Council tenants face pets ban
That’s unless they have access to a private garden
I’m absolutely fuming. These are new tenancy rules, they have dropped them like a bombshell on us. Upset pet owner
COUNCIL tenants across Nuneaton and Bedworth will be banned from having any pets in the future – unless they have access to a private garden.
In a move that has angered many, the borough council is clamping down on its strict rules that those who live in its properties cannot have a pet.
Current council tenants will also be affected because, if their pet dies or they choose to give it up, they will not be able to have another unless they too have a garden. Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council says that this has always been in the tenancy agreement and is a standard government guideline.
But an upset pet owner, who lives in Dillon Court but did not want to be named, has questioned this.
“I am absolutely fuming,” she said. “These are new tenancy rules, they have dropped them like a bombshell on us. I have two cats, they are my life, I couldn’t have children, so they are like my children.
“When they go, the chances are that I won’t be able to get anymore because I do not have direct access to a private garden, how is that fair? They do not cause any trouble.”
She says that she received a letter from the council, saying that it is carrying out an audit about tenants who have pets.
In it, it states that written permission is needed for anyone to keep a dog or other animal and those who do not have it, may be granted permission based on the information provided in the questionnaire.
“Does this mean that they could take my cats off me?” she said.
“I have had verbal permission, but never written permission, now I am worried that they won’t let me keep them at all.” The letter also says: “If your dog or animal passes away, or you decide you no longer wish to keep a dog or animal, then permission will no longer be granted to keep another animal. “I don’t understand why they are doing this,” she added. “How come it was okay to have a pet before but now it is not? A lot of people have pets for companionship and have been allowed to keep them, now they are worried that if their pet dies, they will not be allowed to have another.” A Town Hall spokesperson explained that the council is clamping on its longexisting rules following a surge of complaints. It is understood that there are tenants who have not sought any form of permission from the council to keep a pet, and that the local authority simply wants to know how many pets are living in its properties and to ensure that tenants are aware of the rules. “Due to an increase in complaints, the decision has been made that an audit will be carried out across all our flats to see where pets reside,” the council spokesman said. In cases where no permission has been granted the council will give retrospective permission. “However, once that pet passes no further permissions will be granted unless the property has direct access to a private garden, this has always been in the tenancy agreement.”