Dogs Trust welcomes new pet-friendly rental rights announced yesterday

Dogs Trust, the UK's leading canine welfare charity, has welcomed yesterday's announcement that responsible pet owners who rent will be given more rights under the new Renters' Rights Bill.

Dogs Trust has been campaigning for many years for greater rights for responsible dog owners who rent. Around 15% of people contacting Dogs Trust to rehome their dog cite issues with accommodation, such as being unable to find suitable rental accommodation, forcing them to make the difficult decision to rehome their dog.

Research conducted by Dogs Trust and Cats Protection revealed that landlords are currently split on whether they allow pets, with 46% saying they allow pets. However, the number of tenants saying their tenancy allows pets is much lower than this, with just 30% saying their landlord would allow a dog in the property.

The same research revealed that, in over a third of cases where cats or dogs have not been allowed by a private landlord, the landlord did not proactively decide this based on the individual tenants or pets, but either followed generic advice or a used a standard template.

Allowing pets in rental properties is not just good for the tenants; there are advantages to landlords too as it could increase the length of time tenants choose to rent a property. Research by Dogs Trust and Cats Protection found that 26% of tenants would stay longer in a property if they were allowed to keep a pet.

Claire Calder, Head of Public Affairs at Dogs Trust says:

"We welcome the news that the Government will strengthen the rights of renters who would like to own a pet through the Renters Rights Bill. Not only is this good news for renters, but it's also a positive step for those of us working in the animal welfare sector. The last three years have been the busiest on record for Dogs Trust, and sadly, one of the most common reasons we see dogs handed in to our rehoming centres is due to a change in the owner's living circumstances and a lack of available pet-friendly accommodation, forcing them to make the heartbreaking decision to rehome their pets. Unfortunately, the lack of pet friendly accommodation is also often a barrier for many people looking to adopt one of the hundreds of dogs currently in our care.

"It is important to note that, while these proposals will be beneficial for those with existing tenancies who are seeking to get a pet, it will not increase the overall availability of pet-friendly housing. We would urge the Government to work with the private and social rental sectors to increase confidence in renting to pet owners so that they are not disadvantaged when seeking to access suitable accommodation."

"We look forward to working with the Government and Parliament throughout the passage of this legislation, and we will continue to support landlords through our Pet Friendly Housing project."

To increase the availability of pet friendly properties, Dogs Trust has been providing advice and resources to pet owners, landlords and letting agencies for more than a decade through its Lets with Pets scheme. For tips and advice on how to become a pet friendly landlord and how to find pet friendly accommodation, visit www.letswithpets.org.uk/.