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Inside LetCompliance

Tenant pet request tracker for UK landlords

Every pet request answered in writing, on time.

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Pet requests are included on every plan, from £7.99 a month.

What it does

  1. 01Takes pet requests from the tenant portal, with the type of animal and breed
  2. 02Emails you when a request arrives and sends the tenant a receipt
  3. 03Shows the respond-by date, days left and overdue requests
  4. 04Sends reminders 7, 5 and 1 days before the deadline

Our researchin the press

Since 1 May 2026 a tenant can ask in writing to keep a pet, and the landlord must answer in writing by the 28th day, and can only refuse for a reasonable reason. The risk is not the pet; it is the request that sits unanswered in an inbox. Tenants make the request in their portal, you see the deadline counting down with reminders before it arrives, and your decision goes back to the tenant by email with your note.

01

Requests arrive in one place

Tenants ask in the Pets tab of their portal, describing the animal. You are emailed, and the tenant gets a receipt, so the date of the request is fixed.

02

The deadline in front of you

Each request shows its respond-by date, 28 days after the request, with the days left. Reminders go out 7, 5 and 1 days before it.

03

A written answer

Approve or refuse with a note giving your reason, and send the decision to the tenant by email. The decision and the email are recorded.

In the app

What it does

  • Takes pet requests from the tenant portal, with the type of animal and breed
  • Emails you when a request arrives and sends the tenant a receipt
  • Shows the respond-by date, days left and overdue requests
  • Sends reminders 7, 5 and 1 days before the deadline
  • Records your decision and your reason in writing
  • Emails the decision to the tenant, with replies coming back to you

The rules

What the Renters’ Rights Act requires

Every assured tenancy now includes a term that the landlord will not unreasonably refuse consent to a pet. The tenant asks in writing, and you must answer in writing on or before the 28th day after the request. If you reasonably ask for more information within that time, the deadline becomes 7 days after the information arrives, if that is later.

Not answering is not consent, but it leaves you exposed: the tenant can ask the court to order you to give consent. A reasonable refusal the Act names is where the pet would put you in breach of a lease with a superior landlord. Anything else turns on the facts, such as whether the home genuinely suits that particular animal.

Money

What you cannot charge for a pet

You cannot require the tenant to take out pet insurance, or charge them for yours: both are prohibited payments. There is no separate pet deposit either. The usual deposit cap applies, 5 weeks’ rent or 6 weeks where the annual rent is £50,000 or more, and the protected deposit covers damage beyond fair wear and tear.

Who it is for

Landlords of assured tenancies in England, particularly in leasehold flats where the head lease may restrict pets, and anyone who wants each answer on time and in writing.

The law behind it

Housing Act 1988, sections 16A and 16B, inserted by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and in force for private tenancies from 1 May 2026: a request must be answered in writing within 28 days (extended where more information is reasonably requested), and consent must not be unreasonably refused. Tenant Fees Act 2019 (prohibited payments and the deposit cap).

Written for private lets in England. Guidance, not legal advice: for a defended claim or an unusual let, take advice from a housing solicitor.

Free PDF · instant by email

Free PDF: Pet Request Decision Pack

Three template emails for answering a tenant’s written pet request under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025: approve, ask for more information or refuse with a reason, with the timetable set out.

  • The 28-day deadline and the 7-day extension
  • Refusal reasons and how each stands
  • What you cannot require: pet insurance or a pet deposit
  • A record to keep for each request

The guides only come if you tick the box, and you can unsubscribe in one click.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to answer a pet request?

Until the 28th day after the written request. If you reasonably ask for more information within that time, until 7 days after the information arrives, if that is later. Where a superior landlord’s consent is needed, the timetable allows for their decision.

What if I do not answer in time?

Silence is not consent, but the tenant can ask the court to order you to consent, and a late answer is hard to defend. The tracker reminds you 7, 5 and 1 days before the deadline.

What counts as a reasonable refusal?

The Act names one clear example: where the pet would put you in breach of a lease with a superior landlord. Other reasons depend on the facts, such as the size and layout of the home for that particular animal. A general preference for no pets is unlikely to be reasonable.

Can I charge a pet deposit or ask for pet insurance?

No. Both would be prohibited payments. The normal deposit cap applies, and the protected deposit covers damage beyond fair wear and tear.

Can I approve with conditions?

You can explain the basis of your consent in your written note, such as that it covers one named animal and further pets need a new request. The tracker records the decision as approved or refused, with your note.

What if the tenant gets a pet without asking?

If the tenancy requires consent, keeping a pet without it may be a breach of the tenancy. Talk to the tenant first and ask them to make a written request, which you then have to consider reasonably.

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