Campaigners have welcomed a new White Paper from the government that proposes to outlaw blanket bans on pets in rented accommodation.
Housing Secretary Michael Gove outlined the change in the Renters Reform Bill, published yesterday (June 15). Under the new proposals, tenants will have a legal right to live with their companion animals and landlords will need a good reason to refuse permission for a tenant to have an animal in their home. If they refuse, tenants will have the power to challenge the decision.
Landlords will be able to require renters to get pet damage insurance to protect their property, and tenants will still have a legal duty to repair or cover the cost of any damage.
Pet charity Advocats welcomed the development. Co-founder Jennifer Berezai said: “We are thrilled to see that one of the key proposals from our Heads for Tails! campaign, to allow a landlord to stipulate pet damage insurance is held, has been adopted.
“We would like to thank all the organisations who have thrown their weight behind our campaign – over 40 in total – and all our cross-party political supporters who helped to advance the issue up the government’s agenda, in particular the late Sir David Amess, an early supporter of the Heads for Tails! campaign, who would have been so very pleased to see this major step forward in appreciating the value of companion animals.
“We talked, the Government listened and now thousands of tenants will be able to keep pets that they have, and/or adopt anew. This is a great day for animal welfare and tenants everywhere.”
The campaign to change the law is backed by the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), Propertymark, Property Redress Scheme, National Office for Animal Health (NOAH), International Cat Care, Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS) and Focus on Animal Law (FOAL), among others.
Caption: Advocats co-founder Jennifer Berezai
