Renters’ Rights Act: Has renting with a pet become slightly easier?   

One in six Brits would secretly keep a pet in their rental property – but will the new rules change this?   

Nottingham, Manchester, and London could see the biggest demand for pet-friendly rentals   

From the start of May, the Renters’ Rights Act in the UK came into effect, supporting renters by removing constraining terms like no-fault evictions and fixed contracts, and making it easier for renters to keep pets.  

With an estimated 62% of UK households owning a pet, renters should now face less difficulty in finding a property that will allow pets.   

However, our survey data suggests that the dialogue between landlords and tenants wanting to keep a pet hasn’t always been as open as you might expect – with one in six Brits saying they would move a pet into a rental property without asking their landlord first.  

How does the Renters’ Rights Act affect pet owners?   

Under the new legislation, this should become a more open conversation – tenants will have stronger rights to request permission to keep a pet, and landlords must prove that requests have been reasonably considered instead of insisting on a pet ban due to personal concerns or past experiences.  

However, permission is still required, so renters shouldn’t assume pets are automatically allowed. Landlords must receive a request and approve it before pets can start living in the property, which can take up to 28 days.  

Circumstances for reasonable refusals include allergies, the size of the property in relation to pet size, the legality of the pet in question and authority as a leaseholder vs freeholder.  

Tenants are now allowed to challenge the refusal if they believe it to be unreasonable. But keeping your pet a secret before permission is granted, or if it’s refused, could risk your tenancy and potentially impact your insurance cover.   

Where could pet-friendly rental demand surge?   

The survey identified the UK cities where residents were most likely to move a pet in without permission, with Nottingham coming out on top with one in five respondents willing to fib to their landlord.   

Just behind Nottingham was Manchester – so landlords in these cities could likely experience an increased demand for tenants with pets.  

Rental demand has also surged in the north-west of England, with the average rental property receiving 30 viewing requests, so Manchester pet owners will likely be particularly concerned about finding pet-accommodating homes.   

London locals are also keen to live with their pets, with just over 19% saying they were willing to keep their pets without their landlord’s knowledge.  

Based on our survey data, Gen Z and Millennial renters in particular would risk their tenancy to live with their pet, as one in four would keep their landlord in the dark.  

David Joyson, Homeprotect’s Chief Customer Officer, shares his thoughts on the new legislation changes for pet owners:   

“With many Brits owning pets yet so many pet-friendly properties having previously been hard to come by, it’s unsurprising that Brits have considered resorting to moving their pet in without their landlord’s permission.  

“The Renters’ Rights Act is a step in the right direction for pet owners. However, it’s still essential to check your tenancy agreement and request permission from your landlord directly before moving in a pet. Tenancy agreements often have strict terms of occupancy, including whether pets are permitted.   

“Moving a pet into a rental property without permission could place you in breach of your tenancy agreement, leading to a potential dispute with your landlord and in some cases, even legal action.  

“A pet in your property could also have an impact on your – or your landlord’s - home insurance. The presence of pets can affect cover terms or insurance premiums, so tenants should always inform both their landlord and insurer if a pet moves in.   

Even if you are allowed a pet, when it comes to your home insurance, it’s worth being aware that damage caused by pets is normally excluded, for example chewing, scratching, tearing or knocking items over – always check the Accidental Damage section of your policy to see what is and isn’t covered.”   

Pet-related legislation  

Pet provisions have been rolled out under Phase 1 of the Renters’ Rights Act, which came into force on 1 May 2026. Other elements of the Renters’ Rights Act will be rolled out later in 2026.  

About survey  

The research was conducted by Censuswide, with 2,000 adults in the UK in December 2024.