"Replacing the now-abandoned insurance requirement with a modest, refundable pet deposit strikes a fair compromise, offering landlords reassurance while still supporting responsible pet ownership"
- David Smith - Spector Constant & Williams
Tenants who wish to keep pets in rented homes may need to pay a separate deposit, following an amendment to the Renters’ Rights Bill backed by the House of Lords.
The bill, currently under consideration in the upper chamber, introduces a provision allowing tenants to request permission to keep a pet. Landlords will not be permitted to ‘unreasonably’ refuse such requests. A previous clause that would have required pet-owning tenants to take out specific insurance was removed by the Government during the bill's progression.
Instead, a new amendment proposed by Lord de Clifford, who is also a director of a veterinary practice, recommends that tenants pay an additional deposit equal to three weeks’ rent to cover potential pet-related damage.
“The House of Lords’ decision to reject the removal of a dedicated protection for pet-related damage is a welcome and sensible intervention,” said David Smith, property litigation partner at Spector Constant & Williams. “While encouraging pet ownership is important, it must be balanced against the legitimate interests of landlords in preserving their property.”
“The existing five-week cap on deposits was never designed to account for the additional risks pets can introduce,” he added. “Replacing the now-abandoned insurance requirement with a modest, refundable pet deposit strikes a fair compromise, offering landlords reassurance while still supporting responsible pet ownership. Sadly, this amendment, while a pragmatic recognition of the realities of property management, is not supported by the government and, like others pushed through by the Lords, is extremely unlikely to survive into the final Bill.”
The final outcome will depend on whether the Government chooses to retain the amendment as the Renters’ Rights Bill progresses through Parliament.
