Landlords demand pet references with pictures and biography

Landlords demand pet references with pictures and biography

0:02 AM, 12th September 2023, About A year ago 19

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Landlords in the UK are now requesting ‘pet references’ complete with photographs and biographies of dogs and cats, due to the increased popularity of pet ownership during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, the i newspaper reports.

Renters are going to great lengths, crafting detailed descriptions of their pets’ behaviours and temperaments, to secure a rental property.

According to reports from letting agents, there’s a noticeable ‘new trend’ where pet owners are adopting creative approaches to secure rental properties in a highly competitive market.

The agents say that tenants becoming ‘creative’ in securing a rented home in the face of strong demand.

The growth in pet references comes ahead of the Renters (Reform) Bill which will see landlords having to accept a tenant with a pet unless they ‘reasonably refuse’.

If the tenant can provide a pet reference

The newspaper quotes Harriet Scanlan, the lettings manager at Antony Roberts in London, who says that some landlords are reluctant to accept a pet, but others are now more open to the idea – if the tenant can provide a pet reference from a previous landlord.

The Covid-19 lockdown saw a big rise in pet ownership with lots of people wanting a pet while they spent long periods at home.

It is at the discretion of a landlord, currently, whether they want a pet in their rented property.

‘I have had two or three physical pet references’

Harriet told i: “I have had two or three physical pet references with a photo of the pet. That’s definitely a new trend post-lockdown.”

And Emlyn Akoto-Dwemoh, from John D Wood & Co, said that providing pet references is now an integral part of the ‘traditional landlord reference’ process.

This involves asking previous agents and landlords about a pet’s behaviour and the impact it may have had on a rented home.

Mr Akoto-Dwemoh some tenants ‘submit a pet bio or profile’ along with a cute picture in a bid to sway a landlord.

The move, he says, is aimed at tugging on the heartstrings of property managers and landlords.

The lettings area manager at Johns&Co, Jay Clarke, says that some tenants will go the ‘extra mile’ and craft detailed paragraphs about their pet, outlining their temperament and behaviours.


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David Nichols

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13:45 PM, 13th September 2023, About A year ago

From my experience, each tenant that had that old sweet welbehaved dog eventually passes away and gets replaced by a lively non toilet trained puppy.
Once a dog owner then mostly always a dog owner.

Really Reluctant Landlord

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13:45 PM, 13th September 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Jonathan Cocks at 13/09/2023 - 12:26
Well, I suppose the answer is to be able to choose whether you accept animals or not. Our flats are not our own these days, which makes me terribly sad for my Dad because as a young man, he built flats to help the local community, and it's hard to explain that it doesn't matter what he wants for the flats, it is no longer his choice. 40 plus years and it's gradually been taken away. He keeps telling me to sell them all because this isn't what he built them for.
Oh, and re my poorly cat, I forgot to mention that although her diabetes is under control, she has over the last 6 months, started to have fits, which means she wees uncontrollably all over the place while she fits. She is one very expensive cat these days and if I was renting, my cat's vet fees would come before my rent! Unfortunately, my mortgage company wouldn't be as accommodating as a landlord I don't think!

Fergus Wilson

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14:04 PM, 13th September 2023, About A year ago

Well the vicious dog was a first cross between a bully dog and it oit bull,

So landlords do not give permission for either but what about the "type". Who is to say what a "type" is?

It sounds to me like a return to dog licenses with a DNA profile

Steve Hards

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10:17 AM, 17th September 2023, About A year ago

Oh dear, just when landlords have enough incoming changes to worry about, the matters raised here open up a whole new can of pet worms!

By the way, does anyone know if the 1950 Allotments Act which allows tenants to keep hens and rabbits regardless of any tenancy agreement provisions about the keeping of animals is still in force? And will it be after the Renters Reform Bill?

David Nichols

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12:01 PM, 17th September 2023, About A year ago

Question for all- Many agents say just charge more per month for pets, so can this policy be used as both a safeguard and deterrent.
Ie. In an advert could a landlord quote "pets considered with additional cost of £200pm per pet"

Old Mrs Landlord

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15:03 PM, 18th September 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Steve Hards at 17/09/2023 - 10:17I think the Allotments Act applies only to allotments, some of which are rented. We let out a house on an estate where the keeping of poultry is forbidden and that is written into the deeds of the property so we have always made prospective incoming tenants aware of the restriction. We assume this would constitute a reasonable ground to refuse such a request under the proposed R(R)A .

Steve Hards

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15:23 PM, 18th September 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Old Mrs Landlord at 18/09/2023 - 15:03Hmm...I'm not so sure that hens and rabbits can be banned so easily 🙂 According to this article (https://england.landlordsguild.com/article/tenant-wins-right-to-keep-chickens/) 'The Act does not define lease, tenancy or land in such a way as to limit it to allotments' so it could be that all tenants have the right regardless of other prohibitions, as long as they are not 'kept in such a place or in such a manner as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance'.

Reluctant Landlord

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17:03 PM, 18th September 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by LordOf TheManor at 12/09/2023 - 19:46
if they define a pet as a 'domesticated non human entity' (or other such woke terminology) then by default it means that this 'being' does not have the ability to act/understand what obligations it has a result of living in the property.

It all comes down to ownership therefore and as the risk has to be mitigated against then the TENANT has to prove there is adeuqate financial cover to account for any damage etc that may occur. This cannot be done by insurance cover as this is taken out by the tenant directly (no recorse by the LL to claim directly off it)

Although a 'pet' is a tenants personal possession, the tenant has no control over its actions, so the LL cannot be legally made to agree to allow any 'domesticated non human entity' as they cannot sue them directly for damage etc.

Another intervention of government creating a 'soluton' to a problem where there isn't one!

Reluctant Landlord

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17:10 PM, 18th September 2023, About A year ago

Ok lets look at this the opther way around...

Can you legally state now 'pets considered' on an advert now while clearly stating the rent will increase as a result?

Can you state the reasons in advance of a new tenancy why pets will not be accepted and any future request permission will always be refused (eg property is a flat with no external space, duty of quiet enjoyment to other neighbours/tenants etc or mortgage provider/building insurance will not cover this)

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