Your landlord said no to your pet request. Maybe they sent a two-line email citing 'building policy'. Maybe they haven't replied at all. Since 1 May 2026, either answer sits on different legal ground than it did a year ago.
The Renters' Rights Act 2025's tenancy reforms gave private tenants in England a legal right to ask for a pet. Your landlord must answer in writing, usually within 28 days, and must not refuse unreasonably. A 'no pets' policy on its own is not a good reason. Neither is silence.
What the Renters' Rights Act 2025 changed for pet requests
Before 1 May 2026, a 'no pets' clause in a tenancy agreement was usually the end of the conversation. Now sections 16A and 16B of the Housing Act 1988, added by the Renters' Rights Act, write a pet term into every private assured tenancy in England. You can ask in writing to keep a pet. Your landlord must give you a written answer and must not unreasonably refuse.
The rules cover private assured tenancies in England only. They do not cover council homes, social housing let by a housing association, lodgers, or renters in Wales, where tenancies run under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.
For the wider picture, see your right to keep a pet from May 2026.
When can a landlord refuse a pet request?
GOV.UK's guidance gives examples of reasonable refusals. Someone in the home has an allergy. The property is too small for the animal. A freeholder or superior lease forbids pets. The pet is illegal to own.
It also lists reasons that are not good enough. Disliking pets, general worries about damage, or trouble with a past tenant's pet don't count, because your deposit is there to cover damage. Refusing a tenant who needs an assistance animal, such as a guide dog, is also likely to be unreasonable.
The guidance says your landlord should explain why they are saying no. The Act itself does not require written reasons, so a refusal with no reason is a warning sign rather than automatically unlawful. Ask for the reason in writing. If your landlord relies on a head lease, ask to see the clause.
Whether a refusal was unreasonable is, in the end, for a court to decide on the facts. These are unlikely to pass:
- the 'no pets' clause in your tenancy agreement, and nothing else
- 'it's our policy not to allow pets', with nothing about your home or your pet
- general worries about damage, which your deposit already covers
How to make a valid pet request your landlord has to respond to
The clock only starts once you ask in writing, and the law says the request must describe the pet. A chat on the doorstep does not count. Send an email or a letter.
Give the type of pet, its breed and size, and where it will live. Answer likely concerns upfront. If you have a cat in a one-bedroom flat, say so. If the dog is an assistance animal, include that. The more specific your request, the harder it is to refuse reasonably.
Keep a copy and note the date you sent it. If your landlord answers on the phone, confirm what they said by email.
What happens if a landlord is not responding to a pet request?
Your landlord normally has 28 days to answer. That can be extended:
- If they reasonably ask you for more information about the pet within the 28 days, they get until 7 days after you reply, or the end of the 28 days if that is later. If you never reply, they don't have to decide.
- If they need consent from their own landlord or freeholder and ask for it in time, they get until 7 days after that answer.
- You can both agree a later date.
Silence is not a yes. But once the deadline passes with no answer, your landlord has broken the pet term of your tenancy. Write down the date and chase in writing.
How to challenge a landlord's pet refusal in 2026
Start with a formal letter. Say why the refusal is unreasonable, or that no answer came by the deadline, and ask your landlord to reconsider by a set date. Many disputes end there.
Watch for a refusal that changes reason each time you push back, and keep every version. If your landlord offers a yes only at a higher rent, remember they can only raise it with a formal Section 13 rent increase notice, at most once a year, and you can challenge that at the First-tier Tribunal.
If they won't move, section 16B(5) lets you ask the county court to enforce the pet term. A council cannot fine a landlord for refusing a pet, so this is a right you enforce yourself.
The Renters' Rights Act also provides for a Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman, but it is not open yet. The rules on approving a scheme took effect on 17 September 2026, and the government expects landlords to have to join from 2028. See our guide to Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman complaints.
Can a tenant claim compensation for an unreasonable pet refusal?
Not automatically. If an unreasonable refusal costs you money, for example paying to board or rehome a pet, you may be able to recover that loss as damages for breach of the term.
If a pet request leads to threats, pressure to leave or interference with your home, that is a separate and more serious matter. It can be landlord harassment or unlawful eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, which councils can prosecute or fine up to £40,000.
If your landlord refused without a real reason, or never answered, Remedy can check your request and their reply for free, and help you draft the letter asking them to reconsider.
