Can tenants keep pets?
Your tenancy agreement will almost certainly exclude the Tenant from keeping pets of any description (cats and dogs are obvious, but even hamsters and caged birds, strictly speaking, are pets and should not therefore be kept). Your agent should advise you WHEN THE OFFER IS FIRST MADE if the Tenant has or plans to keep a pet. If you consent to a pet being kept at the property it is wise to include a reference to the specific animal in the tenancy agreement, you don’t want to agree to a hamster being kept to subsequently discover the tenant has a pet donkey! Ask the tenant’s previous landlord to supply a reference on their pet. Properties most likely to be pet friendly are houses, mews and those with direct access to outside space, often ground and garden level property. In some cases it is possible to obtain a higher rent from a Tenant who can’t bear to be parted from their pet dog or cat.
