Updated

Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 26

Rightmove Pet-Friendly Rental Searches Drop 54% After England's Renters' Rights Act

Updated

Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 26

Rightmove Pet-Friendly Rental Searches Drop 54% After England's Renters' Rights Act

Q: Why did searches for pet-friendly rentals suddenly plummet right after a new law gave tenants the right to keep animals?

Searches plunged mainly because the law changed the need to filter, not because demand from pet owners vanished. From 1 May 2026, tenants in England gained a legal right to request a pet and landlords can no longer rely on blanket “no pets” bans. That appears to have led many renters to stop using Rightmove’s “pet-friendly” filter, assuming they could ask later instead. The timing supports that explanation. Rightmove’s pet-friendly searches were down 54% in May and 52% in June year on year, and the decline had already accelerated before the rules took effect. Industry figures told the BBC this suggests a shift in tenant behaviour rather than a sudden collapse in interest from people with animals. But there is also clear confusion about what the reform actually does. The new law does not give automatic permission. Tenants must still make a written request, and landlords may refuse on reasonable grounds, such as a flat being too small, another occupier having an allergy, a leasehold ban, or the pet being unsuitable or illegal. Letting agents say some renters now wrongly assume approval is guaranteed, while some disclose pets only after signing. Another factor is the limited usefulness of the filter itself. Only a small share of rentals are explicitly advertised as pet-friendly, with one estimate putting the figure at about 5.9% in England. Since landlords now must consider requests case by case, listings may no longer fully reflect whether a pet could ultimately be allowed.

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 26

Rightmove said searches for rentals allowing pets fell 54% in May and 52% in June from a year earlier, after England's new rules took effect.
The May changes bar landlords from unreasonably refusing pets, and agents say many renters now skip the pet-friendly filter because they assume requests can be raised later.
Landlords can still reject animals for valid reasons, including small properties, multiple or large pets, allergies, illegal animals or freeholder bans.
Industry groups say confusion is growing because tenants cannot be forced to buy pet insurance and landlords cannot charge extra pet deposits, though proven damage can still be deducted from the tenancy deposit.
The shift highlights a wider power rebalance in England's rental market, even as tenants and pet-matching services say some landlords still find ways to turn away pet owners.