Landlords: How To Answer A Tenant's Pet Request

It usually lands on a Sunday evening, and it's always polite: "We've been thinking about getting a dog. Would that be OK?"

Since 1 May 2026, how you answer isn't down to personal preference. The Renters' Rights Act gave tenants a proper route to ask, and gave you a process to follow — a deadline, and a genuine reason required either way. A blanket "no pets" clause no longer settles it. You don't have to say yes to everything, but you do have to look properly at what's in front of you — whether that's a Victorian terrace in Lancaster or a flat on the Morecambe seafront.

How it works. The tenant asks in writing, describing the pet. You then have 28 days to respond in writing — or, if you need more detail first, whichever is later of the remaining time or 7 days from getting it. Either way, judge the request on its own merits, not on policy.

Two habits worth building: get any verbal request confirmed in writing, and diarise the 28 days the moment it lands. It's the kind of deadline that slips while you're waiting on someone else.

Fair reasons to say no tend to be specific to the property or the pet: another tenant's allergy, a property too small for the animal in question, an illegal pet, or a superior landlord who's refused consent. A one-bed flat in one of Lancaster's converted terraces and a request for two large dogs is a different conversation to a house with a garden out towards Bare or Torrisholme and one cat — you're allowed to reach different answers, provided the reason relates to this property.

What won't hold up: not being a pet person, a bad experience with a previous tenant's pet, or damage caused under an earlier tenancy. Understandable instincts, but none tell you anything about this tenant or this animal.

And if you don't reply at all? Contrary to what's doing the rounds, consent isn't automatically granted after 28 days. Government guidance says the tenant can apply to the court instead — slower and costlier for everyone. Silence helps no one; even a holding reply is better than nothing.

Protecting the property now works differently, since you can't charge a larger deposit for a pet. A thorough, dated, photographed inventory does that job instead. Put any agreement in writing — which pet, how many, and responsibility for damage — check your insurance covers pet-related wear, and consider a mid-tenancy check-in to catch small issues early.

Worth remembering: tenants with pets tend to stay put. Across Lancaster and Morecambe, where good rental stock doesn't hang around for long, a settled tenant with a well-behaved dog is often a far better outcome than a void waiting for the "perfect" pet-free applicant.

If a request has landed on your desk and you're weighing up whether your reason would stand up, get in touch with us before the 28 days run out — it's a quick conversation, and much easier than one held afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

Can a landlord refuse a pet under the Renters' Rights Act? Yes, but only for a fair reason relating to the property or pet — an allergy affecting another tenant, a property too small for the pet, an illegal pet, or a superior landlord refusing consent.

How long does a landlord have to respond to a pet request? 28 days from the written request. If you ask for more information, you get whichever is later: the remaining time, or 7 extra days from receiving it.

Is consent automatic if the landlord misses the deadline? No — that's a common misconception. Government guidance says the tenant can apply to the court if you don't respond in time. Replying on time is always the better route.

Can a landlord charge a bigger deposit for a pet? No, the deposit cap applies regardless. A solid inventory and the right insurance now do that job instead.

Does a "no pets" clause still work? Not on its own. A tenant can still make a written request, which you must consider on its merits and answer within the deadline.

If you're letting a property in Lancaster or Morecambe and know another landlord who'd find this useful, please pass it on.