Overview
- The law, which took effect Friday, May 1, lets private tenants request a cat or dog and requires landlords to consider each case.
- Tenants must ask in writing, landlords have 28 days to reply, and tenants can ask a court to step in if a request is ignored or refused without good reason.
- Refusals are limited to clear grounds such as an unsuitable property, freeholder rules, medical allergies in the building, or animals that are illegal to keep.
- If a pet is approved, landlords cannot reverse consent, though they can ask for details about the animal and use deposits to fix pet damage.
- Animal groups including the RSPCA, Cats Protection and Dogs Trust welcomed the change and are sharing letter templates and cat CVs, and the wider Act also bans no-fault evictions and caps rent paid upfront, with reports of fines up to £40,000 for breaches.