RSPCA Cymru and pet owners back petition to ban 'no pet clauses' for renters in Wales

• Article by ITV Wales journalist Sarah Mahon

Pet owners and animal welfare charity RSPCA Cymru have backed a petition calling for a ban on "no pet clauses" in Wales' private rental sector.

Previous research found that only around 7% of private landlords advertised their properties as 'pet friendly'.

In January 2021, the UK Government introduced a new Model Tenancy Agreement in England which meant, if used, consent for pets was the default position and a landlord would have to provide a good reason to object.

The Senedd petition, which has gathered more than 700 signatures and will be considered by the petitions committee, calls on the Welsh Government to create a similar model for landlords to use here.

Billie-Jade Thomas, a renter who owns an indoor cat, said the current situation in Wales is "one-sided" and "leaves the ball in the landlord's court".

She claimed that despite the Consumer Rights Act 2015 giving tenants in Wales the ability to ask for permission to keep pets, many landlords simply do not accept pet owners.

Billie-Jade, who also works for RSPCA Cymru, said her four-year-old cat Jinkx is house-trained, neutered and "about as good as you can get, behaviour-wise" but she has faced difficulties finding a suitable rental property that will take both her and her animal.

She currently rents a property in Llanelli with her partner and luckily, does not need to move out. However, when the pair previously looked to relocate, time and time again they were faced with adverts stating "no pets allowed".

A year ago, the public affairs advisor and her partner booked to view a house but were told at the last minute not to come along, because they had a pet.

Billie-Jade, 30, explained: "We saw an advert for a two-bed house. It had a garden so we thought, great, and it looked secure enough for the cat as well which was perfect.

"So we arranged to view the property and around 10 minutes before, we had a phone call and the landlord was checking we were still coming to the viewing."

The landlord then told Billie-Jade he had looked her up on social media and seen photos of her with a cat. When Billie-Jade confirmed the cat was hers and would be moving in with them, she said the landlord cancelled the viewing.

While Billie-Jade explained her cat had never caused any problems and was well-behaved, the landlord replied that they did not "need to take the risk" as there were plenty of people who wanted to rent the property who were not pet owners.

While the RSPCA Cymru worker recognised that some spaces, like a one-bed flat, would not be suitable for a pet owner with an animal like a large dog, Billie-Jade said the current situation means both animals and prospective pet owners are losing out.

"I go to our centres and I see that there's lots of lovely pets that would love a forever home... and obviously for people who rent, they can't perhaps commit to that.

"The situation as it stands isn't in their favour."

Billie-Jade described how her cat "is a family member". She added: "Pets have many benefits with regards to mental health, companionship, they reduce loneliness they bring us joy really. [Our cat] makes us laugh on a daily basis and we love his company."

The 30-year-old said she would "go to the end of the earth" to make sure she could keep her cat, but for some renters that is not an option.

She said: "Just the thought of people having to sign over their pet to a rescue, just to be able to have safe and secure accommodation, it is a bit unfair."

Sam Swash set up the petition in order to address what he see as the inequalities between the approaches to renting with a pet in England and renting with a pet in Wales.

He lives in a Welsh village just a few miles from the border with England and said it struck him as "really unfair" that your ability to keep a pet in rented accommodation could be affected by which part of the UK you live in.

The campaigner said: "With more and more people from my generation and younger having to privately rent due to house price increases... [pet ownership] is becoming a bit of a luxury for people who are lucky enough to own their own home and I think that's really unfair."

He believes if Wales adopts the same Model Tenancy Agreement brought forward in England, it will be a "simple and effective change" that will benefit pet owners and animals looking for homes.

The model introduced in England in last year means, if used in a rental agreement, consent for pets is the default position and landlords have to object in writing within 28 days of a written pet request from a tenant and provide a "good reason".

A good reason could be a small property size or flats where owning a pet would be impractical. Tenants are still legally compelled to repair or cover the cost of any damage to the property.

Sam added: "I understand that landlords might have some issues and there may be some properties that aren't suitable for pets, but the English system does allow for that. So if there is a genuine reason why a landlord can't allow a pet in a property, then they are allowed to not allow one."

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) represents and supports more than 95,000 private residential landlords across the UK.

A spokesperson from the NRLA said they recognise the importance of pets and encourage landlords to be flexible but would not want to see property owners "compelled" to allow pets.

They said: "We recognise the importance of pets in providing companionship, especially to those living on their own. With this in mind, we urge landlords to be flexible where it is possible for them to do so.

“However, we do not support moves to compel landlords to allow pets in properties. It is worth noting that there are often reasons why a particular property or pet is not suitable, e.g. a large dog in a small flat with no garden.

"We encourage landlords to make a decision on a case by case basis and have worked with bodies such as Cats Protection to develop guidance to help landlords be pet friendly.”

Billie-Jade said RSPCA Cymru has long been calling for more support for people with pets who rent properties.

She said she understands landlords may be concerned about damage but a new model would provide landlords and tenants with a "negotiating" procedure to follow when it comes to deciding if the property is not suitable for a pet.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We do support the RSPCA’s Best Practice guidance for pets in private rented property and have shared this, along with their Homes for All guide, with private landlords and agents through Rent Smart Wales.

“There is currently no statutory right in Wales, or elsewhere in the UK, for a tenant to keep a pet but the Consumer Rights Act 2015 indicates that a ‘no pet’ clause in a tenancy agreement should allow tenants to ask for permission to keep pets.”

While the Welsh Government's model contracts do not include a pet clause, guidance states "any pet clause as an additional term in the contract should allow a contract-holder to ask for permission to keep a pet, and the landlord would not be allowed to unreasonably refuse the request".