Renting With Pets: How to Ask Your Landlord
If you rent privately in England, you have the right to ask your landlord to let you keep a pet, and they must not say no without a good reason. Write your request, and we print it and post it to your landlord by Royal Mail.
Send your pet request to your landlord by Royal Mail Tracked 24, from £8.99, so you can prove the date it arrived.
From £2.49 including printing and postage
- No printer or Post Office trip
- See the finished letter before you pay
- Order by 2.30pm for same-day posting
Quick Answer
- Ask
- In writing, describing your pet
- Landlord must reply
- Within 28 days
- Saying no
- Only for a good reason
- Extra rent or deposit for a pet
- Not allowed
- If refused unreasonably
- You can apply to court
- Applies to
- Private tenants in England
These rules apply to private tenancies in England from 1 May 2026. Council and housing association tenants can still ask, but there are no rules on how their landlord must reply.
Where to Send It
Send your request to your landlord. If a letting agent manages your tenancy, check your tenancy agreement for where to write.
Your landlord
Your request to keep a pet.
Your landlord or letting agentat the address on your tenancy agreementYour landlord's 28 days run from your request. Choose a tracked service for a dated record of when it arrived.
Write your requestIf your landlord refuses
When you think the refusal is unreasonable.
Ask for their reasons in writing,then get adviceShelter says you can apply to court if your landlord refuses unreasonably. Legal aid is not available for this.
Checked against legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK and Shelter on 21 October 2026.
Why Send It With PostRight
Proof It Arrived
Choose Tracked 24 and you can see when your letter was delivered, with a photo on delivery. Useful when a deadline or reply time counts from the day it arrives.
No Printer, Envelope or Stamp
Type your letter or upload a PDF on any device. We print it, put it in the envelope and post it.
Posted Today
Order by 2.30pm on a working day and we post it the same day by Royal Mail.
How It Works
- 1Write your requestPress Write Your Letter, or Use a Template to answer questions about your pet. Add your landlord's name and address.
- 2Describe your petGive its type, breed, age, size and temperament, and say how you will look after it and the home.
- 3We print it and post itOrder by 2.30pm on a working day and we post it the same day by Royal Mail. Choose a tracked service for a record of when it arrived.
Your Right to Ask for a Pet
From 1 May 2026, every private assured tenancy in England includes a right to ask your landlord for permission to keep a pet. Your landlord must not unreasonably refuse. This comes from section 16A of the Housing Act 1988, added by the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
It applies to existing tenancies as well as new ones. Most assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026.
A no pets clause in your tenancy agreement does not stop you asking. You still need your landlord's consent before the pet moves in.
How to Ask
Your request must be in writing and must describe the pet. Shelter suggests giving its breed, age and size. It also helps to give its name and temperament, and how you will look after it and the home.
Say whether it is vaccinated, neutered, microchipped and treated for fleas and worms. If a previous landlord will give you a reference, say so.
Keep a copy of your request and note the date you sent it.
What Our Template Covers
Our template writes your request under section 16A. It describes your pet, how it is cared for and your plans for looking after it and the home. It sets out your landlord's 28 day deadline and asks for their reasons in writing if they refuse.
You can also offer a reference from a previous landlord, or offer to take out pet insurance if you are happy to.
It is for private tenants in England. We print and post your request. We are not solicitors, and we cannot give you legal advice about your tenancy.
How Long Your Landlord Has to Reply
Your landlord must give or refuse consent in writing within 28 days of your request.
If they reasonably need more information about the pet, they can ask for it within those 28 days. They then have until 7 days after you give it to them.
If they need consent from their own landlord, for example the freeholder of a flat, they must ask for it within the 28 days. They then have until 7 days after that landlord replies. They can also take longer if you agree.
When Your Landlord Can Say No
Your landlord can only refuse for a good reason. Shelter gives examples of reasons that may be reasonable: the home is too small for a large pet or several pets, the landlord or other tenants are allergic to animals, or the pet is illegal to own.
It may also be reasonable if a lease above your landlord's bans pets, your landlord has taken reasonable steps to get consent, and it has not been given.
Shelter says a refusal is unreasonable if your landlord just does not like pets, or has general worries about damage in the future. Refusing an assistance animal, such as a guide dog, is normally unreasonable too.
GOV.UK says your landlord should give you a reason if they refuse.
Pet Deposits and Extra Rent
Shelter says your landlord cannot ask you to pay more rent, or a higher deposit, because you have a pet. A higher deposit for a pet is a banned fee under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
If Your Landlord Refuses
Ask your landlord to give their reasons in writing. If you still think the refusal is unreasonable, Shelter says you can apply to court for an order that makes your landlord follow the tenancy terms. Legal aid is not available for this.
Shelter and Citizens Advice can help you decide what to do.
Council and Housing Association Tenants
These rules are for private tenants. Shelter says council and housing association tenants can ask to keep a pet, but there are no rules on how their landlord must reply. Check your tenancy agreement for its rules on pets.
The rules on this page are for England. Different rules apply in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Why Send It by Post
Your landlord's 28 days count from your request. A tracked letter gives you a dated record of when it arrived, and your copy shows exactly how you described your pet. That matters if your landlord does not reply in time.
More Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Only for a good reason. From 1 May 2026, a private landlord in England must not unreasonably refuse a written request to keep a pet. Shelter says not liking pets, or general worries about future damage, are not good reasons.
Ask to keep your pet in writing.
Write or upload your letter, choose your service at checkout, and we print it and post it by Royal Mail.