HEADS FOR TAILS!
There’s a campaign to make it easier for pet owners to rent homes.
Moving into rented accommodation where pets are not allowed is one of the most common reasons for people giving up cats.
Imagine having to say goodbye to your feline companion because you can’t find somewhere to live together. Then there are all of those people who would love to have a pet but can’t because they live in a rented property. It is heart breaking, isn’t it? And it all seems so avoidable.
If landlords and tenants can work together to ensure that pets are well cared for and properties are looked after, then surely, it is a problem that can be solved? Well, that is the mission of organisation AdvoCATS and its co-founder Jennifer Berezai.
HELPING RENTERS
Your Cat readers may recall AdvoCATS as the non-profit voluntary organisation featured in the magazine in September 2019. Based in the East Midlands, the group provides a free practical advice and support service to landlords and tenants to help get pets accepted into rental properties.
“AdvoCATS looks to take the fear of the unknown out of the pet permission equation,” explains Jennifer, from Long Eaton, Derbyshire. “We compile documentation such as vet references, pet assessments, and tenant checks to enable a landlord to make an informed decision about allowing a pet in their property.We can also step in with support and advice to help prevent small issues from becoming bigger problems.” The service helps pet owners demonstrate to landlords that they are conscientious owners and will make trusted tenants. This can be at the request of either the potential tenant or the landlord, as the volunteers work to bring both parties together. The aim is to make the case for renters with pets, query no pet policies, and promote the benefits of allowing animals — that’s why the group are AdvoCATS for feline companions, no matter where you live.
If you visit www. advocatseastmids.org.uk, you will find sample pet CVs, vet references, and resource packs.The service mainly operates in the East Midlands but will help people from anywhere in the country.The organisation has a fantastic 70 per cent success rate in helping people find rented accommodation with their pets.
Now, Jennifer and AdvoCATS have their sights set on an even bigger goal: changing the law to help make it easier for landlords to accept pets. With support from leading animal charities, MPs, and animal organisations, Jennifer has written the groundbreaking ‘Heads for Tails!’ report which aims to bring the
issue of renting with pets to parliament and see a change to the Tenant Fees Act (2019).
THE PROBLEM
The aim of the Head for Tails! campaign is not to force landlords to accept pets.
It’s about changing the law to help protect renters and landlords alike.To understand what AdvoCATS are trying to achieve, it’s important to fully understand the challenges renters face.
Currently in the UK, many landlords adopt a ‘No Pet Policy’ as standard to help ensure their properties are not damaged. However, you may ask: ‘wasn’t this changed recently when the Government announced changes to the Model Tenancy Agreement?’
Well, not quite.
The Model Tenancy Agreement (MTA) is the Government’s recommended contract for landlords for leasing out their houses and can be downloaded for free from the Government website. Before this year, the MTA included, as standard, a no pets policy. Thankfully, in January this year, this was changed and consent for pets has become the default position. Under the MTA terms, landlords will have to object in writing within 28 days of a pet request with good reason for not allowing animals, meaning there would no longer be a blanket ban on pets.
The reason that this is not a game changer for renters is that landlords are under no obligation to use the MTA.
In fact, it is believed that only a relatively small proportion of landlords use it.
“As part of the Heads for Tails! campaign, we are trying to get statistics on how many landlords use the MTA,” explains Jennifer. “Downloads of the document are monitored and are woefully low. However, usage is not recorded. From the feedback we have received and discussion on forums, many landlords find that the MTA is too long a document — it’s 50 pages. Other sample contracts are available to landlords that are around eight pages and even then, landlords believe that to be too long.”
So, the reality is that the changes to the MTA will have little impact on helping pet owners find rented homes.
It’s about changing the law to protect renters and landords alike.
capped fee, rather than the value of a number of weeks rent as otherwise the fee in some expensive areas would be too large.”
“It is important that there are options. Some landlords will increase rent which can see the cost of owning a pet become unsustainable. A pet deposit or an insurance policy would see the tenant bear the responsibility which is only fair. There are not many insurance products of this type available at the moment but if there was a change in the law and the products were reasonably priced, then I am sure there would be a great demand for them. Renters could even build up no claims.
“Most importantly, this change to the law would bring landlords and renters with pets together. Landlords would feel they are protected and most tenants would be happy to take responsibility for their pets for a reasonable price. Seventy-six per cent of landlords believe pet damage insurance products should be available for both parties. Over half of pet owners say they would be willing to take out pet damage insurance if required by a landlord. It would make renting with pets more accessible to millions of people.”
The Heads for Tails! report has been published this month and sent to key people in power, including the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
“The aim is for the Ministry to either put the amended legislation together or put the issue forward in the renters’ reform white paper out in the Autumn and discuss it further — the second is more likely,” explains Jennifer. “Heads for Tails! has an unprecedented level of support across the animal welfare and private rental sectors, indicating a genuine desire for change that is sustainable and fair to all.”
“It’s a landlord’s property — but it’s a tenant’s home and we need a solution that works for both parties to make sure pet lovers aren’t being penalised just because they can’t afford to buy their own home.”
If the campaign was to change the law, the impact could be huge on people and pets. Many more people will be able to enjoy pet ownership, with the positive impact of pets on mental health gaining increasing awareness. It could also be a huge breakthrough for rescue animals with far more people able to give pets their forever home.
“If we can amend the Tenant Fees Act (2019) to make renting with pets fairer and easier for tenants AND landlords, we have a chance to make a real difference to thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of tenants, who are currently being penalised because they can’t afford to get on the housing ladder, as well as to the many, many animals sitting in shelters waiting for homes. Let’s grab it with both paws.”
The impact could be huge on people and pets...