Rental searches for pet friendly properties drop after law change

The Rightmove data suggests that fewer tenants are proactively filtering for pet-friendly properties when searching for a home. While pets remain the most common searched-for term overall – ahead of gardens, garages and furnishings, the lead at the top is shrinking.

Renter searches for properties that allow pets fell by 54% in May and 52% in June compared with the same months a year earlier, according to the figures shared with the BBC. Falls had accelerated through this year, as the changes got closer and were then introduced.

Marc von Grundherr, director of agency Benham and Reeves, said some tenants have only disclosed a pet after signing their tenancy agreement, while others have been discovered during property inspections.

“The reality is that tenants now understand the balance of power has shifted. Landlords can no longer rely on a blanket ‘no pets’ policy to deter applications and should instead expect conversations around pet ownership to arise much later in the letting process,” he said.

Now, in England, landlords may still be able to refuse a pet if another tenant has an allergy, the property is too small for a large pet or several pets, the pet is illegal, or the landlord is a leaseholder and the freeholder does not allow pets.