Are pets ever allowed in flats?

Serendipitious

Some landlords won't allow pets in properties with a communal entrance.

Person_one

lisa110rry wrote: »

Actually, it is possible to keep a small dog in a flat without a garden (don't know about cats but I believe there can be 100% indoor cats). My flat in Hull had no garden, but I knew I would have to be very disciplined about walks. Even now that I've long finished with that flat, my dog is never allowed in the garden alone as a terrier is another name for a Houdini! We have a walk every morning and every evening and she does not feel the need to ask to go out in between, though she does know how to ask.

Having said that, she was trained by Hearing Dogs for Deaf People so she's a little bit special.

I lived for four years with two dogs in a flat with no garden. My dogs got more exercise and time outdoors than plenty of dogs I know of who live in nice houses with gardens in the suburbs. In fact they actually get less now that we're in a house because its just one proper walk every day and they get let out into the back garden for toileting.

You just have to make the effort and be willing to go out 4+ times a day in all weathers. Once you actually have the dog you don't have a choice anyway!

Pets weren't mentioned at all in the lease which is rare for a building in the area, so it was full of cats and dogs as people moved there for that reason. There are places where it will be possible.

Sharon87

My brother lives in London in a 2 bed flat with 2 cats, it's a converted house with exclusive access to the garden. He just asked the landlord beforehand about pets as they already owned a cat. They had to pay a lot more deposit, but I think her being a veterinary nurse helped to show she knows how to look after pets! They weren't allowed a cat flap and they're not allowed a dog though and when they got a 2nd cat they paid more deposit. So it's possible to have pets in your place but be prepared to pay more deposit!

Sometimes the agency says 'no pets', which is just standard in all agreements, but if you ask the landlord they may allow it, especially if you're a good tenant with good references.

thesaint

thesaint wrote: »

When you move from that property, you will be moving with a pet.

I suggest you do not get one until you are purchasing your own property instead of borrowing someone else's for a short time.

HappyMJ wrote: »

In London someone would probably be buying a leasehold flat/house and still not able to have pets due to lease restrictions and buying a house in or near central London is in my opinion beyond the budget of any of us posting on here.

I don't know how that affects the advice I gave.

eilidhcatriona

We rent, and have 2 cats who are 100% indoors. We adopted both as kittens, and brought them up as indoor cats - and they are both very happy and healthy. When we lived in London we had a balcony that they enjoyed going onto, but that is their only taste of the outdoors.


We didn't have any trouble finding landlords in London who allowed cats, in fact a letting agent once told us that they weren't allowed to say no pets allowed (never really believed that though), but it was a different story when we moved home to Aberdeen on 2014 - just about everywhere was no pets, the flat we are in now was the first we found that allowed pets so we took it.