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Yes, they can ask. Since 1 May 2026 a private tenant in England can request a pet in writing, and the landlord must reply in writing within 28 days and must not refuse unreasonably.
The right is in sections 16A and 16B of the Housing Act 1988, added by section 11 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025. It came into force on 1 May 2026 for assured tenancies that are not social housing. This page follows GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk as checked on 16 October 2026, and covers England only.
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What the law says
Every private assured tenancy now has an implied term: the tenant may keep a pet if they ask in the right way and the landlord consents, and the landlord is not to refuse consent unreasonably. The tenant's request must be in writing and describe the pet. GOV.UK suggests that can include the type of animal, its size and how much room it needs, for example if it lives in an enclosure.
A "pet" means an animal kept mainly for personal interest, companionship or ornamental purposes. The rules cover pets that live at the property, whether or not the tenant owns them. Visiting animals are left to whatever you and your tenant agree.
How long you have to reply
| Situation | Your deadline for a written decision |
|---|---|
| Standard request | The 28th day after the date of the request |
| You ask for more information within the 28 days, and the tenant provides it | 7 days after the tenant provides it (GOV.UK: the rest of the 28 days or 7 days, whichever is later) |
| You ask for more information and the tenant does not provide it | You do not have to decide |
| Your lease needs a superior landlord's consent, and you ask for it within the 28 days | 7 days after you receive the superior landlord's answer |
| You and your tenant agree a later date | The date you agreed |
Where more than one of these applies, you have until the latest of them. If you refuse, GOV.UK says you should explain why, and the refusal must be in writing.
When a refusal may be reasonable
The Act names two cases where refusing is reasonable: when the pet would put you in breach of your agreement with a superior landlord, and when your lease needs the superior landlord's consent and you took reasonable steps to get it but it was not given. Beyond that, GOV.UK gives examples on each side.
| May be reasonable to refuse | Usually unreasonable to refuse |
|---|---|
| Another tenant has an allergy | You do not like pets |
| The property is too small for a large pet or several pets | You have had problems with tenants' pets before |
| The pet is illegal to own | Previous pets damaged the property |
| Your freeholder does not allow pets | General worries about future damage, or about future lets |
| The tenant needs an assistance animal, such as a guide dog |
The government's guide to the Act says landlords must consider each request case by case, because no law could list every situation.
Insurance, deposits and damage
Sections 16A and 16B, as enacted, contain no insurance condition. Separately, section 1 of the Tenant Fees Act 2019 says a landlord must not require a tenant to enter into a contract of insurance with a third party in connection with a tenancy in England.
The deposit cap is unchanged by a pet: up to 5 weeks' rent where the annual rent is under £50,000, or 6 weeks' where it is £50,000 or more. GOV.UK says you can keep money from the deposit to cover pet damage, and you may be able to claim on insurance if you or your tenant has a relevant policy. You cannot claim twice for the same damage, from the insurer and from the deposit; GOV.UK warns that may be fraud.
What this means for you
Treat every pet request as a decision with a deadline. Log the date it arrives, reply in writing, and give a reason if the answer is no. A tenant who thinks a refusal is unreasonable can complain to you or start court proceedings, and section 16B lets the court order you to perform the implied term.
Once you agree, you cannot change your mind or rewrite the agreement to take consent back. If a pet causes problems later, GOV.UK suggests talking to your tenant first. It also lists pets among the causes of antisocial behaviour, which has its own section 8 grounds.
If you are a leaseholder, check your lease now so you know whether you need the freeholder's consent before a request arrives.
Steps when a tenant asks for a pet
- Check the request is in writing and describes the pet. Note the date you received it.
- Within 28 days, decide whether you need more information from the tenant or a superior landlord's consent, and ask for it.
- Consider the request on its own facts, using the table above.
- Reply in writing by your deadline. If you refuse, give the reason.
- If you agree, record the consent with the tenancy papers, and note the deposit amount and its protection details.
The wider changes to tenancies are in what happens to assured shorthold tenancies, and deposit limits are in how much rent in advance a landlord can ask for.
Rent counts towards Making Tax Digital for Income Tax; the free MTD check shows whether it applies to you, and the landlord section has more guides.
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Questions people ask
Can I just say no to all pets?
Not as a blanket rule. The Act makes it an implied term of every private assured tenancy that consent is not to be unreasonably refused, the government expects each request to be considered case by case, and GOV.UK says refusing because you do not like pets would usually be unreasonable.
What happens if I do not reply within 28 days?
The Act says you must give or refuse consent in writing by the 28th day after the request, unless one of the extensions applies. Your tenant can complain to you or go to court, and the court can order you to do what the implied term requires.
Can I make my tenant take out pet insurance?
The pet sections of the Act contain no insurance condition, and the Tenant Fees Act 2019 says a landlord must not require a tenant to take out a contract of insurance with a third party in connection with a tenancy in England.
Can I take a bigger deposit because of a pet?
Only within the normal cap: 5 weeks' rent where the annual rent is under £50,000, or 6 weeks' where it is £50,000 or more. GOV.UK says you can keep money from the deposit to cover pet damage.
Once I say yes, can I change my mind?
No. GOV.UK says once you agree, you cannot change your mind or change the tenancy agreement, and the tenant can keep the pet. A further pet needs a new request.
Sources
- Assured periodic tenancies: a guide for landlords, If a tenant wants a pet to live with them (GOV.UK)
- Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 11: right to request permission to keep a pet (legislation.gov.uk)
- The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/421 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Tenant Fees Act 2019, section 1: prohibitions applying to landlords (legislation.gov.uk)
- Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 1: permitted payments (legislation.gov.uk)
- Guide to the Renters' Rights Act (GOV.UK)
This is general information to help you understand the rules. It isn't tailored to your circumstances, so check your own position before acting on it.
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