Legislation – Renters’ Rights Act 2025

“16ARequesting consent to keep a pet

(1)

It is an implied term of every assured tenancy to which this section applies that—

(a)

a tenant may keep a pet at the dwelling-house if the tenant asks to do so in accordance with this section and the landlord consents;

(b)

such consent is not to be unreasonably refused by the landlord;

(c)

the landlord is to give or refuse consent in writing on or before the 28th day after the date of the request, except as provided by subsections (2) to (5).

(2)

Where the landlord reasonably requests further information from the tenant about the pet on or before the 28th day after the date of the tenant’s request—

(a)

if the tenant provides that information, the landlord may delay giving or refusing consent until the 7th day after the date on which the tenant provides any further information that the landlord requests;

(b)

if the tenant does not provide that information, the landlord is not required to give or refuse consent.

(3)

Where—

(a)

the keeping of the pet at the dwelling-house would require the landlord to obtain the consent of a superior landlord under the terms of a superior tenancy, and

(b)

the landlord seeks the consent of the superior landlord on or before the 28th day after the date of the tenant’s request,

the landlord may delay giving or refusing consent until the 7th day after the date on which the landlord receives consent or refusal from the superior landlord.

(4)

Where the landlord and the tenant agree that the landlord may delay giving or refusing consent, the landlord may delay until whatever date is agreed between the landlord and the tenant.

(5)

Where more than one of subsections (2) to (4) apply, the landlord may delay until the latest date to which the landlord may delay giving or refusing consent under any of the subsections.

(6)

This section applies to every assured tenancy other than a tenancy of social housing, within the meaning of Part 2 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008.

16BRequests for consent to keep a pet: further provision

(1)

For the purposes of section 16A, a tenant keeps a pet at a dwelling-house if the tenant permits the pet to live at the dwelling-house (whether or not the tenant is the owner of the pet).

(2)

Section 16A does not limit the terms that may be agreed in relation to the presence at the dwelling-house of pets which do not live there.

(3)

The tenant’s request under section 16A must—

(a)

be in writing;

(b)

include a description of the pet for which consent is sought.

(4)

The circumstances in which it is reasonable for a landlord to refuse consent include those in which—

(a)

the pet being kept at the dwelling-house would cause the landlord to be in breach of an agreement with a superior landlord;

(b)

an agreement between the landlord and a superior landlord prohibits the keeping of a pet at the dwelling-house without consent of the superior landlord, and the landlord has taken reasonable steps to obtain that consent but the superior landlord has not given it.

(5)

In proceedings in which a tenant alleges that the landlord has breached the implied term created by section 16A, the court may order specific performance of the obligation.”

““pet” means an animal kept by a person mainly for—

(a)

personal interest,

(b)

companionship,

(c)

ornamental purposes, or

(d)

any combination of paragraphs (a) to (c);”