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Original poster

Renting out house - do we allow dogs?

118 replies

Lucyintheskywithrubies · 23/08/2022 20:36

I’ve never owned dogs so have no idea what they’re like. We are renting out a large beautiful house that was our home until we moved overseas. We have had a couple with two small dogs ask if they can view. Is it worth considering? I feel sorry for people with pets in rentals and want to help out but I’m worried about damage/smell/barking and it has already been a really stressful process with the last tenants.

OP posts:
RidingMyBike · 23/08/2022 21:12

I let an old house of mine out for a while when I relocated and had a tenant ask if she could have a dog there. But she was already living there and had already shown she was responsible etc. Plus the dog went with her to work everyday so wasn't unsupervised in the house much at all.

You might find they stay longer as it's so hard to find a rental that will allow pets which would help cut down on void periods?

purpleme12 · 23/08/2022 21:13

I would always allow dogs cos I know what it's like being on the other side of it

JulioVonMatterhorn · 23/08/2022 21:15

I would absolutely NOT permit it.

carefullycourageous · 23/08/2022 21:15

I think you a) get good references and b) add an additional deposit for a dog.

Really the semll will only be carpets - hwo much would a full recarpet cost - could that come from the deposit?

My view is if you get a shit tenant they can trash your house dog or no dog, so it is hard to say. I had people who would not rent to me because I had children - I was a great and responsible tenant with bookworm children, it was their loss.

I allowed a tenant to have cats once when asked, no issues.

WhenDovesFly · 23/08/2022 21:19

I'm the other side of it too. I have a cat and a small dog. It took ages to find a property that would accept pets and I'm eternally grateful to my current LL for permitting them. Neither have caused any damage and the property has wooden floors almost completely throughout so no carpets to get ruined. A deep clean will remove any residual animal smell.

Hoppinggreen · 23/08/2022 21:21

carefullycourageous · 23/08/2022 21:15

I think you a) get good references and b) add an additional deposit for a dog.

Really the semll will only be carpets - hwo much would a full recarpet cost - could that come from the deposit?

My view is if you get a shit tenant they can trash your house dog or no dog, so it is hard to say. I had people who would not rent to me because I had children - I was a great and responsible tenant with bookworm children, it was their loss.

I allowed a tenant to have cats once when asked, no issues.

Unfortunately you can no longer charge a bigger deposit for a dog.

It was probably supposed to be helpful but it wasn’t

I have a dog but I wouldn’t let to people with one and especially 2

FallOutPloy · 23/08/2022 21:23

We allow pets in our rental. We always get it cleaned and any major damage sorted between tenants, but we don't get it freshly painted each time or anything (ie it's not show home immaculate by any stretch of the imagination). And I think our agent takes a bigger deposit as standard for tenants with dogs.

FWIW we've never had a problem, with the pets themselves or with the neighbours.

Lindy2 · 23/08/2022 21:23

I had a tenant who asked if they could rent with their small "well behaved" dog.

It used the lounge as a toilet. The place stank. It literally took years for the smell to properly go as it permeated the floor boards.

The tenant was also not well behaved as ge upped and left secretly one day owing lots of people lots of money.

Having said that though, I've been a landlord for 20 years and most tenants have been ok. They will never ever look after the house as well as you would though. The wear and tear will always be more than you would expect.

Because of my previous bad experience I don't allow pets.

Unforgettablefire · 23/08/2022 21:23

You're not allowed to just refuse pets now you have to give good reason for refusal in writing.
If a tenant would let a dog wreck your property then they'd likely trash it themselves.

Wombat27A · 23/08/2022 21:24

I allow dogs, cats, snakes...

Don't think you're allowed extra deposit any more in England & it's likely as part of new regulations currently under consultation, you won't be able to reasonably refuse pets, at some as yet unknown point in the future.

That said I'm not emotionally attached to my houses & I would think carefully about any tenants, if the house condition is precious to you.

Kids are probably more destructive but I once spent a long time in a rented house dealing with fleas. Totally grim.

Nanalisa60 · 23/08/2022 21:25

My dh works for a big landlord, they let there tenants have one dog, but they usually ask the tenant to bring it along at the viewing so they can see how it is behaving.

FallOutPloy · 23/08/2022 21:28

Ps it's really difficult renting out a property that has been a family home. You cannot think of it as "your home" whilst you're not in it, you can't let it upset you when people don't look after it perfectly for you. Brace yourself now for the fact that the house won't be returned you in the state you left it- try and budget for fresh paint and fresh carpets before you move back in.

ContadoraExplorer · 23/08/2022 21:34

We had a tenant with two dogs before and we discovered that she wasn't the greatest at cleaning (think dog hair in the microwave 🤢) and I decided, as I was picking it out of every crevice possible, that we would state in the contract pets would allowed but they should pay for a proper deep clean before they leave. We've not had a new tenant with animals yet so not actually sure if that's legal but I'll be asking about it if and when the current ones leave.

Ncfreely · 23/08/2022 22:08

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

LimboLass · 23/08/2022 22:15

I personally would not but it depends how much interest you have in the place.

LimboLass · 23/08/2022 22:16

You're not allowed to just refuse pets now you have to give good reason for refusal in writing

What law is this?

RandomUsernameHere · 23/08/2022 22:17

LimboLass · 23/08/2022 22:15

I personally would not but it depends how much interest you have in the place.

I was about to say exactly this

bigbadbarry · 23/08/2022 22:18

I was told when we changed tenants about a year ago that I could no longer say no dogs. I didn’t check it myself but I trust my agent

Original poster
Lucyintheskywithrubies · 23/08/2022 22:22

@LimboLass it is a beautiful house so I would worry about the cost of damage, it is pretty big so lots of spaces to ruin potentially. I am trying to work out what benefits there would be to agreeing (and obviously trying to be a good person to people with pets!)

OP posts:
SushiSuave · 23/08/2022 22:26

Please do, just ask for a larger deposit if it makes you feel more comfortable. It is so so hard to find somewhere to live without having to give up your much loved pets. Also presumably you'd ask for references from previous landlords. Of course there are the odd few who don't respect a house, but that's not just because they have a pet. The vast majority of those willing to pay a larger deposit and have good references will not ruin your house through their pets.

KathrynOfArrogance · 23/08/2022 22:27

If the tenants got pregnant would you refuse the baby? My child could cause a lot more damage than my little pooch ever has, just saying 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣

Unforgettablefire · 23/08/2022 22:28

@LimboLass

Responsible tenants with well-behaved pets will be able to secure leases more easily through the new Model Tenancy Agreement announced by the government today (28 January 2021).
Under the new Model Tenancy Agreementt_, announced by Housing Minister Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP, landlords will no longer be able to issue blanket bans on pets by default.
Instead, consent for pets will be the default position, and landlords will have to object in writing within 28 days of a written pet request from a tenant and provide a good reason.

Sh05 · 23/08/2022 22:31

If you've had lots of interest then go with the family without dogs.
And there's no comparison between a child and an animal who may not be trained not to defecate all over the house.
How much would it cost to recarpet the whole thing? Then decide if you're willing to risk the loss of that much revenue

purpleme12 · 23/08/2022 22:31

I believe that the biggest reason people give up their pets to rescues is because there is such a small pool of landlords who will let to people with pets. It is incredibly sad that these pets likely wouldn't be in rescue if there were more landlords who would allow it

RidingMyBike · 23/08/2022 22:31

Unforgettablefire · 23/08/2022 21:23

You're not allowed to just refuse pets now you have to give good reason for refusal in writing.
If a tenant would let a dog wreck your property then they'd likely trash it themselves.

Although we were looking for a tenancy a year ago and it was made very clear to us that we wouldn't even be allowed to view if we were unemployed, smokers or had pets! There was so much competition for the tenancies we had to get ourselves 'preferred tenant' status to be allowed to rent!