarding reasonable boundaries around pet ownership.

Source: BBC News.