Last summer, the government enforced a ban on unfair letting fees – the Tenant Fees Act 2019. This prevented fees such as those for inventory checks, check-out, professional cleaning and having a rent guarantor. It also allows landlords to ask for 5 weeks’ rent maximum for a deposit.
In order to recoup losses from this ban, some landlords are applying monthly fees for “pet rent” which can add up to hundreds of pounds a year. Some tenants are having to dish out up to £50 per month for one pet, and more for multiple pets.
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According to The Guardian, a landlord in Bicester, Oxfordshire, is asking for £40 per month per pet in a 2-bed home already costing £995 each month. In Cheltenham, a landlord is asking for £50 per month for four-legged friends, excluding hamsters or fish. Some landlords charge for any pet which has claws.
A quick look at available rental homes online shows many adverts demanding pet rent, or completely refusing to allow pets in their properties. Many people rent before they are able to buy, in fact 25% of families in England rent privately. However, according to PDSA half of UK adults own a pet; 11 million have cats and nearly 9 million own dogs. This could total a huge amount of pet rent for the owners of furry companions over the years.
I began writing for Property Press Online in October 2019. Particular areas of interest are housing market news and new developments in the market.
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