Petition about landlords not allowing pets in rented accommodation.

Dollardog

A friend has started a petition because she is having trouble finding rented accommodation which will allow her to take her well behaved dog.


According to the 'Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts[1991] as attached to the Housing Act - as amended 2004 - where/unless a L/L intent on returning to aforementioned house as his Principal Home....with Asthma or OTHER detrimental issues...then 'Permission for Pets will NOT Normally be withheld'


Landlords seem to be ignoring this and are withholding permission for people to take their pets.
It is bad enough losing your home but to have to lose your pets too is heart breaking. Rescues are full to the brim with people, having had their circumstances change, having to part with their dogs/cats etc. Pets are family too and should be allowed to move with their owners. Children often do more damage to property than pets do.
Here is a link to the petition - http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/935/576/134/


Even if you are not in this position yourself, as animal lovers, please would you sign it, 'There but for the grace of God' and all that, You never know when it could affect either yourself or someone you know.
Thank you in advance.

catkins

I rent and had some problems finding a landlord who would accept my dog. My present landlord was unsure when I viewed the property but I assured him that I was pretty certain my dog would not cause any damage but if he did I would pay to put it right. He then agreed it was ok.


The children of the family who lived there before me had drawn on the walls in two bedrooms!

chocdonuty

As difficult as your friend situation is, I don't think it should be a blanket rule to allow pets in rented accommodation, pets cause damage to the house and garden, cause noise and smell problems.
even the most well behaved ones.
Just because your friends dog is well behaved certainly doesn't mean all dogs are.
I have three cats and guinea pigs so am certainly not anti pet but if I was ever in the position to be a landlord I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be allowing certain pets in my properties.
There are more private landlords that can be more lenient and also most council properties allow pets although that does depend on her place on the waiting list. Even if they state no pets it's always worth asking anyway, if your friend can prove her dog is well behaved through references then this may help her find a suitable property.

elsien

Although I sympathise with people who struggle to find somewhere to live that will take pets, I don't think it's reasonable to expect people to have to take in pets, children, whatever. If I were a landlord, unless I were illegally discriminating I'd be wanting to choose my tenants according to my own criteria. What about the landlords who are saying no tenants with housing benefits, personally I think that's a bigger issue for tenants at the moment. You can't legislate for everything, and neither would I want to live in a society that does.

Katiehound

I sympathise too, but as we know there are excellent pet owners and others! If I had property to let I would be very wary.
Dogs Trust had a campaign about encouraging landlords to allow pets but all I can find at the moment is this:
http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/az/factsheetsanddownloads/factsheetpetsandhousing09.pdf

catkins

chocdonuty wrote: »

As difficult as your friend situation is, I don't think it should be a blanket rule to allow pets in rented accommodation, pets cause damage to the house and garden, cause noise and smell problems.
even the most well behaved ones.
Just because your friends dog is well behaved certainly doesn't mean all dogs are.

No, not all dogs are well behaved but neither are all children and it seems most landlords accept them.


Your post sounds as though you think most dogs will cause damage to the house/garden and cause noise/smell problems.


My previous dog did no damage whatsoever to my house or garden and my present dog (who I got at 9 weeks) hasn't either but then he isn't left running free in the house when I am not there nor left in the garden for ages without supervision.


I always listen outside when I go out and when I return and periodically check with my neighbour and he doesn't make a noise either.


Not quite sure what you mean about smell problems?

j.e.j.

Our Housing Association has a strict No Pets policy and anyone found to be flouting the rule has to get their dog or cat re-homed. I've never asked what the reasons are behind this policy, but I'd think it's the possibility of neighbour feuds, noise, damage to property and cats and dogs fouling the place.

I don't even dare to get myself some goldfish, though they're not likely to cause nuisance to anybody :rotfl: and chances are the HA wouldn't find out about them.

PlymouthMaid

Although I am a pet owner I don't agree with forcing landlords to take pets. It is their property to let out as they wish. I stupidly allowed a tenant to have a cat when I was a reluctant landlady (negative equity reasons) and it destroyed my new carpets with the deposit nowhere near enough to cover that and the other damage she had done. I would be unlikely to allow pets again without a very large deposit indeed.

Poppy9

I am a LL and I wouldn't take pet owners or smokers!

Reason being is the smell!

We refused a few tenants because they didn't feel like a match for our property. Very happy with our current tenants even though they had a bit of an argument with the next door neighbour a few months back!

chocdonuty

catkins wrote: »

No, not all dogs are well behaved but neither are all children and it seems most landlords accept them.


Your post sounds as though you think most dogs will cause damage to the house/garden and cause noise/smell problems.


My previous dog did no damage whatsoever to my house or garden and my present dog (who I got at 9 weeks) hasn't either but then he isn't left running free in the house when I am not there nor left in the garden for ages without supervision.


I always listen outside when I go out and when I return and periodically check with my neighbour and he doesn't make a noise either.


Not quite sure what you mean about smell problems?

Some landlords don't accept children too, their house, their right I presume.

dogs won't always cause damage/mess/smells ect but they are more likely to than say a couple, this goes for any "loose" animal, even an escaped hamster can cause all sorts of problems too!

And all dogs smell, that's a fact, if you think they don't they you are probably used to the smell, part and parcel of owning a pet unfortunately, but for a house owner could make it difficult to rent to future tenants if it lingers. I sometimes think my animals don't smell as I no longer notice it but am well aware they might to an outsider.

All I'm saying is no dog has any guarantee that it will cause no problems but they all have potential to do so, more than other occupants, it is the landlords decision as to whom they rent their house to, I don't think it should be forced upon them!

catkins

Poppy9 wrote: »

I am a LL and I wouldn't take pet owners or smokers!

Reason being is the smell!

I agree that smokers' houses stink as do most smokers but not all dog breeds smell - see my post below.

chocdonuty wrote: »

Some landlords don't accept children too, their house, their right I presume.

dogs won't always cause damage/mess/smells ect but they are more likely to than say a couple, this goes for any "loose" animal, even an escaped hamster can cause all sorts of problems too!

And all dogs smell, that's a fact, if you think they don't they you are probably used to the smell, part and parcel of owning a pet unfortunately, but for a house owner could make it difficult to rent to future tenants if it lingers. I sometimes think my animals don't smell as I no longer notice it but am well aware they might to an outsider.

All I'm saying is no dog has any guarantee that it will cause no problems but they all have potential to do so, more than other occupants, it is the landlords decision as to whom they rent their house to, I don't think it should be forced upon them!

Some dog breeds don't smell. The breed I have doesn't and no it's not because I have got used to it. Even wet he doesn't smell


My awful MIL would not hesitate to tell me if my house smelt of dog (she loved telling me that my previous house smelt of my cats). In fact she has admitted that she cannot smell the dog in the house.