Posted Thursday 26th June 2025
The Renters Reform Bill, now at the committee stage in the House of Lords, proposes a number of significant changes to residential tenancies in England. Among them is a key provision that would prevent landlords from placing a blanket ban on tenants keeping pets in homes let under Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) agreements.
While the Bill has not yet become law, leasehold landlords should start preparing now, particularly where lease restrictions on pets may come into conflict with the Bill’s intentions.
Understanding leasehold restrictions
Many leasehold residential properties already include clauses that limit or prohibit pet ownership. These clauses can vary significantly:
It’s important to note that even if the Renters Reform Bill is passed, a leaseholder landlord may still be bound by restrictions in their own lease. Each case must be considered on the wording of the individual lease.
What if the lease bans pets entirely?
If a lease contains an absolute ban on keeping pets, the landlord cannot override that restriction by giving consent to a tenant. Doing so could place the landlord in breach of their own lease obligations.
This risk is well illustrated by the case of Duval v 11–13 Randolph Crescent Ltd [2020] UKSC 18, in which the Supreme Court held that a landlord must not permit breaches of lease terms where it is also under a duty to enforce those terms consistently among all leaseholders in a block.
By analogy, a landlord who allows pets contrary to a strict lease restriction could be challenged by other leaseholders and potentially face legal liability for breach of covenant.
Where pets are allowed with conditions
If the lease permits pets subject to consent, landlords can still impose reasonable conditions to ensure the pet does not cause:
Typical conditions may include:
Withdrawing consent
Landlords should reserve the right to revoke pet consent if:
However, enforcing this right is not always straightforward. If a tenant refuses to remove a pet, landlords may face legal action to compel compliance, a time-consuming and potentially costly process.
Key takeaways for leasehold landlords
This article is for reference purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Specific legal advice about your specific circumstances should always be sought separately before taking or deciding not to take any action.
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