Homes with pets are likely to be stable

This week the Kentish Express has reported on the plight of financial adviser Jennie Delelis, who is looking to rent a home with her daughter. Yet despite approaching dozens of estate agents, she has been rejected just because she has dogs.

Ms Delelis appears to have gone above and beyond what any normal tenant would do to prove she is a clean person and that her dogs won’t cause damage to a landlord’s property.

Like a dog at Crufts, it seems that pet owners are the ones being forced to jump through all the hoops to meet landlords’ exacting standards.

While landlords rightly have concern to protect their properties, perhaps it is time that something was done to help pet owners so animals don’t have to be handed over to animal rescue shelters.

There are pet clauses which can easily be inserted into contract agreements, with terms including higher deposits or even higher rents to cover the cost of any damage.

Perhaps, though, landlords with major holdings should also be encouraged to make a certain percentage of their portfolio available for pet owners to stop people having to sneak them in and running the risk of being evicted.

Over time, landlords might actually find that pet owners give them the guarantee of regular rental income, as they tend to be more stable tenants who wish to stay for longer periods of time.