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Original poster

All landlords saying no pets?

90 replies

Pumpkinx3x · 30/11/2020 17:41

Hi has anyway able to persuade a landlord into accepting a pet?

My partner and I have been looking for over a month and we have nearly two weeks to move. (Landlord told us we have to leave due to selling) and we have a 9 year old dog. She is literally the size of your hand, isn’t happy and just sleeps all day and yet all ads say no dog?

Has anyone got around this? Offered the deposit as non refundable? Anything? I can’t separate from her. She’s old and been with me all her life. When I took a week holiday she wouldn’t eat and waited by the door the entire time and that was a close family member but I really can’t be homeless. We have a 6 month old.

Any advice?

OP posts:
user8888 · 30/11/2020 20:14

I am saying this from reading other threads on here as well where landlords say the absolutely refuse pets.

aLilNonnyMouse · 30/11/2020 20:15

I'd just ask the landlord anyway. Every place I've rented had "no pets" in the advert but the landlords were ok with my cats once asked. No extra deposits or anything needed.

I think it helped that I stated I was looking for somewhere to stay long term (5+ years) so the prospect of a stable income for many years + my good references outweighed their concerns.

lakesidewinter · 30/11/2020 20:16

@user8888 We both rent and let our own house.
It is perfectly understandable that landlords are cautious about their asset, a month's deposit could easily be exceeded trying to repair animal damage.

We allow specific pets in our house and our landlord does the same. I understand their caution and the need to balance our right to a home with their wish not to be financially impacted by our choices.

AppleStars · 30/11/2020 20:19

Our current landlord had no pets allowed in the ad, we just asked and they agreed to our cat. I think maybe some landlords/agencies put it in the ad as a default but some are open to it when asked, worth a try!

Hahaha88 · 30/11/2020 20:20

@Leaannb, no I have not, and I have had cats for many, many years Hmm

ItsAlwaysSunnyOnMN · 30/11/2020 20:23

Offer extra deposit or pay for pet insurance

My tenant pays for pet insurance for his dog (for cats I’m not so bothered)

ItsAlwaysSunnyOnMN · 30/11/2020 20:24

Many flats in the leasehold there is a clause about pets

Vast majority ignore it but you only need one busy body to complain (as one of my neighbours did about another flat having two dogs)

Isteamagoodham · 30/11/2020 20:25

I understand why it's frustrating, but I can see why this happens.

The first flat I rented was no pets, which was fine for me as I had no pets. The previous renter's gf lost her job and the landlord let her move in with 2 cats right before they moved out.

The cats did no furniture damage etc, but unfortunately when I moved in, I soon discovered there was a flea problem leftover from said cats. I ended up with multiple bites all over my legs whilst I had to steam clean/ hoover/ spray/ smoke bomb everything. I even had to move back out for a while whilst the problem was sorted :(

MilkRunningOutAgain · 30/11/2020 20:31

Our landlord lets us keep guinea pigs, the lease says no pets but we told him and he wasn’t bothered. We have a side letter to the lease permitting us to keep them.

Original poster
Pumpkinx3x · 30/11/2020 20:31

A lot mention openrent. I’ve kept an eye but literally nothing in my area. Only think in a month was a one bed flat.

I can only speak with estate agents. Will they let me ask the landlord?

Our current property we rent from a family member. With them losing jobs they are selling. It’s been on and off for a while but they have a firm offer now so don’t think their testimony will stand.

Shes 9 years old. Sleeps all day and watches my baby that’s all she does 😂 (yes we walk her, a small walk wears her out) I’m happy for anyone to meet her to prove she is tiny. Pre lockdown she was groomed monthly but it’s been a bit hard now. Doesn’t shed fur, isn’t yappy. Barks at someone at the door only. Had the same leather couch for 12 years and no damage. I’ll put down mats on our first week etc so she gets used to it as I haven’t moved since she was a puppy. Is there anyway the estate agent would let me ask the landlord? Or would they just say no?
Thanks

OP posts:
strawberrycherryblossom · 30/11/2020 20:47

We have just found a new tenant for our house. Put the ad up and had 20 viewing requests within 48 hours. Did 10 viewings but had to turn the rest away due to a lack of time. We would consider pets but when there's that many prospective tenants, we will naturally go for the one that will cause the least wear and tear. The dog smell is really hard to get rid of.

That said, we had other criteria too. A pet wouldn't necessarily put you further down the list but it won't help bump you up. We also have to consider whether the pet is suitable for the size of the house and whether it will cause disruption to the neighbours.

It's hard OP but there seems to be a lot of demand and not a lot of houses coming up.

rottiemum88 · 30/11/2020 20:49

I would say no pets but in reality allow a cat or very small dog if asked. I wouldn’t allow a big dog or multiple pets because of the damage they can cause and also the smell which gets ingrained in the house.

I find this type of attitude a bit baffling and short sighted. I have two big dogs and my house is clean, tidy and doesn't smell. They've never caused any damage. My nextdoor neighbour on the other hand has two cats and they've absolutely trashed the place, both furniture and fixtures. They also shed fur everywhere 🤷🏼‍♀️

lakesidewinter · 30/11/2020 20:50

You can ask the agents to ask the landlord for permission OP.

It will partly depend on whether there are more houses or renters at present.

Hamstertrousers · 30/11/2020 20:57

It’s bad tenants that allow pets to cause damage. They will cause damage in one way or another with or without pets. I have two indoor cats and they’ve never caused any damage because I look after them properly. My landlord is more than happy and will give me a glowing reference when I leave. It is absolutely horrific that landlords force people to part with beloved family members because of this ridiculous prejudice. Shelters are overflowIng and people left heartbroken. But “it’s my property, I’ll do what I want” is the attitude and people who have no option but to rent have to tow the line. Thank god I have a landlord who isn’t like that. I wouldn’t rent somewhere that didn’t accept pets now even if I didn’t have any. I wouldn’t want to give money to anyone like that.

LightDrizzle · 30/11/2020 20:57

Hopefully a direct approach will did you an accommodating landlord.
However DH was briefly an accidental landlord, his new tenant of a couple of weeks asked if it would be okay to have a dog, the famous “small dog” others have mentioned here. This small dog was indeed small, but only because it was a boxer puppy, so only temporarily a small dog and also a dog with its peak destructiveness ahead of it 🙄
I can see why landlords become a bit wary. As someone said earlier, nobody is going to describe their pet to a prospective landlord as poorly trained, prone to accidents and destructive when left alone.

RunningFromInsanity · 30/11/2020 21:02

@rottiemum88

I would say no pets but in reality allow a cat or very small dog if asked. I wouldn’t allow a big dog or multiple pets because of the damage they can cause and also the smell which gets ingrained in the house.

I find this type of attitude a bit baffling and short sighted. I have two big dogs and my house is clean, tidy and doesn't smell. They've never caused any damage. My nextdoor neighbour on the other hand has two cats and they've absolutely trashed the place, both furniture and fixtures. They also shed fur everywhere 🤷🏼‍♀️

With 2 dogs (Rottweilers?) I bet your house does smell you just don’t notice it.

I have a dog and I know that my house smells of him. I hoover and clean the carpets as often as I can but of course the smell of dog is still there.

PoopySalata · 30/11/2020 21:06

I'm a landlord, I always say no pets. One of my current tenants has a dog, a medium sized collie. She asked me if I'd consider a dog, I had a reference from her previous landlord. The dog is lovely, so is the tenant.

You really should just try asking, I don't want people to get a puppy or a couple of kittens while renting my property (so that's why I say no pets) but one well behaved adult dog isn't a problem for me.

Lovesgood · 30/11/2020 21:17

Just dont tell anyone you have a dog OP. I think sometimes thats the only way to do it

RattleOfBars · 30/11/2020 21:20

IME very few landlords accept pets especially dogs. Unless you are somewhere very rural.

I’d never allow pets as it’s so difficult to get the dog/cat smells out of the carpets, curtains, furniture. And if you allow one dog sometimes they get another, or some house rabbits, or a cat.

Then you have the problem of flea infestations, or scratched carpets.

Or neighbours complaining about a yappy dog or rattling claws as it runs around (if in a flat).

You could offer higher rent and sign an agreement you’ll pay to have the property professionally cleaned and fumigated when you leave, offer a larger deposit in case of damage.

Rainb0wDrops · 30/11/2020 21:31

It's not always just landlords being awkward for the sake of it. When we bought our flat it was a condition of the leasehold that no pets were allowed - for anyone renting or mortgaged.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 30/11/2020 21:36

I rented - org I worked for, not me personally to tenants with a dog.
I figured they'd stay longer because they'd find it hard to find somewhere else - less work for me.

Dogs Trust have a renting with pets website
www.letswithpets.org.uk/

Skysblue · 30/11/2020 21:49

I have twice, with cats. I had zero luck asking agents which properties would accept pets, they just always said “none.” But both times when I saw a property i liked and soent time sucking up to agent then said “I want this one, we are professional tenants with ood finances etc etc, we have cats that basically sleep all day, what will it take to make the landlord comfortable with that. The first property then slightly increased the rent owing to expected increased wear n tear. The second property said fine we’ll waive the no pet clause but if they damage anything it comes out of deposit.

Basically you have to charm the agent and then get them to persuade the landlord into letting you have it.

NommyChompers · 30/11/2020 21:51

Better for the environment for us to move away from our pet obsessions.... and will mean only serious owners get pets.

Taylrse · 30/11/2020 22:03

I rented somewhere which as usual said no pets. 1 year in and I was allowed to adopt a rescue cat on the condition that if anything got damaged by the cat I would pay for it.
The cat did no damage because he spends 80% of his time fast asleep.

Then 2 years later I moved and rented somewhere else which said no pets. Explained I had a cat and they agreed to it.

I can understand if the tenant has loads of pets, but just one or two cats/dogs seems fine to me.