More U.K. tenants are requesting changes to their agreements that will allow them to own pets, according to prime Central London estate agency W.A.Ellis which has reported a 75 percent rise in tenants’ pet licenses over the past year.
The increase goes hand in hand with an increase in dog ownership and the rising private rental sector.
Lucy Morton, Senior Partner and Head of Lettings at W.A.Ellis, said: “We are surprised by the amount of pet license addendums we have made to our tenancy agreements recently. We believe it’s due to several factors; an increase in dog ownership, the U.K.’s relaxed quarantine laws which came into effect early last year, and also the fact that some dog breeds have become a fashion accessory – especially in London, where it’s not uncommon to see a teacup pooch perched in a ‘pet taxi’ designer handbag!”
In the past, it’s proven difficult for pet owners to find a suitable rental property to accommodate their canine companions, with research showing that one in three pet owners struggle to find the right home.
It can also take anything from two months to a year for them to find appropriate accommodation, and as such, some tenants may try to sneak pets into their property without approval.
Morton added: “I was recently attending an inspection and heard continuous clawing and meowing. I did some investigation and discovered a cat hidden in the cupboard. We’ve also recently discovered a tenant is keeping a tarantula in their flat, which goes against the leasehold agreement.
“We would advise everyone to be upfront about owning a pet, although tenants should expect to pay a higher security deposit to protect against the risk of extra damage.”
Andrew Batt, International Group Editor of PropertyGuru Group, wrote
this story. To contact him about this or other stories email andrew@allproperty.com.sg
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