The old rules
Until now, most tenancy agreements in England have included a blanket "no pets" clause. Landlords could refuse pets for any reason — or no reason at all. Many tenants kept pets secretly, risking eviction if discovered. Others gave up beloved animals to secure a rental. The system gave landlords all the power and tenants none.
What changes from 1 May 2026
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduces a formal right for tenants to request to keep a pet. This doesn't mean an automatic right to have a pet — but it fundamentally changes the balance. Here's how it works:
The key change: Tenants can make a written request to keep a pet. Landlords must consider the request and cannot unreasonably refuse. If they do refuse, they must give a written reason. Blanket "no pets" clauses in tenancy agreements will no longer be automatically enforceable.
How to request a pet
Under the new law, the process works like this:
1. Make a written request. Put it in writing — email is fine. State what animal you want to keep, the breed and size if relevant, and any steps you'll take to minimise impact (cleaning, not leaving the animal unattended for long periods, etc.).
2. Your landlord has 42 days to respond. They must reply in writing. If they don't respond within 42 days, consent is deemed to have been given.
3. They can say yes with conditions. For example, requiring you to have pet insurance, keep the animal off certain furniture, or pay for professional cleaning at the end of the tenancy.
4. They can refuse — but only with a reasonable reason. "I don't like dogs" is not a reasonable reason. "The property is a studio flat and a large dog would be impractical" might be.
What counts as a reasonable refusal?
The law doesn't give an exhaustive list, but reasonable refusals would likely include:
• The property is genuinely too small for the animal requested
• The building's head lease or freehold terms prohibit pets (common in flats)
• A previous tenant's pet caused significant damage that was costly to repair
• The specific animal poses a genuine health or safety risk
• Insurance on the building would be invalidated
What would not be a reasonable refusal:
• A blanket "no pets" policy with no specific reason
• "I don't want animals in my property" without justification
• Refusing a small caged animal (hamster, fish) in a large property
• Refusing based on breed alone without evidence of risk
Pet insurance and deposits
Under the new rules, landlords can require tenants to take out pet damage insurance as a condition of granting consent. This is separate from the tenancy deposit and protects the landlord against damage caused by the pet. The cost is borne by the tenant.
Your tenancy deposit remains capped at five weeks' rent (for annual rent under £50,000). Your landlord cannot ask for an additional "pet deposit" on top of this — but they can require pet insurance instead.
What if you already have a pet secretly?
This is common — and risky. If your tenancy agreement has a no-pets clause and you've been keeping a pet without permission, you're technically in breach of your agreement. Under the old rules, this could have been grounds for eviction.
From 1 May 2026, the smart move is to make a formal written request under the new law. This puts you on the right side of the process. Your landlord now has to consider your request fairly and can't just refuse because they're annoyed you didn't ask first. However, they could argue that keeping a pet without permission is a breach of trust — so it's better to get ahead of it proactively rather than waiting to be discovered.
What if your landlord ignores your request?
If your landlord doesn't respond to your pet request within 42 days, consent is automatically deemed to have been granted. This is a powerful default — it means landlords can't simply ignore the request and hope it goes away.
Keep evidence that you sent the request — a dated email or recorded delivery letter. If consent is deemed granted by silence, you have the right to keep the pet.
Assistance and emotional support animals
Assistance dogs (guide dogs, hearing dogs, medical alert dogs) are protected under the Equality Act 2010 regardless of any tenancy clause. Landlords cannot refuse a registered assistance dog and doing so is disability discrimination.
Emotional support animals (ESAs) do not currently have the same legal protection in the UK as they do in some US states. However, if a tenant has a disability and can demonstrate that the animal provides a therapeutic benefit, refusing the animal could amount to a failure to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act.
What to check in your tenancy agreement
If you're about to sign a tenancy agreement and you have a pet (or plan to get one), look for:
• A blanket "no pets" clause — from 1 May 2026, these are no longer automatically enforceable. You still have the right to request.
• "Pets at landlord's discretion" — this is better, but check whether the agreement specifies what "discretion" means and what conditions might apply.
• Pet damage provisions — does the agreement address who pays for pet-related damage? Is pet insurance mentioned?
• End of tenancy cleaning — some agreements require professional cleaning if a pet has been kept. Check whether this is reasonable and proportionate.
Important: This guide covers the law in England only. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have different tenancy laws. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 applies to England only.