Can a tenant have a pet under the Renters' Rights Act?

Can a tenant have a pet under the Renters' Rights Act? 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. 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. 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. 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. Read the full answer, with every source, at rightotax.co.uk.