NOAH launches campaign to promote pet ownership for renters
The ‘Securing the Right to Rent with Pets: Making One Health Housing a Reality’ campaign will encourage wider use of the Government’s recommended Model Tenancy Agreement
The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has launched a campaign to help improve access to pets for people living in rented or socially owned housing.
The ‘Securing the Right to Rent with Pets: Making One Health Housing a Reality’ campaign will encourage wider use of the Government’s recommended Model Tenancy Agreement and the introduction of new pet-friendly policies to protect tenants and property owners to promote responsible pet ownership.
NOAH noted more than 17 million British households own at least one pet, yet owning a pet in rented accommodation “remains very difficult”. According to rental start-up Home Made, only 2.8% of property owners in the UK advertise homes as suitable for tenants with pets, whilst Tenants Voice reports that 78% of pet owners report experiencing problems finding a suitable rental property.
Dawn Howard, NOAH CEO said: “We understand that renting with pets comes with a level of concern for landlords, whether this is perceived fear of damage to the property or badly behaved pets – however, we truly believe that widening access to pets will actually bring benefits to landlords that outweigh these often-inflated fears.
“For example, the RSPCA found tenants who are given permission to look after a pet in their rental property were likely to live in that property for twice as long compared to other tenants – creating long-term, secure tenants for landlords.”
She added: “Allowing responsibly kept pets also increases the pool of prospective renters for properties, meaning landlords are far less likely to struggle to find tenants, and will in turn have a more secure stream of income.
“It is these very benefits that we are keen to maximise in collaboration with landlords and housing associations, whilst ensuring we tackle any problems that could arise from pets in rented properties.”
Howard said NOAH now welcomes the “gathering momentum” in Parliament, kick-started by the amendments made to the Model Tenancy.
She added: “Our campaign will seek to promote wider adoption of the updated Model Tenancy Agreement, as well as spending time understanding what other policies could support pet ownership in rented properties, to ensure both animal and human wellbeing is a priority in these rapidly evolving times.”
