If you’re looking to find a rental property that will accept a pet, you will only be able to choose from 2% of all available rentals, new research has revealed.
The research, which was conducted by HomeLet a leading supplier of landlord insurance, tenant referencing and tenant insurance set out to find the best UK city to rent with a pet, investigating a number of factors including the number of pet friendly rentals in each city, the amount of green space per city, percentage of people with pets per city, ratio of vets per pet per city, ratio of dog walkers per pet, ratio of kennels & pet sitting facilities per pet, number of pet shops and ratio of pet friendly pubs per pet.
Whilst the lack of available choices may make the search for a perfect property a little harder, it’s not all bad news for people looking to rent with their pets. By ranking each city on the different factors that will make a pet friendly home, London has been named as the perfect city to set up home with a furry friend.
With the largest share of available pet friendly rentals (8.4%), along with the greatest ratio of vets, dog walkers, kennels & pet sitters and pet friendly pubs in the country, the capital has everything you need to rent with a pet.
Whilst securing a rental property with a garden may be a luxury in London, with parks such Clapham Common, Hampstead Heath and Hyde Park, there is plenty of opportunity to get your pet some great outdoor space.
However, the data shows that Londoners are not taking advantage of these benefits, with the capital ranking as one of the lowest cities in the country for the percentage of people owning indoor pets.
If you’re looking to rent with your pet, but don’t want to live in country’s capital, then Birmingham is the next best choice. Coming in a close second across the board, the city doesn’t hold that many pet friendly pubs, but seems to be the best place to explore outside of London.
The largest ratio of pet owners in the country reside in Newcastle, however those looking to rent a property with an animal will face an uphill struggle. Ranking in the lower sections for both pet friendly rentals and green space along with the other pet related factors, it seems that Newcastle pet owners will have to spend a long time to find the perfect spot.
Rob Wishart, Group Data Manager at HomeLet said, “With the recent introduction of the Tenant Fees Act, both Landlord and Tenants alike will be concerned about the impact this could have on renting a property with a pet.
“The research shows a lack of rental options for tenants with pets, yet London highlights that there are areas with everything in place that could make a perfect home for renters with pets.
“Whilst landlords might have Landlord Insurance cover for things such as the building and any contents, it’s unlikely it will cover damage specifically caused by pets.
“Since the introduction of the Tenants Fee Act, deposits are now capped by law to a maximum of five weeks rent. Landlords who have previously agreed to allow pets based on a higher deposit, in case of damage or a clause to deep clean at the end of tenancy will no longer be legally allowed to do so, so this may reduce the number of Landlords who are willing to accept pets, but as it was only introduced 1 June 2019 it’s too early to say.
When looking for your next rental, it’s worth having an open an honest conversation with your potential landlord or the letting agent involved, to fully understand the clauses of your tenancy agreement. Introducing a pet if your tenancy agreement states you cannot could risk you breaching the terms of your tenancy agreement and risk you being evicted. Asking for a specific pet-reference from your existing landlord may go some way to reassuring your landlord to take on a renter with pets.”
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