renting with cats (London)

[evuscha]

Hello, I am having a bit of an issue as I am trying to get myself and my lovely 2 wellbehaved indoor cats a flat to move into by June. (I have lived in my own flat in another city so haven´t had to worry up until now really)

Basically - and probably understandably - every landlord has turned me down up until now, when I was honest and asked in the beginning (sometimes it even was ok to begin with but as we almost got to signing the contract, they chose someone else instead).
One agent and also a couple of pet-owning friends told me that people normally don´t tell the landlord.

Does anybody have any advice or experience in this? Or any place to search for pet friendly properties?

Thank you!

Have you actually been dealing with landlords themselves or with their letting agents?

With letting agents - typically they would say the cat is ok (I wanted to rule out the properties where pets are just plain banned) and the negotiation would progress and I would be just about to sign and put down the deposit when they would call me and say that actually the landlord is not ok with cats

Are you looking at unfurnished places? You may have more chance of being able to have cats with less to potentially be destroyed from landlord's perspective.
When DP and I were looking for place to rent we found flat via an agent but landlord was living there (we were first tenants) was his cat. So, we asked and he said no problem about cat and made sure contract was amended. Not sure that helps but some people are willing to let to cats and humans!

I am looking at both furnished and unfurnished, and I exclude places that say "no pets" or the obviously newly renovated ones - I do understand there are circumstances where pets are just a no and the landlords are worried or the building doesn't allow it. But to be rejected by everyone has surprised me :( even when they initially said ok but in the end changed their mind.

Is it ever a good idea to just not say? - maybe just ask if in theory I could have a cat but not say I already have them? Getting a bit desperate :(