What changed for pets
Under the Renters Rights Act framework in England, eligible tenants have a right to request keeping a pet. GOV.UK landlord guidance emphasises reasonable refusal and putting grounds in writing when you refuse — it does not always repeat a single “28-day rule” in the same words everywhere. A ~28-day response window is widely cited in sector commentary and operational checklists; use it as a planning target and confirm the latest official pages rather than treating this article as statute.
This article complements the Renters' Rights Act 2025 hub — same keyword cluster, more inbox discipline.
Day one: log the request
When the email or letter arrives:
Holiday risk: A 28-day horizon crosses bank holidays fast. Agents with shared inboxes should route pet mail to a single tracked queue.
Reasonable grounds vs blanket bans
Examples often cited as reasonable include:
Not reasonable: a policy that refuses all pets without individual assessment — the Act is designed to stop silent refusals.
Always document facts (floorplan, lease clause, photos of prior damage) not preferences.
If you approve
You may condition approval on the tenant obtaining pet damage insurance or similar cover, where that is proportionate and clearly stated in your written approval.
Keep a PDF of your approval email/letter in the tenancy file alongside the tenant’s insurance schedule if you rely on it.
If you refuse
Your written refusal should:
If you stall or give no documented answer, the tenant may apply to a tribunal; outcomes can include rent repayment orders in some scenarios. Silence is not neutral — it is risk.
How this ties to wider compliance
Tribunal and court contexts increasingly expect orderly records. The RRA checklist page ties pets to Information Sheet service, Section 13 rent steps and Section 8 possession hygiene.
Also read Information Sheet guide and Section 13 step by step.
Operational tooling
LetCompliance Pet Requests logs received date, counts 28 days for in-product reminders (7 / 5 / 1 days before on supported plans), then stores your decision and grounds. That 28-day count is workflow, not a legal summary of GOV.UK wording.
[Start tracking pet requests →](/signup)
📝 Free — Section 21 → Section 8 Transition Map (2026)
Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026. Map every active S21 / Form 6A scenario onto a valid Section 8 ground with this 2-page transition guide.
- Pre-1 May 2026 Form 6A — still valid? Decision tree
- Map every S21 trigger to a Section 8 mandatory / discretionary ground
- Ground 8 (rent arrears) — 13-week threshold under RRA 2025
- Top 5 evidence packs courts now expect for possession
Frequently asked questions
Can I refuse a tenant’s pet request for any reason?
No. You need reasonable grounds and should put them in writing if you refuse — GOV.UK stresses reasonable refusal, not a free choice. Many teams use a ~28-day planning horizon from secondary guidance; confirm current official pages. Examples often cited as reasonable include genuine unsuitability, headlease restrictions, or evidence of prior damage. A blanket no pets policy without reasons is risky.
What happens if I ignore a pet request or delay too long?
The tenant may apply to a tribunal. Rent repayment orders and other remedies can follow depending on the case. Log the request immediately and respond in good time; LetCompliance can remind you on a 28-day workflow clock — that is product behaviour, not a paraphrase of statute.
Related UK landlord guides
More on Renters Rights Act
- Section 21 Abolished 1 May 2026 — Landlord Survival Guide
- Section 8 Grounds for Possession UK 2026: The Complete Landlord Guide (All 17 Grounds)
- How to Evict a Tenant UK 2026: The Complete Post-Section 21 Landlord Playbook
- Section 8 Grounds 2026: The Complete RRA Matrix (Mandatory vs Discretionary + Notice Periods)