Rightmove data shows that fewer tenants are actively filtering out pet-friendly properties when searching for a home. While overall pets remains the most common search term – ahead of gardens, garages and furnishing, the lead at the top is diminishing.
Searches for properties that allow pets fell 54% in May and 52% in June compared with a year earlier, according to data shared with the BBC. The decline accelerated this year, as the changes came closer and were then introduced.
Mark von Grundhar, director of agency Benham and Reeves, said some tenants have disclosed having a pet only after signing their tenancy agreement, while others have been discovered during property inspections.
“The reality is that tenants now understand that the balance of power has changed. Landlords can no longer rely on a ‘no pets’ policy to deter applications and instead should expect conversations about pet ownership to arise much later in the rental process,” he said.
Now, in England, landlords may still be able to refuse a pet if another tenant has allergies, the property is too small for a large pet or multiple pets, pets are illegal, or the landlord is a leaseholder and the freeholder does not allow pets.