Prejudice is a big word. It is all about attitudes affecting judgements which leads to making rash and unfounded decisions.
Jane Austen’s 1813 novel Pride & Prejudice is about the repercussions of hasty judgements within a rigid society, with little room for compromise.
This echoes many modern-day UK Landlords who are themselves prejudicial when it comes to renting with pets. Some make rash judgements and say blanket no to pets without looking at the facts.
A fellow landlord had a bad experience with cats clawing the curtains or dogs chewing the furniture. Stories that have circulated amongst property professionals for years. So much so they become engrained in the landlords ‘mindsets’.
Just like companies you must evolve. Some leading brands ignored the rise of the internet, and the likes of Netflix and Amazon took over. The same for landlords. You cannot ignore the rise of the build to rent companies. The rental market is becoming more ‘corporate’. Big companies such as Legal & General and John Lewis are branching out from their main sectors into residential property. Large commercial property companies such as Land Securities, moved into residential with the regeneration of the Victoria station area in London. One thing they have in common, they consider pets. Requirements do vary; some have dog weight restrictions and some breeds of dogs are not considered.
Private landlords must ‘adapt’ or be left behind. With the cost-of-living crisis, interest rate rises and the inability to offset mortgages against tax, the ‘tide has turned’ against the private rental sector who don’t have the ‘deep pockets’ of large companies.
During the Mini budget melt down there was a 55% drop in the number of mortgage products. Thanks to this governmental ‘blip’, interest rates have increased which will mean some landlords will be in negative equity when they have to re-mortgage over the next year or so.
In addition, the lack of capital growth mixed with much lower yields and restrictive legislation, has led to a large reduction of new landlords entering the buy to let market. Stock levels have dropped and number of tenants who cannot get on the housing ladder have increased. Increased demand versus reduced property rental stock levels.
We have set up the Pets & Lets Group on LinkedIn to sensibly discuss this very important issue of renting with dogs and cats.
This article was written by Russell Hunt, Founder of Pets Lets, a UK pet friendly property portal offering properties where landlords consider pets as well as a pet friendly relocation and buying service.
Prior to setting up Pets Lets, Russell was a London property search consultant for over 25 years for clients looking to buy and rent in the Capital.
Click here to see useful pet cv’s and pets clauses, as well as other pet friendly rental tools on the Pets Lets Portal.
The pawsome pictures can be credited to Pooch and Pineapple
Prejudice is a big word. It is all about attitudes affecting judgements which leads to making rash and unfounded decisions. Jane Austen’s 1813 novel Pride & Prejudice is about the repercussions of hasty judgements within a rigid society, with little room for compromise. This echoes many modern-day UK Landlords who are themselves prejudicial when it …
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Part of Pets Lets Limited, a company registered in England and Wales Number 11944760
4th Floor, Silverstream House, 45 Fitzroy Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1T 6EB