Landlords and letting agencies are being asked to complete an online survey as part of a campaign to end “no pets” clauses in rented accommodation.
The “What’s the damage?” online survey is a joint project between lettings industry trade bodies National Residential Landlords Association (NLRA) and Propertymark, plus landlord website LandlordZone and pet charity AdvoCATS.
The purpose of the research is to provide an accurate picture of the type of damage caused in rental accommodation by pets, as well as the cost to landlords. The resulting information will be presented to Eddie Hughes, the Minister for Rough Sleeping & Housing, at the Department for Levelling Up Housing & Communities (DLUHC) by AdvoCATS later this Spring.
The ongoing campaign is calling for landlords to be allowed to either request a financially capped pet deposit, or stipulate that pet damage insurance must be held by any tenant wanting to keep a pet. Currently, the Tenants Fees Act caps security deposits, meaning many letting agents and landlords are unwilling to take on the additional risks associated with letting property to tenants with pets.
AdvoCATS co-founder Jennifer Berezai said: “We know that fear and cost of pet damage is one of the main barriers to landlords accepting pets, and this survey will give a better understanding of the reality of those fears, and how they compare to other causes and costs of damage. These questions haven’t been asked before, and the answers will give us a unique insight into landlords’ experiences.”
Chris Norris, policy director for the National Residential Landlords Association, added: “We understand the importance that pets have for many renters, especially those wanting companionship. However, the system at present does not allow the true heightened risk of pets to be reflected in deposits. We encourage landlords to complete this survey as we work to ensure there is sufficient confidence to rent to tenants with pets.”
The survey is available to view here until the end of April: https://form.jotform.com/220585394928367
