Can You Change Letting Agent Mid Tenancy in Surrey?
Can You Change Letting Agent Mid Tenancy in Surrey?
What happens if you’re renting out your Surrey property but your letting agents aren’t delivering the level of service you signed up for?
Resources For Landlords
Pets in Rental Properties: What Are the Rules & How Are They Changing?
The rules around tenants keeping pets in rental properties are changing under the Renters’ Rights Act (RRA). If you are a landlord with property in Guildford, Cranleigh or the surrounding areas and are wondering how the new laws will affect you, this guide explains the key changes and how you can get prepared.
What Are the Rules About Keeping Pets in Rental Properties?
Under the current rules, landlords are allowed to refuse tenants’ requests to keep pets in their rental properties. Landlords have been able to apply blanket pet bans, including advertising their properties as “no pets allowed” and adding a “no pets” clause in the tenancy agreement.
After 1 May 2026, landlords will no longer be allowed to refuse a pet request without a fair reason, and blanket bans will be illegal. These changes are part of many new rules being introduced to provide private renters with stronger rights under the Renters’ Rights Act.
Liz Gamlen
Lettings Director
Written By
How Can Tenants Request a Pet?
Up until the new rules come into force, tenants can request to keep a pet by sending a formal written request. The decision is at the landlord’s discretion, so they can refuse the request without providing a fair reason.
When the RRA rules take effect, tenants will be able to send a formal written request to keep a pet and the landlord must respond in writing within 28 days. The request should include a description of the pet, so that the landlord can assess whether there are any reasonable reasons why they should refuse the request.
If the landlord requires more information about the pet after receiving the request in writing, the decision deadline is extended by a further seven days.
Can Landlords Refuse a Pet?
Under the current laws, landlords can refuse a pet for any reason. They will still be able to refuse pet requests under the new rules but there must be a clearly defined, acceptable reason. However, with around 60% of UK households now having pets, refusing a pet will reduce the pool of tenants, so it is not a decision to take lightly. Pet owners often stay in a rented home for longer, which can reduce void periods, so offering a pet friendly property often works in the landlord’s favour.
What Are Reasonable Grounds to Not Allow Pets?
Prior to the new rules for the private rented sector, landlords do not need to provide any specific reason for refusing pets in their rental properties.
Under the RRA rules, the reasonable grounds for not allowing pets will be along these lines:
- Property is unsuitable – If the landlord feels that the property is not suitable for keeping the type of pet, such as being too small for a large dog, or there if there is no outdoor space for it.
- Lease restrictions – On some leasehold properties, the freeholder may have a no pets clause.
- Other tenants/landlord have severe pet allergies – If other tenants in the building have disclosed that they have severe pet allergies, or if the landlord would be unable to perform inspections due to a severe allergy, then this would be grounds for disallowing pets.
- It is illegal to own the pet – You can, of course, refuse illegal pets such as an XL Bully dog.
What Can Tenants Do if a Landlord Says No to Pets?
Prior to the new pet rules being implemented, tenants have no recourse if landlords refuse their request.
Once the RRA pet rules are in place, tenants will be able to submit a complaint to the landlord or apply to court to attempt to have the decision overturned if they believe it to be unreasonable. When the new ombudsman is established, tenants will likely be able to make a complaint through them.
Can Landlords Request a Higher Deposit or Insurance for Pets?
In previous plans for the RRA, there had been calls for allowing landlords to require pet damage insurance or to take a separate deposit for pet damage. However, these plans were scrapped, and the final decision was to allow landlords to deduct costs for pet damage from the regular tenancy deposit.
The tenancy deposit is considered to be sufficient to cover pet damage but if costs are higher than the deposit, it would be possible for the landlord to sue the tenant for the remaining amount.
This means there is no change to how landlords currently handle pet damage issues. Landlords will be able to either deduct pet damage costs from the deposit or claim through their insurance and will not be able to do both.
What Are the Pros & Cons of Pets in Rental Property?
If you receive a pet request prior to the new rules, you may want to consider the following pros and cons when making your decision:
Pros
- Tenants with pets tend to stay in properties for longer, providing long-term occupancy.
- You will have a larger pool of tenants to choose from by not excluding pet owners.
- People who are responsible pet owners are often more responsible tenants.
- You won’t have to change your approach when the new rules come into force.
Cons
- There may be damage caused by pets such as scratches or chewed furniture.
- Pets can leave odours in the property, and you may need to ask the tenant to arrange carpet cleaning, for example.
- Noise from pets might annoy the neighbours.
Conclusion
The Renters’ Rights Act includes numerous law changes that landlords will need to comply with. Landlords must prepare for the new rules around keeping pets, as well as the abolishment of Section 21 evictions and stricter rules around property condition in the near future.
If you are a private landlord in Farnham, Bramley or Godalming, we can help with meeting your compliance requirements. Get in touch with our lettings team to find out more about our services.
As a well-established letting agent in Guildford, Farnham, Godalming and beyond, Howard Morley & Sons are equipped to guide Surrey landlords through their lettings journey. Contact us today to find out more.
Get a rental valuation
Find out how much your rental property is worth in the current market from a team who know everything there is to know about lettings.
Related articles
Surrey Property Market Update 2026: What Landlords Need to Know
Surrey Property Market Update 2026: What Landlords Need to Know
Get the latest update on the Surrey property market, and how it is projected to perform across 2026.
