The Renters’ Rights Bill has officially become law after receiving Royal Assent on 27 October, marking a major change for millions of tenants across England. The new legislation abolishes blanket bans on pets in rental properties, meaning landlords will now have to provide a valid reason if they wish to refuse a tenant’s request to keep a pet.
Supporters say the change will make renting fairer for the 11 million private renters in England and could help thousands of animals find homes. The Act also includes wider reforms such as the abolition of Section 21 “no fault” evictions.
The RSPCA welcomed the news, stating, “For so long, too many pet owners in England’s private rented sector have been denied the chance to own a pet without justifiable reason. Under the new Act, private renters will have the legal right to request permission to keep a pet, and landlords won’t be able to unreasonably refuse.
“This new legislation has the potential to revolutionise rehoming for so many animal welfare organisations, opening the door for thousands of pets to finally find their forever homes.”
“We’ve seen firsthand the heartbreak caused by restrictive housing policies, of families forced to choose between keeping a home and keeping their beloved pets”
Animal welfare charity Battersea also praised the move. Chief Executive Peter Laurie said, “The passing of the Renters’ Rights Act ensures that blanket pet bans will no longer be an obstacle to pet ownership, opening homes to millions of responsible tenants and their animals.
“We’ve seen firsthand the heartbreak caused by restrictive housing policies, of families forced to choose between keeping a home and keeping their beloved pets. Now, more people will be able to enjoy the companionship and wellbeing benefits pets bring, regardless of whether they rent or own their home.”
Battersea highlighted the case of Shadow, a three-year-old Labrador-Greyhound mix who was surrendered after her owners’ landlord banned pets. Shadow has since been rehomed, but Battersea says new legislation should prevent similar cases in the future.
Not all campaigners have welcomed the final version of the Act. AdvoCATS, a volunteer organisation advocating for tenants with pets, described the legislation as a “missed opportunity”.
Founder Jen Berezai said, “This huge piece of new legislation had the potential to make renting with pets easier and fairer for both tenants and landlords alike, and that opportunity has been squandered.”
Berezai criticised the government’s decision to remove a clause allowing landlords to require pet damage insurance.
“Pet damage insurance offered a practical, affordable and budget friendly solution to tenants wanting to rent with pets, which was also popular with landlords wary of potential damage costs,” she said. “We were bitterly disappointed that such a common-sense way of persuading more landlords to be pet friendly was taken off the Bill.”
While the Renters’ Rights Act has been widely welcomed as a step forward for pet owners, AdvoCATS believes it falls short of creating the meaningful change many had hoped for.
“The Renters Rights Act is a step forward for tenants with pets, but it’s no giant leap for petkind,” Berezai added. “Think of it as like being touted a satisfying three course meal, but ending up with a packet of crisps, a Pot Noodle and an ice lolly.”
This Post was originally published by Alessandra Pacelli from dogstodaymagazine.co.uk. Click here to read the original.
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