UK: Where in London are you most likely to find a pet-friendly rental?
From James Lockett ProperPR
The latest research by Bective has revealed how changes to the model tenancy agreement have impacted London’s tenants looking to rent with a pet and where across the capital offers the best chance of finding a pet-friendly rental property.
The research shows that: –
– Just 17% of London landlords have opened up their rental property to a tenant with a pet since changes to the model tenancy agreement were introduced at the start of this year.
– Just 37% are in favour of further measures to allow tenants the right to rent with a pet.
– Demand for pet-friendly rental homes in London is high, with Bective’s research showing that nearly one in five (17%) of all pet-friendly rentals within the capital have already been snapped up by tenants.
– Islington is home to the highest level of pet-friendly tenant demand at 55%, followed by Kingston upon Thames (44.4%), Havering (40%), Wandsworth (35.1%), and Sutton (33.3%).
– Despite such high demand, the availability of pet-friendly rental homes remains low. Across London, just 3% of rental homes currently on the market describe themselves as pet-friendly.
– The best chance of finding a pet-friendly rental is in Barking and Dagenham where pet-friendly homes account for 18.5% of all currently on the market.
– Availability is also above average in Westminster (4.7%), Hammersmith and Fulham (4.6%), Sutton (4.3%) and Kensington and Chelsea (4.1%).
See full release below:
Where in London are you most likely to find a pet-friendly rental?
Research by central London estate agency, Bective, reveals that the chances of finding a pet-friendly rented home in London remain incredibly low despite new and existing government attempts to persuade landlords to open the door for four-legged companions.
Pet owners have always had difficulty when finding rented homes. Landlords are, by and large, very much against allowing tenants to keep pets due to fears of damage to the property and an unacceptable level of noise for neighbours.
Over recent years, however, pet ownership has become more and more popular. As of 2021, 59% of UK homes have a pet and since the start of the pandemic alone, 3.2 million UK households have introduced a pet.
In an attempt to recognise the UK’s love of pets and persuade landlord’s to loosen their current restrictions, the UK government introduced a new standard tenancy agreement in January that makes it easier for tenants with pets to find rented accommodation. The aim was to ensure that landlords’ default position is to accept pets rather than forbid them, and so it was made illegal for them to put a blanket ban on pets in their properties.
Furthermore, a new bill has now been proposed to help ease the situation for pet owners, formally known as The Dogs and Domestic Animals Accommodation Protection Bill. Its aim is to make it easier for ‘responsible pet owners’ to find suitable rental properties, but has also been designed to help protect animal welfare by insisting that pet owners earn a certificate of ‘responsible animal guardianship’.
Despite this, a survey of London landlords by Bective found that just 17% have opened up their rental property to a tenant with a pet since these changes were made, while just 37% were in favour of further measures to allow tenants the right to rent with a pet.
Demand for pet-friendly rental homes in London is high, with Bective’s research showing that nearly one in five (17%) of all pet-friendly rentals within the capital have already been snapped up by tenants.
Islington is home to the highest level of pet-friendly tenant demand at 55%, followed by Kingston upon Thames (44.4%), Havering (40%), Wandsworth (35.1%), and Sutton (33.3%).
But despite such high demand, the availability of pet-friendly rental homes remains low. Across London, just 3% of rental homes currently on the market describe themselves as pet-friendly.
The best chance of finding a pet-friendly rental is in Barking and Dagenham where pet-friendly homes account for 18.5% of all currently on the market.
Availability is also above average in Westminster (4.7%), Hammersmith and Fulham (4.6%), Sutton (4.3%) and Kensington and Chelsea (4.1%).
Bective Head of Lettings and Property Management, Tom Dainty, commented:
“London is a city of pet lovers. You’d need only visit Hyde Park on a Saturday afternoon to realise.
However, with many remaining reliant on the rental sector in order to live the London lifestyle the subject of pet rental availability remains a delicate one.
Many of us are now renting for far longer than we’ve ever done and so the ability to bring a pet into our long-term rental home is something that resonates with many tenants. So it’s reassuring to see the government work towards a greater allowance of pets within rental homes.
Of course, it’s also imperative that we consider landlords within this decision making process and allow them the flexibility to decide who, or what, has the right to reside within their home. Failing to develop a two way conversation is only likely to cause many landlords to exit the sector or resort to a more selective approach to tenant sourcing – both of which will be detrimental to the capital’s tenants in the long run.”
Survey of 1,678 London landlords carried out by Bective via consumer research platform Find Out Now (14th October 2021).
| Have you opened up your rental property to a tenant with a pet since the changes to the model tenancy agreement on 28th January 2021? | |
| Answer | Respondents |
| No | 83% |
| Yes | 17% |
| Have you had to object in writing to a written pet request by a tenant since these changes were implemented? | |
| Answer | Respondents |
| No | 98% |
| Yes | 2% |
| Are you in favour of further measures to allow tenants the right to rent with pets? | |
| Answer | Respondents |
| No | 63% |
| Yes | 37% |
| Table shows London boroughs ranked by demand for pet-friendly rental homes | |
| Location | Demand – pet rentals |
| Islington | 55.0% |
| Kingston upon Thames | 44.4% |
| Havering | 40.0% |
| Wandsworth | 35.1% |
| Sutton | 33.3% |
| Hackney | 31.4% |
| Barnet | 31.1% |
| Barking and Dagenham | 30.2% |
| Hillingdon | 28.6% |
| Camden | 27.8% |
| Tower Hamlets | 26.7% |
| Ealing | 20.8% |
| Bexley | 20.0% |
| Greenwich | 19.5% |
| Redbridge | 18.8% |
| Merton | 18.2% |
| Lambeth | 15.6% |
| Bromley | 15.4% |
| Newham | 14.0% |
| Enfield | 12.5% |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 12.3% |
| Haringey | 12.3% |
| Hounslow | 11.5% |
| Croydon | 10.6% |
| Southwark | 10.5% |
| Westminster | 9.5% |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 8.1% |
| Lewisham | 8.0% |
| Harrow | 7.7% |
| Brent | 6.7% |
| Richmond upon Thames | 5.6% |
| Waltham Forest | 5.0% |
| City of London | 0.0% |
| London overall | 17.7% |
| Source – Zoopla | |
| Table shows London boroughs ranked by the portion of current rental listings that are described as being pet-friendly | |
| Location | Stock – pet rentals |
| Barking and Dagenham | 18.5% |
| Westminster | 4.7% |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 4.6% |
| Sutton | 4.3% |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 4.1% |
| Croydon | 4.1% |
| Ealing | 4.1% |
| Brent | 3.9% |
| Hounslow | 3.8% |
| Greenwich | 3.3% |
| Haringey | 3.2% |
| Camden | 2.9% |
| Hillingdon | 2.9% |
| Newham | 2.9% |
| Bexley | 2.8% |
| Hackney | 2.3% |
| Barnet | 2.3% |
| Waltham Forest | 2.1% |
| Tower Hamlets | 1.9% |
| Bromley | 1.9% |
| Southwark | 1.8% |
| Richmond upon Thames | 1.8% |
| Islington | 1.7% |
| Lewisham | 1.7% |
| Havering | 1.6% |
| Lambeth | 1.6% |
| Wandsworth | 1.5% |
| City of London | 1.4% |
| Redbridge | 1.4% |
| Kingston upon Thames | 1.3% |
| Merton | 1.1% |
| Harrow | 0.9% |
| Enfield | 0.8% |
| London overall | 3.0% |
| Source – Zoopla | |
Ends
