The fact that so many people bought dogs during lockdown last year – around 3.2 million to be precise – became a news story in itself. To the extent that it’s now causing problems with people reluctant to return to the office and insisting they work from home for at least some of the week instead.
Animal charities are also bracing themselves for a huge upsurge in deposited dogs after people are refused home working by their employers. But what about dogs (or cats and other animals) and rented properties?
Pets in rental accommodation became such a talking point last year that the government redesigned their letting template, so that landlords have to give a good reason why they aren’t allowing their tenant to live with a pet. And they have to tell their tenant within 28 days of them signing a lease.
Of course, landlords don’t have to use the government’s letting template, for a lease, but it’s telling that the pet restriction clause has been removed.
And anyway, landlords who do allow tenants to have pets in their rental house or flat will find their property more in demand.
The Most Pet-friendly Cities in the UK
Meanwhile, a poll of properties which are pet-friendly by letting agency Mashroom found that Glasgow was the most pet-friendly city with 50.2% of landlords surveyed allowing pets in their rented accommodation. Second was Edinburgh (49.2%), third Cambridge (44.4%), fourth Bristol (37.5%) and fifth Brighton (19.1%). Sheffield was the least pet-friendly city with only 12.7% of landlords there allowing a cat or dog to share their owners’ home.
Pros and Cons of Allowing Pets
So, what are the pros and cons of allowing tenants to live with a pet in your rented accommodation? First up, remember that there will be others living in a HMO. It’s only fair that they are allowed to decide whether or not a new tenant is allowed to introduce a dog or cat into the household.
Pros
- Pets are calming so can lead to a happier household
- Dogs can prove excellent security, so less chance of the property being broken into
- Tenants who are allowed a pet tend to rent the same property for longer
- You’ll rent your property quicker if you allow pets
Cons
- It may put off other people from renting the property if they are allergic to cats or dogs
- Animals such as dogs and cats can scratch wooden floors and damage furniture
- Animals can be smelly and deposit hair everywhere
- Constant barking can annoy the neighbours
Get in Touch with Sourced
Are you confused about the current legislation for allowing or banning pets in rented properties, such as a HMO? If so, then at Sourced we run a number of training courses covering just such subjects.
We keep you up to date on all new HMO legislation, as well as showing you how it’s possible to build a successful property portfolio. In addition, we can also supply the funding to allow you to follow your property dreams.
To find out how Sourced Franchise can help you generate an income from HMOs, download your copy of our Sourced Network prospectus.
