Following research conducted by the Dogs Trust, 78% of pet owners reported that they had experienced difficulties finding privately rented accommodation that would allow pets, 54% of pet owners were never able to find a suitable property that accepted pets and 8% of people had to rehome their pet. Many pet owners are forced to live in unsuitable properties or keep their pets without consent from their landlord. In some extreme cases, Belvoir Kettering is aware that owners are even having to give up their pets or else face becoming homeless.
As a result of these findings, we are encouraging landlords to accept pets. A pet-friendly property does not mean that you must accept all pets. We recommend that you consider each pet on a case by case basis. Belvoir would talk to the tenant in advance about their pet to find out what they are like. We utilise the pet check list from the Lets with Pets website as a guide to the type of questions that are applicable to responsible pet owners, enabling us to determine whether the tenant is a responsible pet owner.
The benefits to landlords are clear:
- Greater chance of letting your property
- Potential longer tenancy agreement, since tenants with pets generally stay longer in rental properties
Belvoir’s top tips to tenants with pets are as follows:
When you are looking for privately rented accommodation with your pet, there are a number of things you can do to make the house hunting process as simple as possible:
- Don’t leave your house hunting until the last minute – Give yourself plenty of time to find a pet-friendly property and begin searching at least 6-8 weeks before you need to move out of your current home.
- Be as flexible as possible – The more restrictive your search criteria are, the more difficult it will be for you to find a pet-friendly property. Try to be flexible on location and property type as this will increase your chances of finding somewhere for you and your pet to live.
- Write a CV for your pet – Provide your prospective landlord with as much information about your pet as you can. Write a CV and include contact details for your veterinary practice and for someone who can care for your pet in case of an emergency. You could also include details of your pet’s last vaccinations and any flea and worming treatments they have received.
- Get a reference for your pet – By providing Belvoir with a reference from your previous landlord or your vet, you can show that your pet is both well behaved and capable of living in rented accommodation without causing problems or damage. This will also demonstrate that you are a responsible pet owner.
Belvoir is the only lettings agent in Kettering supporting this campaign and we hope it will attract more tenants to our properties by helping them better house themselves with their pets.
