Pet Requests Under the Renters' Rights Act: The 28-Day Rule for Landlords

The new duty to consider pet requests

Under the Renters' Rights Act 2026, tenants have the right to submit a written request to keep a pet in their rented property. Landlords are legally required to:

1. Receive and consider every written pet request
2. Respond within 28 days with a decision
3. Provide a reason if refusing

This is one of the most significant new duties introduced by the Act. Prior to the RRA 2026, landlords could include a blanket "no pets" clause in the tenancy agreement and enforce it without explanation. That is no longer legally effective.

What counts as a written pet request?

The request must be in writing - this includes email, text message, or a letter. A verbal request does not trigger the 28-day duty, but if a tenant makes a verbal request you should ask them to put it in writing and provide them with a clear route to do so.

The tenant should describe:

• The type of pet (species and breed)
• How many animals
• Where the animal will be kept

Acceptable grounds for refusal

You can refuse a pet request on reasonable grounds. The Act gives examples of reasonable grounds, which include:

• A building lease prohibition - if your head lease or freehold covenant prohibits pets, this is a valid ground. You must be able to evidence the restriction.
• The property is genuinely unsuitable - for example, a small bedsit, a property without outdoor space for a dog, or a flat on an upper floor without a lift that a large animal could not reasonably access.
• Risk to other occupants - if another occupant has a serious allergy to the animal, documented by a GP or similar, this can support a refusal.
• The animal is dangerous or illegal - breeds prohibited under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 cannot be approved.

Refusing on vague or unsubstantiated grounds (for example, "we don't allow pets as a policy") is not sufficient under the new legislation.

What happens if you do not respond within 28 days?

If you fail to respond to a pet request within 28 days, it may be treated as an unreasonable refusal. The tenant can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to challenge the decision.

The Tribunal can:

• Order you to reconsider the request
• Find that the refusal was unreasonable and award costs to the tenant

Approving a pet request: conditions you can attach

If you approve a pet request, you may attach reasonable conditions, such as:

• Requiring the tenant to take out a pet damage insurance policy
• Restricting approval to a specific animal (the one described in the request)
• Requiring the tenant to treat the animal for fleas and pests at the end of the tenancy
• Requiring professional carpet cleaning at checkout

These conditions should be recorded in writing and ideally attached to the tenancy agreement as a signed rider or addendum.

Why record-keeping matters

If a tenant later disputes your refusal at the Tribunal, the strength of your defence depends entirely on your documentation:

• Was the request received in writing?
• Was it responded to within 28 days?
• What was the reason for refusal, and can you evidence it?
• If approved, what conditions were attached and were they signed?

A spreadsheet or email chain is not adequate. You need a permanent, timestamped record linked to the specific tenancy.

Keeping your own record in the meantime

Structured pet request tracking is on STEMHQ's roadmap. Until it ships, the record-keeping principles above still apply if you're managing it manually: log the date a written request comes in, diarise the 28-day deadline, and keep the reason for any refusal somewhere durable and attached to the specific tenancy, not just an email you might not be able to find again later.