Rental Properties with Pets. Urgent.

jemima82

https://www.letswithpets.org.uk/find-a-pet-friendly-property/find-a-pet-friendly-property

Apparently Zoopla has a 'pet friendly' filter which might be helpful.
Agree that a direct landlord (no agent) might be your best bet, with an extra deposit and clause for cleaning written into the contract.  
I moved into a property (through an agent) and didn't let on that I had a large dog... the landlord himself had come by one day when I was at work to look through the windows and set the dog off barking. LL put a letter through the door and when I spoke to him I apologised but said it was a difficult situation.  Extra deposit & cleaning clause agreed, no problems (plus he knew better than to look into 'my' (legally) property uninvited again!
Before I moved out and would take the dog away for the agent to do viewings, the lady was very snotty and said the place smelled like dog (I'm sure it did).  I had the laminate professionally cleaned before leaving and the LL said on outward inspection that it didn't smell of dog and he was grateful for the good state I left the property in.  You could get unlucky with your landlord which isn't the best....but as others have said, there's not a judge in the UK who would evict on the grounds of a disallowed (not dangerous) pet but you could be served notice through usual no fault channels....same as any other tenancy.
Good luck, I hope you find somewhere suitable.

regency_man

Thanks!  Unfortunately turning on the 'Allows Pets' filters on Zoopla or OpenRent reduced the number of in-budget rentals available from over 200 to ZERO! 

Eilidh1970

My partner previously lived in a rented place and got round this problem by offering double the usual deposit. When she moved out, the whole deposit was returned to her and the landlord said they'd been pleasantly surprised to find that six cats could be less damaging than the family with young children who'd lived there before. 
I think, given that your friend just has one dog, there must be landlords out there who would give it a go if they had the extra reassurance of a bigger deposit. 

Squeaky9

Another vote for just asking. The flat we’re currently renting said no pets but I asked my LL (via the letting agent) if I could please have my house cats (obviously offered to professionally clean and make good any damage caused by them on moving out and offered a higher deposit). LL agreed and didn’t need to do the extra deposit. Have yet to move out but there’s nothing worse than normal wear and tear on the flat so I’m hoping it gives a positive impression to the LL for anyone else wanting to have pets. 

I would also add it might make a difference if the LL is more emotionally invested in the property. In my case it’s a converted office and it’s purely a business for the LL but we viewed quite a few where the LL obviously had an attachment (used to live there themselves, bought as an income after their husband died etc) and judging by how closely we were vetted I didn’t fancy our chances of being allowed to keep pets as well. But you don’t ask, you don’t get. Good luck! 🙂

regency_man

Yeah.  We discussed and we think, given the time restrictions, we're going to do a bit of a hybrid.  Get her accepted on a place that is pet-suitable (current looking at one with hard-floors downstairs and a completely paved/gravel garden so no chance of lawn damage), move in, then talk to the landlord about the pet and offer to double deposit to cover their risk if they take it onboard willingly.  Obviously if they don't, it becomes a bit of a battle of attrition but at least she is in a slightly more powerful position once in the property. 

tom9980

regency_man said:

Yeah.  We discussed and we think, given the time restrictions, we're going to do a bit of a hybrid.  Get her accepted on a place that is pet-suitable (current looking at one with hard-floors downstairs and a completely paved/gravel garden so no chance of lawn damage), move in, then talk to the landlord about the pet and offer to double deposit to cover their risk if they take it onboard willingly.  Obviously if they don't, it becomes a bit of a battle of attrition but at least she is in a slightly more powerful position once in the property. 

Landlords are limited to 5 weeks rent maximum for the deposit which is part of the issue. The other problem faced is the time taken to sue and win in court can increase costs, getting a tenant to pay a court order can be difficult. Much easier to find a tenant with fewer issues.

carefullycautious

Put advert in local paper, on facebook, check local shop adverts
Put name down with local estate agents stating what you are willing to give (extra for damage etc)
Can you give an approx area she is looking at as someone on here may know of someone willing to rent to animal owners

Aranyani

jemima82 said:

https://www.letswithpets.org.uk/find-a-pet-friendly-property/find-a-pet-friendly-property

Apparently Zoopla has a 'pet friendly' filter which might be helpful.
Agree that a direct landlord (no agent) might be your best bet, with an extra deposit and clause for cleaning written into the contract.  
I moved into a property (through an agent) and didn't let on that I had a large dog... the landlord himself had come by one day when I was at work to look through the windows and set the dog off barking. LL put a letter through the door and when I spoke to him I apologised but said it was a difficult situation.  Extra deposit & cleaning clause agreed, no problems (plus he knew better than to look into 'my' (legally) property uninvited again!
Before I moved out and would take the dog away for the agent to do viewings, the lady was very snotty and said the place smelled like dog (I'm sure it did).  I had the laminate professionally cleaned before leaving and the LL said on outward inspection that it didn't smell of dog and he was grateful for the good state I left the property in.  You could get unlucky with your landlord which isn't the best....but as others have said, there's not a judge in the UK who would evict on the grounds of a disallowed (not dangerous) pet but you could be served notice through usual no fault channels....same as any other tenancy.
Good luck, I hope you find somewhere suitable.

I'd have just said you were pet sitting for a friend, certainly wouldn't have stumped up extra cash! 

Aranyani

regency_man said:

Yeah.  We discussed and we think, given the time restrictions, we're going to do a bit of a hybrid.  Get her accepted on a place that is pet-suitable (current looking at one with hard-floors downstairs and a completely paved/gravel garden so no chance of lawn damage), move in, then talk to the landlord about the pet and offer to double deposit to cover their risk if they take it onboard willingly.  Obviously if they don't, it becomes a bit of a battle of attrition but at least she is in a slightly more powerful position once in the property. 

What's the point of that?  

The landlord has the right to use the deposit for any damage caused by the tenant or their pets or their children or their guests, and to go to court for amounts over and above the deposit.  Telling him about it after the fact doesn't change anything except maybe annoying him. 

LoveSauce

Just find a place that doesn't mention anything about pets. And don't mention it to the agents.