Most landlords have not received formal pet requests since the Renters' Rights Act pet request rules came into effect on 1 May. A survey found that 93% of landlords have not had a single formal approach, according to LRG's Summer 2026 Lettings Report.
In contrast, 58% of tenants consider a property's pet policy important when deciding where to live. Only 6% of landlords surveyed have approved a request, with 0.8% having one under consideration and fewer than 0.3% refusing permission.
The findings are based on responses from 717 landlords and 860 tenants across England and Wales. The chief lettings officer of Leaders, part of LRG, noted that formal requests are coming in slowly but stated that demand is real and the legal framework is now in place.
Nearly three in 10 tenants surveyed already own an animal, and another 19% are considering getting one or plan to do so within the next 12 months. Before the legislation, 32% of tenants said a landlord's pet policy had affected them, including 15% who decided against getting a pet and 12% who lost out on a property.
For 34% of tenants, permission to keep a pet is essential. Landlords indicated that a professional cleaning requirement at the end of a tenancy (31%) or tenant-paid pet damage insurance (28%) would make them more confident in approving requests.
Research commissioned by Battersea found that 76% of landlords reported no pet-related damage when a tenancy ended. Where damage occurred, the average cost was £300, compared to an average of £775 for non-pet damage caused by tenants without animals.