Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Tenant wants to get a pet

73 replies

AiryFairy1 · 27/05/2019 08:58

I hope I’m posting in the right place, there doesn’t seem to be a letting property section.
They’ve been in the property just under 2 months of a 2 year tenancy and have said they would like to adopt a small-medium dog, that will be properly trained etc.
If relevant, property is a 4 bed terrace with a small-medium garden, with 2 adult tenants.

I guess I’d like to know if they have rights, if I have rights and how do we go about adding a clause to the TA retrospectively to cover it, if they were to go ahead?
Thanks.

OP posts:

PepsiLola · 27/05/2019 09:03

They don't have the right to own a pet in a property you own!

I really wouldn't allow this, I know the damn age my pets have done to my property (we own so it's not effecting others)... even my cats have caused damage

LIZS · 27/05/2019 09:06

Unless one is at home all day I'd be concerned about them leaving dog alone in the property.

aweedropofsancerre · 27/05/2019 09:07

They don’t have a right to get a pet without your agreement. Personally I wouldn’t allow anyone to get a pet in my property. How can they say they are getting a well trained rescue! Rescues are rescues for a reason and not all positive and I have heard stories of dogs chewing up skirting boards and various other parts of the house due to anxiety. They have signed up to a tenancy agreement and now want to change it. It’s your choice and you can say no.

Janus · 27/05/2019 09:09

It’s your property so your rules I’d assume.
If you really want to allow them as you think they’re great tenants then could you get a £1000 deposit against damage such as chewing? We have 3 dogs, our oldest lab chewed like crazy even though I was home all day, this included the skirting boards!! Dogs tend to dig so if you ha e a nice garden it may need work. You will need a deep clean of carpets once every 6 mo the to get rid of pet smells. You could tell them this will come out of the £1000 deposit?
If they really want a dog they will come up with the £1000 deposit.

OKBobble · 27/05/2019 09:11

From 1 June you are no longer legally permitted to hold a deposit which exceeds 5 week's rent.

PivotPivotPivottt · 27/05/2019 09:16

I'm a private renter with a kitten who ripped up carpets in my previous house. I have recently moved to another private rented house and the tenants before me had a large dog.

The carpets are coated in white dog hair which I can not for the life of me get rid of, I have replaced one carpet but can not afford to do the others yet. I am about to rip up another carpet and live with the floor underneath as it absolutely stinks of urine (although can't say for definite whether this was caused by the dog!).

So ironically as a private renting pet owner I would say don't allow it.

Veterinari · 27/05/2019 09:21

If you want to keep your tenants long term it’s certainly worth considering allowing a dog. The majority of dogs do not chew skirting boards and dig huge holes

A blanket ‘no pets’ clause is usually unenforceable and most TA will say something like "the Landlord’s consent [...] will not be unreasonably withheld" in terms of permission for pet-owning. So you just need to decide what your criteria are, e.g. a reasonable damage deposit, professional clean when exiting the property etc. Also ensure that you have an accurate inventory including photographs

riverislands · 27/05/2019 09:21

I don't think it's a good idea from your perspective.

Original poster

AiryFairy1 · 27/05/2019 09:23

Thanks for your replies so far. They said it’d be a puppy, so I’d also be concerned about leaving it alone in the day .

I am holding a 5 weeks rent deposit (correctly protected) which I guess the damages would come out of. I think I will also chat to the deposit protection scheme.

OP posts:

Whisky2014 · 27/05/2019 09:23

I wouldn't allow it. My dog has made the walls dirty etc. It's your asset, your choice.

TanginaBarrons · 27/05/2019 09:38

Don't do it! I also think it's cheeky asking two months in to the lease. They obviously planned this - in which case much better to have been up front and found a landlord who permitted pets or negotiated with you before moving in.

Disfordarkchocolate · 27/05/2019 09:45

We rented two flats when we had a dog and we're very grateful for understanding landlords. We caused no damage and left no mess.

Lindy2 · 27/05/2019 09:46

I allowed a tenant to have a dog. When they left the entire place stank of dog wee. Even after deep cleaning you could still small it.
A puppy will be lively and that have no idea if they will be able to train it well. I would almost guarantee there will be damage.
They have only been renting from you 2 months. There is no proper landlord /tenant relationship or trust yet. You simply don't know if they are good tenants or not yet.
Also, they must have known they would ask for this before they moved in so are somewhat playing you already.
I would say no.

Pinkprincess1978 · 27/05/2019 09:47

We have a cat who we love to bits but he has wreaked our carpets. I had a cat at uni who scratched walls (thankfully they were all white wood chip so I used to repaint them and you couldn't tell). If I had a property that was nicely maintained I wouldn't allow tenants to have a pet.

I guess if the property wasn't that nice I would think about it (I'm thinking about houses family rent where the decor and carpets are not great anyway compared to some of the beautifully decorated homes I've seen advertised).

Lindy2 · 27/05/2019 09:50

In a moment though you'll get a while load of posters telling you it's it's basic human right for tenants to paint all the walls bright purple and own dogs that eat carpets. You can good the bill for their damage because you own a property and must therefore be loaded.

Trills · 27/05/2019 09:50

Have they behaved reasonably and responsibly so far?

If so, you have no particular reason to believe that they'll be irresponsible pet owners.

boxlikeamarchhare · 27/05/2019 09:50

I have allowed pets in a rental property and I have had pets in a rented property I lived in.

A responsible pet owning tenant is a better tenant than a generally irresponsible tenant imo entirely depends on who you tenants are.

TrixieFranklin · 27/05/2019 09:51

Re the deposit.. you can not deduct for damage deemed as 'fair wear and tear' and fair wear and tear for 2 adults is very different from fair wear and tear for two adults and a puppy!

Thequaffle · 27/05/2019 09:53

The damage a dog could cause (especially a puppy) would not even begin to be covered by the 5 weeks deposit.
Think scratched floors, chewed door frames, poo and wee on carpets, chewed furniture, and the smell is hard to get out.

If there is a garden then that will get it too.

aweedropofsancerre · 27/05/2019 09:57

As a landlord you are coming across as very passive. If you don't want your new tenants to have a dog or should I say a 'well trained rescue pup' then the answer is no.....simple as that.

Aquamarine1029 · 27/05/2019 09:57

Don't allow it! I love animals and have several pets, but I would never allow a renter to have animals in my property. Just say no.

Thequaffle · 27/05/2019 09:58

I would ask them to sign a further contract stating that all damages be covered by them when they leave including damage to permanent fixtures (door frames, flooring) and all furniture with no upper limit. See if they still want the puppy then. New tenants will not want chewed furniture no matter how light the damage is. Nor will they want carpets with dog hair and piss embedded in them no matter how many times it’s been cleaned.

BlueMerchant · 27/05/2019 09:59

With good tennants who are looking after the place and have signed a long lease I wouldn't have a problem.
These people have to be allowed to live and they pay to treat your house as their home.
Get something written down to protect yourself from repairs/damage potentially caused by puppy. The tennants cooperation over this will tell you a lot about them. If they happy with this clause then I'd say to go-ahead.

LIZS · 27/05/2019 09:59

Agree they had this in mind when signing. You don't suddenly decide to get a puppy. Be warned, they may already have it, might be worth making an inspection now. Do you live locally?

TildaKauskumholm · 27/05/2019 10:05

I would not allow it. Seems a bit sneaky two months in, let alone the potential damage and smell. As a tenant I would not rent a place that's had pets. Also 5 weeks rent may not be enough to cover damages etc at end of two years.

Flip

1 2 3