My landlord is refusing my pet request — what are my rights?

Your landlord must give you a valid written reason within 28 days. If they refuse without a reason, or the reason is simply "no pets allowed," that refusal may not be valid under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

Valid reasons for refusing a pet include things like: the building's head lease (from a freeholder) genuinely prohibits animals; the property is genuinely too small for the type of animal; or you haven't provided enough information about the pet in your written request.

An invalid reason would be a blanket policy, a vague concern with no specifics, or simply "we don't allow pets." Those don't meet the legal standard.

If your landlord refuses and you believe the reason given doesn't hold up, you can challenge the decision. The first step is writing back formally, asking them to reconsider and explaining why you believe the reason given is not sufficient.

If they still won't budge and you think they're acting unreasonably, the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman (launching later in 2026) will handle these disputes. In the meantime, contact Citizens Advice (citizensadvice.org.uk) who can advise on your specific situation and help you draft a challenge.