Renting with pets
Ask your landlord if you can have a pet
You need to write to your landlord for permission if you're renting and want a pet.
Your landlord cannot evict you for asking.
Your landlord could try to evict you if you get a pet without asking.
Your landlord must ask the court for an order to evict you. The court might let you stay.
Tell your landlord about the pet
You should give your landlord information about the pet you want.
For example, tell them:
the type of pet
how you will look after your pet
where you plan to get the pet from
Use our letter template to ask about having a pet
Write 'Request for permission to keep a pet' in the email title field.
To [your landlord's name]
I would like to ask for permission to keep a pet at [your address].
As you know, the law has changed. You can only refuse if you have a good reason.
I would like to get [describe the pet, for example the animal type and breed].
I will pay for any cleaning needed when my tenancy ends.
I'm happy to answer any questions.
[Your name]
You can also send the letter as an email attachment or by post:
Word template: Ask your landlord for permission to have a pet (docx 18kb)
OpenDocument template: Ask your landlord for permission to have a pet (odt 10kb)
What your landlord should do
Your landlord has 28 days to:
decide if you can get a pet
ask for more information
They should let you know in writing.
If they ask for more information, they have 7 days from when they get your request to decide.
They could ask:
about your pet's health, for example vaccinations
if your pet barks a lot or if it has ever been aggressive towards people
Example: Asking for permission for a pet
Sandra and Gina have found a cat called Pudding at a local animal rescue.
They email the landlord to ask if they can have Pudding at their flat. They send a link to Pudding's description.
3 weeks later the landlord emails back to ask:
who will pay for damage
if Pudding is housetrained
Sandra and Gina say that Pudding is litter trained and that he has lived in a house before.
A letter from the landlord arrives 6 days later. The landlord agrees for Pudding to live at the flat.
Sandra and Gina collect Pudding from the rescue.
They cannot get more pets without asking the landlord again.
If your landlord agrees
If they agree, they can ask you to pay for any damage your pet causes.
If your landlord asks for more rent
Your landlord cannot ask for more rent if they agree you can have a pet.
They also cannot say that they will only agree to a pet if you start paying more.
They must use a section 13 rent increase notice if they want you to pay more rent.
They can only do this once a year.
If your landlord refuses your request
Your landlord should not say no without a good reason.
Examples of goods reason are:
you live in a flat and no pets are allowed in the building
you live in a shared house and other tenants are allergic
the pet you want is not suitable for your home, for example you want to keep a very big dog in a small flat
You can:
choose a different pet and ask your landlord's permission again
ask the court to look at the landlord's decision
Your landlord cannot evict you for going to court but you might need legal help to do this.
Example: When a landlord might refuse permission for a pet
Janice and Kaur live in a studio flat on the 5th floor in the city centre.
Their friend is going away for a month and has asked if they could look after their 2 large dogs.
Janice and Kaur email the landlord to ask for permission. They describe their friend's dogs and attach photos.
The landlord emails back and refuses permission.
They say that they do not think keeping 2 large dogs in the flat is a good idea. They are also concerned about noise and disrupting neighbours.
Janice and Kaur can ask the court if the landlord's decision is right. But they might not win.
Last updated: 1 May 2026
