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Ask your landlord’s permission to keep a pet (England)
England · in English · for tenants
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For a private tenant in England. Since 1 May 2026 a tenant may ask in writing to keep a pet, and the landlord must answer in writing within 28 days and must not refuse unreasonably (section 16A of the Housing Act 1988, added by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025). The letter describes the animal and how it will be cared for, offers references and asks for a written decision, with reasons if it is a refusal. If the landlord asks for more information, or for a superior landlord’s consent, the deadline can move to seven days after the reply. No pet fee or separate pet deposit may be charged.
- Made for use in England
- Last updated October 28, 2026
- Document in English
Where a UK document reproduces the words of legislation or of a government publication — UK, Scottish or Northern Irish — it contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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When to use this document
- You rent in England and want to get a dog or a cat.
- Your landlord has always said no pets and you want to ask formally under the new rules.
- You are moving into a rented flat with your pet and want permission in writing.
- You want a written pet request that your landlord has to answer.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Tenant
- Tenant's address
- Town or city
- Tenant's postcode
- Date
- Landlord
- Landlord's address
- Landlord's postcode
- The pet: kind, breed, age, size and how it will be cared for
- References you can offer, e.g. a vet or a previous landlord (optional)
Common questions
- How long does my landlord have to answer a pet request in England?
- 28 days from the day you make the request, in writing. If, within those 28 days, the landlord asks you for more information, the answer is due by the end of the 28 days or seven days after you provide it, whichever is later. If they must ask a superior landlord, such as the freeholder of a block of flats, and do so within the 28 days, they have until seven days after that landlord’s answer. Keep a copy of your request and the date you sent it.
- On what grounds can a landlord in England refuse a pet?
- Only for a reasonable reason specific to the home and the animal: a lease of the flat that forbids pets, a home too small for a large dog, or a superior landlord’s refusal. A general dislike of animals is not enough. If you think a refusal is unreasonable, you can challenge it in court, and the PRS Landlord Ombudsman will deal with such complaints once membership becomes compulsory.
- Can my landlord charge a pet fee or a bigger deposit for a pet in England?
- No pet fee or separate pet deposit can be charged: the whole deposit stays within the Tenant Fees Act 2019 cap of five weeks’ rent, or six weeks’ if the annual rent is £50,000 or more. The Renters’ Rights Act was passed without the clause that would have let landlords require pet damage insurance. You still pay for damage beyond fair wear and tear.
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
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