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How do I reply to a tenant's pet request? Consent, questions or a reasoned no

A tenant can ask in writing to keep a pet, and you must answer in writing within 28 days.

Fill in the details, choose your answer, and copy or download the letter, with a pet agreement addendum if you are saying yes.

Your name (landlord)

Tenant's name

Property address

Date the written request arrived

Your written answer is due within 28 days: by 3 December 2026.

The animal, as the tenant described it

Your answer

Care clauses for the addendum

Tenant repairs damage caused by the pet at their own cost
Professional clean and flea treatment at the end
No nuisance to neighbours
Pet's welfare, vaccinations and waste
Keep the pet out of shared areas unless on a lead

Your reply

[Tenant]
[Property address]

Your request to keep a pet at [Property address]

Dear [Tenant],

Thank you for your written request, received on 5 November 2026, to keep [the animal you described] at the property.

I am happy to agree to this. I would like it recorded in the attached addendum, which sets out how we will look after the property and the pet. Please sign and return a copy.

Yours sincerely,

[Landlord]

Pet agreement addendum

PET AGREEMENT ADDENDUM

Property: [Property address]
Landlord: [Landlord]
Tenant: [Tenant]

The Landlord agrees that the Tenant may keep [the animal] (the pet) at the property on the terms below. This addendum forms part of the tenancy agreement.

1. The Tenant will put right, at their own cost, any damage to the property, fixtures or fittings caused by the pet. The same damage will not be claimed for twice, whether from a deposit or from any insurance.

2. At the end of the tenancy the Tenant will have the property professionally cleaned and, where needed, treated for fleas and other pests caused by the pet.

3. The Tenant will keep the pet under control and will not allow it to cause noise, odour or other nuisance to neighbours or other occupiers.

Signed (Landlord): ____________________   Date: ____________

Signed (Tenant): ____________________   Date: ____________

Where it sits

A draft for you to read and adapt, not legal advice. The 28-day reply, the written reasons and the grounds listed are from the government's guidance for landlords, read on 7 October 2026. The rules apply to assured periodic tenancies in England; check your tenancy and take advice if the request is unusual.

LetBuddy keeps the request, the date it arrived and your reply with the tenancy's dated record, and the signed addendum alongside it, so a complaint or a tribunal finds the whole file in one place.

Common questions

How long do I have to respond to a pet request?

28 days from the tenant's written request, and the reply has to be in writing. If you ask for more information, the deadline becomes the remainder of the 28 days or seven more days, whichever is later.

Can I refuse a pet?

Only for a reasonable reason, and you have to explain it in writing. Reasonable grounds include another person in the property being allergic, the property being too small for the animal, the animal being illegal to keep, and a freeholder's restriction where you are a leaseholder. Personal dislike of pets, damage by an earlier tenant and worry about renting the property later are not reasonable.

What if the tenant thinks my refusal is unreasonable?

They can make a complaint to you or apply to the court, so keep the request, your reply and its date.

Can I charge for pet damage from the deposit and insurance?

Not for the same damage twice. The government's guidance says you cannot claim on insurance and also deduct the same damage from the deposit. The addendum this tool drafts says so.

Can I require pet insurance?

This tool does not draft an insurance clause, because the government's guidance does not set out how a requirement works. If you want one, take advice on the wording first.

Does this apply in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?

No. This is the England regime under the Renters' Rights Act. The other nations have their own rules.

Does it store what I type?

No. It runs in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere. Copy or download the letters to keep them.

Keep the request with the tenancy

Your first property is free, permanently. Store addendums alongside your digital tenancy records, with the dates that show when you answered.

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A draft, not legal advice.

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