"What the data suggests is that some landlords are responding by quietly reducing pet-friendly listings. In reality, that is more likely to delay the issue than avoid it."
- Sián Hemming-Metcalfe - Inventory Base
The number of pet-friendly rental homes in England has fallen 39% since the start of 2026, as landlords appear to be pulling back from openly marketing properties as pet-friendly ahead of the Renters' Rights Act taking effect on 1 May, according to new research from property inventory specialist Inventory Base.
Out of 98,964 available rental properties in England, just 5.9% are currently advertised as pet-friendly, down from 8.2% at the start of the year. In absolute terms, the total number of pet-friendly listings now stands at 5,839, a proportional decline of 2.3 percentage points since January.
Regional declines across England
The fall has been sharpest in the East of England, where pet-friendly listings have dropped 50.9% since the start of the year, leaving just 317 homes advertised as accepting pets. Other regions have recorded similarly steep declines:
- East Midlands: down 49.8%
- South East: down 46.6%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: down 45%
- South West: down 43.1%
- North West: down 39.1%
- West Midlands: down 37.9%
- London: down 31.9%
- North East: down 31.2%
What the Renters' Rights Act changes for landlords
The Renters' Rights Act introduces an implied term into tenancy agreements giving tenants the right to request a pet. Landlords will be unable to refuse without a fair reason, even where existing contracts explicitly prohibit pets. The change marks a significant shift for a sector that has long been reluctant to accommodate animals in rental homes.
Despite the direction set by the legislation, the data suggests some landlords are responding by reducing rather than expanding pet-friendly listings, a strategy that Inventory Base argues is unlikely to prove effective.
"From May, the rules change in a meaningful way," said Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, operations director at Inventory Base. "The government's definition of 'reasonable refusal' is tighter than many landlords are anticipating, and the practical effect of that is more pets in more homes, regardless of how a property is currently advertised.
"What the data suggests is that some landlords are responding by quietly reducing pet-friendly listings. In reality, that is more likely to delay the issue than avoid it."
"The answer is preparation, not panic. Robust inventory reports, thorough check-ins and regularly documented inspections give landlords the evidence base they need, both to manage damage when it occurs and to defend their position if a dispute follows. Landlords who have that infrastructure in place will be in a far stronger position come May."
