Respond to a Tenant's Request to Keep a Pet

Why this matters

Since 1 May 2026 a tenant can ask to keep a pet, and under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 you have to answer. Specifically:

• The tenant requests consent, and the request should be in writing
• You must give or refuse consent in writing within 28 days of the request
• You cannot unreasonably refuse
• If you need your own superior landlord's consent first, the clock can be extended — a further 7 days after that consent is obtained

The practical difficulty is not the rule, it is the paper trail. A request made in a WhatsApp message and answered in a phone call leaves you with a duty you can't evidence you discharged, and a deadline nobody is counting. This is precisely the kind of obligation that gets missed by a landlord doing everything themselves.

What changed

Pet requests are now a tracked part of the tenancy:

1. The tenant submits the request from their portal, describing the pet. It is recorded as pending, with the date it was made
2. The 28-day window is shown — to both of you, as information rather than as a countdown clock designed to panic anyone
3. You respond in writing — approve or refuse. A refusal records your reasons, which is the part that matters if the decision is ever questioned. Remember that a refusal has to be reasonable
4. The tenant can withdraw a request they no longer want to pursue
5. The decision stays on the record, dated, alongside the rest of the tenancy

Answer it once, in writing, and have it on file. See how tenancy management works →

Getting the decision right

The Act does not say yes to every pet. It says you cannot refuse unreasonably — which means a refusal needs an actual reason attached to this property and this request. A head-lease or freeholder restriction that genuinely prohibits animals, or a property that plainly cannot accommodate the animal proposed, are the kinds of reasons that are capable of being reasonable. "I would rather not" is not.

Two practical points worth thinking about before you answer. Standard landlord buildings insurance frequently excludes pet damage, and a tenant's own pet insurance usually covers vet bills and third-party liability rather than damage to your property — so it is worth checking your own cover. And a thorough, photographed move-in inspection is what lets you distinguish pet damage from fair wear and tear at the end of the tenancy. Our full guide to renting to tenants with pets goes through both in detail, and the 28-day duty landlords keep missing covers what happens if the window passes without an answer — including why you cannot make pet insurance a condition of saying yes.

What you need to do

Nothing to set up. When a tenant submits a request you will see it on the tenancy, along with the date you need to respond by. Open it, decide, and record your answer — with reasons if you are refusing.

This is general information, not legal advice. If a pet request is contentious, or your lease restricts animals, take advice before refusing.