Renting and Pets - LL and Tenant advice

isisini

PS: We got our cat from a rescue centre (Cats Protection) and they were happy with it being a flat as long as it had outside access and we had permission from the landlord.

CharlieRabbit01

angelsmomma wrote: »

As a landlord my friends laughed at me saying that if a tenant applied for my houses without owning a pet I would give them one.

I love animals and my tenanted properties have both cats and dogs, in fact I think one of them also has a gerbil or hamster as well, something in a cage anyway.

When I rented I was really sad I couldn't have a dog so make sure now that I only let to people with animals but I do know I am in the minority

Hehe I hope my landlord is as nice. I don't know if its too early in our tenancy to ask.

Its a shame that the bad minority means the rest of us miss out.

CharlieRabbit01

isisini wrote: »

I've had mixed experiences. Our first landlady wouldn't let us have a cat, even though we lived in a flat which would have been perfect for one (ground floor, garden, easy outside access, other cats in the building and nobody minded).

We eventually moved and found a landlord who was fine with it - we made sure we got agreement in writing and he already had a cat flap installed. It does limit your options though it's not impossible.

If you are renting for the short term though I would think carefully - cats do not enjoy being moved and it can be stressful for everyone. And when you're flat hunting finding another pet let is an added stress. Consider waiting until your settled somewhere?

We don't in tend to move but we didn't before and our landlady sold up so we decided to move as they were giving us grief.

CCP

CharlieRabbit01 wrote: »

Thanks do rescue centres let you have a cat in a flat? My colleague had a house plus garden worked round the corner and couldn't have a dog.

It depends on the charity, I think - Blue Cross seem to say no to anyone living in a flat, while Cat Protection have said yes: my flat has a garden so I have permission to adopt any of their cats, but if you don't have a garden they're still happy for you to take on an indoor cat. (This is the Haslemere branch, BTW - I don't know if others have different rules.)

angelsmomma wrote: »

As a landlord my friends laughed at me saying that if a tenant applied for my houses without owning a pet I would give them one.

You'd do what, angelsmomma?! Sounds a little over-familiar to me! (Sorry. )

anotheruser

I once had a no pet clause.
I ignored it. LL had a bit of deposit money.

Next time, declared the said pets and paid an extra £100 per pet to the deposit.

moromir

pmlindyloo wrote:

A No Pets clause in a tenancy agreement is unlawful. It is expected that the LL will not unreasonably withhold consent for tenants to have pets.

This is ONLY the case if the Landlord gives a blanket ban on pets in the tenancy agreement - ie it says something like "No pets are to be kept at the property".

It IS acceptable, according to the OFT, to include a clause saying no pets except with the permission of the landlord.

Therefore it would stand to reason that the clause included in the OP's tenancy agreement -

Not to keep pets at the property including, cats, dogs, fish, birds and any other animal that may cause damage to the property, unless express permission is given by the landlord

Would be entirely valid!

jamie11

As a landlord I would probably allow a cat, dogs are a 'no no' (I allowed them once and the place stank when I got it back). Rodents of any sort would ring alarm bells for me. A fishtank? That would probably be ok providing the tenant insured against the possibility of it breaking.

CharlieRabbit01

jamie11 wrote: »

As a landlord I would probably allow a cat, dogs are a 'no no' (I allowed them once and the place stank when I got it back). Rodents of any sort would ring alarm bells for me. A fishtank? That would probably be ok providing the tenant insured against the possibility of it breaking.

Why would rodents ring alarm bells?

clark24

CharlieRabbit01 wrote: »

Why would rodents ring alarm bells?

Well if you train them to do so in response to being given food they might

any_name_will_suffice

I managed to rent a property easily with a lab- sized dog.

That said, the house was a bit of a state, desperately in need of redecoration, electrical problems, ropey fences and gate and in desperate need of a good clean. Over a year after I moved out, they still hadn't managed to re-let it.


It had some quirks, in the dining room the curtain pole was somehow suspended from the ceiling :rotfl:

When I viewed the house, the letting agent tried to persuade me to look at a 'lovely cottage in the next village much more suitable'- until I told her I had a dog.

I hope you get some joy from your landlord OP.