Every private tenant could get the right to keep a pet

TENANTS could get the legal right to keep a pet so property renters do not miss out on the companionship of a dog or cat.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove will tomorrow announce a major overhaul of rules for those living in private rented accommodation.

As part of the shake-up, ministers will change the law to prevent landlords having blanket bans on pets.

Property owners will need to have a good reason to refuse permission for a tenant to have an animal in their home.

In instances when they do say no, tenants will get the power to challenge their decision. The Government will also change the law so landlords can require that renters get insurance so any damage to their property is covered.

Around 4.4million families currently live in private rented accommodation in England, but just 7 per cent of landlords advertise their properties as being pet-friendly.

The Cats Protection charity, which has been campaigning

‘Unfairly deprived’

for rules to be changed, estimates there are one million households who would like to own a cat but cannot because they rent.

Mr Gove will publish a white paper tomorrow setting out proposals for reform in the private rented sector.

The Government has said the plans, which will be introduced in its Renters Reform Bill, will deliver the biggest change to law for tenants in a generation. Accommodation standards currently in place for social housing will be extended to private rental properties to stop people living in damp, unsafe and cold homes. ‘No fault’ evictions that allow landlords to terminate tenancies without giving any reason will also be outlawed.

A Government source said: ‘Not only will our new deal for renters extend the decent homes standard to the private rented sector... we’ll also give tenants a legal right to have a pet if they wish. Would-be pet owners are being unfairly

deprived of the company and companionship of an animal by their landlords – so we’ll change the law to end this unfairness.’

Tenants will still have a legal duty to repair or cover the cost of any damage to properties.