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Can a landlord refuse a tenant's request for a pet?
By the VoxaMTD team. Last verified 31 October 2026
Only with a valid reason. Under the Renters' Rights Act in England, tenants can request to keep a pet, and GOV.UK says landlords can refuse only if they have a valid reason. Requests must be considered case by case rather than refused as a blanket policy.
The guide says it will always be reasonable to refuse a request when the superior landlord prohibits pets, for example a freeholder in a leasehold block. Tenants can escalate a refusal to the Ombudsman or a court, so a refusal should rest on something you can show, such as a lease term or a safety concern about the specific animal and home.
Reply in writing and keep the correspondence. Say what the request was, what you considered and, if you refuse, the reason. Do not assume you can add a pet charge: check the current tenant fees rules on GOV.UK before adding any extra payment.