Tips for Renting with Pets in London *

*This is a collaborative post.

It’s not going to shock when I say, it can often be quite tough to find a rental property in London when you have pets as lots of landlords are averse to it. I mean, I can understand why they do it as landlord insurance could be expensive when pets are involved as they can cause damages but I’ve pulled together a few tips on how best to find a rental when you’re pet is coming with you.

Gather References

If you have previously rented or are renting elsewhere with your pet, get your old/current landlord to write you a reference. This will show your provisional landlord that your pet is well behaved, there’s been no issue previously and you’re a model renter! If you’ve never rented with a pet before consider doing a behavioural course with your pet and get a reference from there.

Propose a Trial Period

I know this could mean a lot of upheaval but if all goes to plan you won’t be needing to move out! By having a trial period you are able to show the landlord that you’re pet has super behavioural skills and that they have nothing to worry about by letting you live in their property at all. In fact, show them you’ll be the best tenant they have ever had!

Be as Flexible as Possible

The more restrictive your search criteria is, the more difficult it will be for you to find a home for you and your pet. Try to be flexible on location and property type as this will give you a hell of a lot more options when it comes to renting. If you’re open to living in say a 10 mile radius of your work, you stand more chances of finding somewhere than if you had a 5 mile radius. This goes for property types too, don’t restrict yourself to just a certain type as it will make it so much easier for you.

Be Honest, Not Sneaky!

It can be so tempting to just glaze over the fact that your moving with a pet and just sign a contract that may not be pet-friendly but this can have dire consequences! If you’re caught breaching your contract you could be kicked out and be made homeless as a worst-case scenario and it can also ruin any good references that your landlord would give you when you move.

And when you find a place for you and your pet I highly advise…

Get Written Permission

If your landlord has given you permission to keep a pet in your property, make sure you get it in writing and get it signed too.  You will want to make sure that you have a clause in your contract added too, saying that your pet is welcome and make sure there are no ‘No Pets’ clauses left in when you sign too!

Hope these tips are helpful for you! Good luck in finding a new home with your pet!