Pet-friendly rentals plunge 39% ahead of Renters’ Rights shake-up
New research from Inventory Base reveals that the number of pet-friendly rental homes in England has fallen by -39% since the start of 2026, as landlords appear to be reducing the number of homes openly marketed as allowing pets ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act taking effect from 1st May.
The Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) introduces an implied term into tenancy agreements, meaning that tenants will have the right to request a pet and landlords will not be able to refuse without a fair reason, even where existing contracts state that pets are not allowed. This marks a significant change for a sector that has long been reluctant to allow tenants to keep pets in the home.
Pet-friendly rentals have always been few and far between, and Inventory Base’s new analysis of current rental listings* shows that the number is still in decline ahead of the impending 1st May rollout of the RRA, despite the direction of travel set by the new legislation.
Current listings data shows that out of a total of 98,964 available rental properties in England, just 5.9% are advertised as being pet-friendly. This marks a proportional decline of -2.3% since the start of 2026 when pet-friendly listings accounted for 8.2% of the market.
Today’s total number of 5,839 pet-friendly listings also marks a significant decline of -39% since January.
The number of pet-friendly rentals on the market has seen the most dramatic fall in the East of England where today’s total of 317 marks a drop of -50.9% since the start of the year.
In the East Midlands, pet-friendly rentals are down -49.8%, followed by the South East (-46.6%), Yorkshire & Humber (-45%), South West (-43.1%), North West (-39.1%), West Midlands (-37.9%), London (-31.9%), and the North East (-31.2%).
Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, Operations Director at Inventory Base says:
"From May, the rules change in a meaningful way. The government's definition of 'reasonable refusal' is tighter than many landlords are anticipating, and the practical effect of that is more pets in more homes - regardless of how a property is currently advertised.
What the data suggests is that some landlords are responding by quietly reducing pet-friendly listings. In reality, that is more likely to delay the issue than avoid it.
The answer is preparation, not panic. Robust inventory reports, thorough check-ins and regularly documented inspections give landlords the evidence base they need - both to manage damage when it occurs and to defend their position if a dispute follows. Landlords who have that infrastructure in place will be in a far stronger position come May."
Data tables and sources
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