Reviewed for the Renters' Rights Act · Updated 20 July 2026

Can a landlord refuse pets? The 2026 answer

Short answer: not without a good reason. Since the Renters' Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026, tenants in England have a legal right to request a pet, and landlords cannot unreasonably refuse. Blanket "no pets" clauses are unenforceable. Here is exactly how the new regime works, for both sides of the tenancy.

The section 16A process

1. The tenant asks in writing. The request should describe the pet.
2. The landlord must reply in writing within 28 days. Silence is not consent, but missing the deadline invites a complaint and puts the landlord on the back foot.
3. Consent cannot be unreasonably refused or delayed. Refusal needs a genuine, defensible reason.
4. Conditions can be attached where reasonable – but a landlord cannot require pet insurance or charge a fee as the price of consent.

What counts as a reasonable refusal?

• The landlord's own superior lease genuinely prohibits pets (common in leasehold flats).
• The property is plainly unsuitable – a large dog in a small flat with no outside space is the classic example.
• The specific animal poses a real risk – a banned breed, or a documented history of damage or nuisance.

"I just don't like pets", fear of hypothetical damage, or "the carpets are new" are unlikely to survive scrutiny – the tenant remains liable for any damage a pet actually causes, and the deposit covers it.

For landlords: protect yourself properly

The lawful protections are: a well-drafted pet clause that mirrors section 16A (so the process is contractual as well as statutory), a deposit at the full legal cap, a thorough inventory, and prompt written responses inside the 28 days. Our tenancy pack drafts the pet clause both ways – open-with-consent or case-by-case – and both versions are enforceable.

Frequently asked questions

Can a landlord charge extra rent for a pet?

The Act stops landlords requiring insurance or fees as a condition of consent. Rent itself is set by the tenancy and can only rise through the Section 13 process – a "pet premium" bolted on informally is not enforceable.

Do the rules apply to existing tenancies?

Yes. Every assured tenancy in England converted to the new framework on 1 May 2026, so tenants in older tenancies can use the section 16A request route too, whatever their old agreement says.

Can a landlord refuse pets in an HMO or flat?

Only if there is a genuine reason – a superior lease ban or real unsuitability. The building type alone is not an automatic refusal.