Updated 1 November 2026. For tenants covered by England’s assured periodic tenancy rules, keeping a pet begins with a written request to the landlord. The current government guidance says a landlord cannot refuse without a fair reason. That is a right to have the request considered, rather than permission to bring an animal into the home without asking.
Describe the animal and its needs
The request should describe the pet. Government examples include its type, size and the space it needs, including an enclosure where relevant. A useful application explains the actual proposal rather than asking a landlord to decide a broad question about every possible pet.
Our suggested approach is to keep a copy of the request and its date, together with any reply. If the animal’s needs are relevant to the property, explain them clearly. Distinguish information about this pet from general claims about how all animals behave.
How the response period works
The guidance gives the landlord twenty-eight days to respond in writing. Additional information can change the final deadline: after the tenant supplies requested information, the landlord has the remainder of the original period or another seven days, whichever is later. Responding to a reasonable request for information is therefore an important part of the process.
Do not interpret a missed response as automatic permission. The guidance warns that keeping or obtaining a pet without permission may breach the tenancy terms. If there is no answer or the refusal appears unreasonable, complain to the landlord or letting agent and seek advice on the next step.
Reasons and responsibilities
Examples of potentially reasonable objections include a home being too small for the proposed animal, another resident’s allergy, a freeholder restriction or an animal that cannot legally be owned. A general dislike of pets or problems caused by a different tenant’s animal are not equivalent to evidence about the present request.
Permission does not remove responsibility for damage. Government guidance says repair costs caused by pet damage can be claimed from the deposit, and insurance may be relevant where available, but the same loss cannot be recovered twice.
This article is an introduction to the published guidance. Confirm that it applies to the particular tenancy, and obtain housing advice where the status of the agreement or a restriction is disputed.