In a move that’s left landlords reeling, the government has quietly amended the Renters’ Rights Bill—without consultation—to shift yet another financial burden onto those providing homes: the cost of pet-related damage.
Under the original plans, landlords would have been able to require tenants with pets to carry appropriate insurance to cover potential damage. But in a sudden U-turn, new government amendments now mean landlords themselves will be expected to foot the bill.
This change comes as the Bill approaches its Report Stage in the House of Lords next week. With little fanfare and no warning, the government has effectively removed a key safeguard that would have helped protect landlords from unforeseen costs.
To add insult to injury, this blindsiding move contradicts what Housing Secretary Michael Gove previously said—that allowing landlords to request insurance would ensure “no one is left unfairly out of pocket.” So much for consistency.
Despite removing landlords’ ability to protect themselves financially, the Bill still includes a presumption that tenants should be allowed to keep pets—unless the landlord can prove a valid reason not to. That burden of proof? It’s likely to land in the laps of the already-overstretched courts or the soon-to-be-established Ombudsman for the private rented sector.
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has slammed the decision. Chief Executive Ben Beadle didn’t mince his words:
“This is a shoddy and outrageous way to make law. Ministers keep talking about how the Bill works for responsible landlords and yet they seem incapable of speaking to those representing them.”
Beadle warned the change will make landlords more risk-averse, further reducing rental options for tenants with pets. “Yet again,” he said, “the government simply expects responsible landlords to shoulder even greater risks without any consultation about the likely impact.”
And this isn’t happening in isolation. It’s part of a pattern: rent arrears are harder to recover, courts are more sluggish than ever, and landlords are increasingly expected to absorb the costs of a system that’s failing both them and tenants.
The government may claim it’s standing up for renters—but in pushing landlords away, it’s actually shrinking choice and making it harder for renters (especially those with pets) to find a home.