Tenant wants to get a pet

[AiryFairy1]

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.

If it was me, I'd pop round and check they haven't already got the puppy.

You can’t do so without notice and permission.

How are people irresponsible pet owners if their dogs chew? It’s normal dog behaviour for a lab puppy, it’s bloody tiresome and they grow out of it at about a year. I was home all day, dog walked every day, had a dog flap so out in the garden all the time. If you have a chewer you have a chewer!!

I agree with the poster that said it's their home (for now) and why shouldn't they enjoy life and have a pet. Why should you only be able to if you are lucky enough to own? They may be planning to use dog daycare. They were good enough to ask about it. Dont be a meanie!!

Right. So as of the 1st June any NEW tenancies, you won't be able to take any more than 5 weeks deposit. This is an existing tenancy, so technically you could ask them to pay more, but only if you get it in writing and before the 1st June.

That said, it's tricky. I'm a landlord who does allow pets and 3 out of 4 times it's worked out fine. The one time it didn't was when I had to replace the entire house full of carpets because the dog had shit or pissed all over and despite their best, sorry terrible attempts to clean them, they were fooked. That cost me over £1200, their deposit was £700 and then the DPS decided that they could keep their deposit.

On the plus side, if you get a responsible family in then it can make you a more desirable landlord compared to the many who wont entertain it.

It's your call, and it's not an easy decision. Landlord groups told the government that lowering deposits across the board with no allowances for this kind of instance would make it very difficult for people with pets to rent. So much for tenants rights, it has given and taken away in equal measure.

I wouldn't allow it.
We have a dog and they go to a dogsitter during the day. Without that I have no doubt that even a well behaved dog can chew things and damage property if bored, especially if when they say 'adopt' they mean a rescue dog which may have a lot of emotional trauma in its background.

Given you can't police it not being left alone, sticking to no pets is probably the safer thing to do.

If they'd been in place a number of years then I might consider a new set of clauses making them liable for any repairs or damage caused by the pet, but 2 months in feels a bit dishonest to me. You don't decide to get a dog in 8 weeks so either they were considering it when signing for a no pet house, or they are showing zero awareness and planning of what having a dog looks like.

Otter countries are so much more relaxed about letting tenants have pets than the UK. We lived abroad and rented a house with our two dogs (one large and one giant breed) Our dogs were named in the tenancy agreement along with their breed and weight. The agreement also stated that they were the only pets to be allowed in the property unless we had express written permission from our landlord. We also had to pay a non refundable deposit of approx £200 for each dog.

At the end of our tenancy our deposit was returned in full and the letting agent even commented that we were leaving it in better condition than it was when we arrived. Lots of us pet owners are pretty fastidious and houseproud OP! It might be an idea to amend your tenancy agreement as above.

They’ve only been with you for 2 months, you’ve no idea what kind of tenants they’ll be. I’d also ask what kind of breed of dog and plans for the daytime. To be honest I’d probably just say “no” as it far to much hassle.

You also have to consider allergies; whilst up or current tenants might be happy with a dog, it could affect future tenants.

We rented a property when I had cats and paid two moths deposit rather than one, but maybe with changing laws this isn't possible?
On separate note our neighbours rent their house and have a cat, who we feed when they go away, it's sick most days (seeing vets for food allergies etc) the carpet is taking a battering, luckily it's an old carpet, but I suspect when they leave the landlord will need to replace it.

Unbelievable comments from the landlords on here.
To the OP, you are renting a 4 bedroom house to a couple, count yourself lucky they don't have 4 kids or an extended family with them, far more likely to cause extensive damage than a dog.
Let them get a dog. Insist on some contract/agreement that the house is professionally cleaned on termination. At minimum carpets steam cleaned and all walls washed.
Your landlords liability insurance, or their tenants liability insurance will cover any damages above the excess, which is covered by the deposit. If you and your tenant are not insured, you should be.

If you don't let them get a dog, you risk them moving, a void, and certainly a lot of hassle.
I've had a dog in my (rented) apartment for 4 years now. No damage, smells of dog mind, but when I leave the repaint (landlords cost) and deep clean (my cost) will fix that. If the landlord had refused me getting a dog, I'd have left.

I’d probably agree to an house trained dog. Wouldn’t allow tenants to have cats though. Love them but a few wees and you can never get rid of the smell without replacing carpets, sometimes even floorboards.

C4tastrophe you sound like a responsible tenant. However unfortunately you are in the minority. The majority of tenants won't wash the walls or shampoo the carpets. They'll leave that to the landlord along with a long list of other cleaning needs, repairs, replacements and inexplicable alterations.
Generally my tenants stay long term so I generally only have to deal with changeovers and all the expense and repairs that involves every few years, otherwise I don't think I'd be in this business.
I do rather think mumsnet renters are quite different from the majority of tenants and probably don't really realise quite how some tenants behave.

From Lindy2 "The majority of tenants won't wash the walls or shampoo the carpets. They'll leave that to the landlord along with a long list of other cleaning needs, repairs, replacements and inexplicable alterations."

The rules are, you leave the property ( or whatever else you rent, like a car or machinery) as you found it, except reasonable wear and tear.
Isn't this what the letting agent is supposed to ensure happens?

For all the 'tenants are dirty b4stards' you have the 'place was filthy when I moved in' experiences.

Landords and tenants need to insist on liability insurance and let the insurance deal with it, apart from the excess, and also contractually agree that the property is professionally cleaned at start/end of tenancy.
Anyone who is precious about renting out property is in the wrong game, IMHO.

@C4tastrophe

Landlords can no longer insist on tenants having liability insurance under the tenants fee act.

Landlords liability insurance doesn't cover this sort of thing, that's to cover the landlords liability on case anything happen s to the tenant such as a faulty carpet trip etc.

I also don't see that anyone would choose to move into a dirty property, surely you viewed it before you sign a lease?

I'm afraid the view that most tenants are clean and thoughtful and leave the property in the condition they received it is rather rose tinted. Landlords aren't being precious expecting to not to have to wear hazmat suits just to do and end of tenancy clean!

Yes they are supposed to leave it in a good clean condition. The reality is most don't.
I've just had a tenant move out and have arranged carpet cleaning, a deep clean of a bathroom which appears not to have had even a basic wipe over in the last 12 months (chunks of limescale having to be literally chipped off taps in a bathroom that is actually less than 2 years old), a professional oven clean (also not even wiped over in the last 12 months) and new lino tiles to go down in the bathroom because 3 of the nicer ceramic floor tiles that were there were cracked by this tenant. All of this came out of the tenants deposit. They were fine with this. They know it should have been left in a better state.
The repainting throughout and new kitchen I have funded myself from my "vast" landlord profits because I think tenants deserve to move into a well maintained, nice property.
If there was pet damage plus more extensive redecorating than magnolia over magnolia the deposit wouldn't cover it nor would insurance.
This is the norm not the exception. That's why I don't allow decorating by tenants, or smoking or pets.

Well before the thread collapses into 'wonderful landlords' vs. 'terrible tenants' ...........

Sounds to me like the OP's tenants will already have the dog in the house, which means the OP needs to be pragmatic and accept it, or go through the hassle, and cost, of evicting them, 'just in case'.

My landlady allowed me to adopt two cats. I singed a letter saying I'd pay for any damage. One of them has slightly scratched the stair carpet. But barely noticeable and im buying the house anyway.

I had to replace carpets last year as tenant unknown to me had a pet. It’s a flat. A new flat. He’d been there less than a year & did a flit. Didn’t pay the last months rent & I had to replace so I was out of pocket. As it’s a flat I’m not allowed pets without consent of leaseholder. I had complaints from other flat owners. So after my experience I’m going to say No to pets!

If they are going to leave it alone all day it is cruel to the dog and it will wee and poo because it knows no better.

It is considered cruel to leave them alone all day and it is neglect to do to a puppy.

People can be extremely idiotic about getting pets and it is the pet’s ‘fault’ when it get dumped or sold online to be used as bait for dog fighting.

I would not consider this without a great deal of discussion with tenants.

@leckford
Yes, why doesn't the OP also tell them to drink less alcohol, eat a calorie controlled diet, and get 8 hours sleep a night.

FFS, why would these people be irresponsible? Are you implying because they are tenants?

The OP has rented something to someone else, it needs to be returned in the same condition it was handed over. Whatever else goes on is sweet FA to do with the OP, as long as the contract is fulfilled. The OP has no right, legally nor morally, to interfere in these people's affairs.