Renting with Pets in the UK: What You Really Need to Know

Let’s be honest, renting with pets in the UK isn’t easy. For reasons known only to landlords, house cats and small dogs seem to get the thumbs up, while larger dogs are trickier with landlords.

As the Founder of Pets Lets https://petslets.com/ and someone who’s worked in property for nearly 30 years (plus, I'm a dog owner myself), here are some tips I’ve seen genuinely help renters secure pet-friendly homes, especially in competitive markets like London.

Affordability & Being a Responsible Pet Owner

Step one: Don’t start viewing properties until your paperwork is in order. In this market, if you can’t send over everything with your offer at the click of a button, chances are you’ll miss out. Particularly if you’re renting with pets.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• •Employment Reference – Clearly state your position, salary, and how long you’ve been with the company. Landlords like stability.
• •Landlord Reference – If you’ve been renting before, a glowing reference helps. It should mention timely payments and confirm your pets haven’t caused any damage or disturbances.
• •Pet CV – People laugh… until it works. And it really does. I’ve had clients win properties purely because of a great Pet CV with a couple of cute photos.
  Create one easily here. https://petslets.com/create-pet-cv/
  

What makes a strong Pet CV?

✔️ Training certifications
✔️ Vaccination and flea treatment records
✔️ Confirmation you work from home (i.e., your pets aren’t left alone all day)
✔️ For bigger dogs: stress they’re well-walked, quiet, and calm indoors
✔️ And yes — include adorable photos!

Landlords want to feel confident their home will be looked after. Showing you’re a
responsible owner can make all the difference.

Be Focused & Realistic

Know your budget before anything else. Use this Rental Affordability Calculator
https://smartmoneytools.co.uk/tools/rent-affordability-calculator/ to find out your
maximum rent based on household income.

If you go over that amount — even slightly — it could cause problems. I had a client who was just £8 over the monthly limit. The agency insisted they pay that up front for the whole tenancy! Their salary was in US dollars, so exchange rate fluctuations made it even more difficult. Reference agencies are strict. And it’s only getting tougher as landlords grow more risk averse.

Two Key Pets Lets Tips

With new rental legislation on the horizon, many private landlords are choosing to sell up. That means fewer pet-friendly properties and more competition for the ones that remain.

What’s changing:

• •You won’t be able to pay months in advance anymore – the Renters’ Rights Bill caps it at 1 month upfront
• •The government is also cracking down on bidding wars – so offering over the asking price may be off the table too

So how do you stand out?

Create a Personal Tenant CV (yes, for yourself!)

In addition to a Pet CV, include a friendly profile with photos, a few hobbies, and a
paragraph about how you treat a property like your own. If you’re moving with family, include everyone.

Better yet. Merge everything into one PDF – Pet CV, Tenant CV, references, visa
documentation, Right to Rent details – so when you apply, it’s all there in one easy email. It shows you’re organised, serious, and ready to move. Landlords and agents appreciate that.

Final Thought

Renting with pets in the UK isn’t impossible — but it does take preparation, persistence, and a little strategy. Landlords care about who’s living in their property. If you can make your case clearly, with all the right paperwork and a personal touch, you can absolutely find the right home for you and your pets.

This article was written by Russell Hunt, Founder of Pets Lets, https://petslets.com/ a London-based service helping clients rent and buy pet-friendly properties across the UK. With close to 30 years of experience in property and a strong network of pet-savvy agents and landlords, we’re here to help make your move smoother — for both you and your pets.