Pet request and response
2 templates
Free
Pet request and response templates
England
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Fillable PDF
Complete on screen or print and sign
Request and written reply in one form
Checked October 2026
Choose your nation
Choose the template for your nation below. Each is a fillable PDF you can complete on screen or print and sign.
England
Pet Request and Response
Since 1 May 2026, assured tenants in England can ask in writing to keep a pet, and the landlord must not unreasonably refuse. The tenant uses the first part to make the request; the landlord uses the second to reply within the deadline. Keep the completed form with the tenancy in August.
Request
In writing
Reply
28 days
Refusal
Reasonable
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Pet Request and Response
Use this when a tenant or contract-holder asks to keep a pet in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. There is no statutory pet request process in these nations yet, but a written request and a reasoned written answer avoid misunderstandings. Keep the completed form with the tenancy in August.
Request
In writing
Reply
Reasonable time
Decision
On its merits
The pet request process in England
Assured tenants can ask in writing to keep a pet, with a description of the animal (Housing Act 1988, sections 16A and 16B). The landlord must reply in writing by the 28th day after the request. The deadline can move:
More information: if you reasonably ask for more information within the 28 days, the deadline becomes the later of day 28 and 7 days after you receive it. If the tenant never provides it, you don’t have to decide.
Superior landlord: if a head lease needs a superior landlord’s consent and you ask for it within the 28 days, you can wait until 7 days after their answer.
Agreed date: you and the tenant can agree a later date. Where more than one extension applies, the latest date counts.
What the form covers
1
The request: completed by the tenant or contract-holder
2
The response: completed by the landlord or agent
3
Deciding fairly: the rules for each nation
4
Sign-off: records the request and response
Saying yes, with conditions, or no
Consent must not be unreasonably refused. The Act names refusal where a superior lease forbids the pet or the superior landlord won’t consent; any other refusal must be reasonable for that pet and property, with reasons in writing. Conditions should be reasonable and related to the pet.
No pet insurance requirement: the provision letting landlords require pet insurance was removed before the Act was passed, and the Tenant Fees Act bans requiring a tenant to buy insurance from a third party.
No extra deposit: the cap of 5 weeks’ rent (6 weeks where annual rent is £50,000 or more) still applies. There is no separate pet deposit. Our definition of pet fees explains what you can and can’t charge.
Assistance animals: requests involving guide dogs and other assistance animals may also engage duties under the Equality Act 2010, so don’t assess them solely as ordinary pet requests.
Our landlord’s guide to pets in a rental property covers the decision in more depth, and our definition of a pet request gives the short version.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Wales: the English process doesn’t apply. Check the occupation contract’s pet clause. Additional terms must be fair, and Welsh Government guidance says permission should not be unreasonably refused. Follow any response deadline in the contract.
Scotland: the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 adds a tenant’s right to request a pet, but it isn’t in force yet and no start date has been set. We’ll update the template when the regulations are made.
Northern Ireland: there is no general statutory process. Consider requests against the tenancy agreement, consumer protection and equality law, and the property. The deposit can’t be more than one month’s rent.
What's in the template
The tenant describes each pet, where it will be kept and how it will be cared for, with a note that only the description is required and other details should be proportionate. Your response records the dates, any further information or superior landlord consent requested, and your decision with conditions or reasons. Both sides sign. Ask about pets at the application stage on the tenancy application form.
Frequently asked questions
Can a landlord refuse a pet in England?
Only reasonably. Since 1 May 2026, assured tenants can request a pet in writing and the landlord must not unreasonably refuse. A superior lease that forbids pets is a named reason; other refusals must be reasonable for that pet and property.
How long does a landlord have to reply to a pet request?
In England, 28 days. If you reasonably ask for more information within that time, the deadline becomes the later of day 28 and 7 days after you receive it. Elsewhere in the UK, follow the tenancy terms or reply within a reasonable time.
Can a landlord require pet insurance?
No, not in England. The insurance provision was dropped before the Renters’ Rights Act was passed, and the Tenant Fees Act stops landlords requiring a tenant to buy third-party insurance.
Does the pet request right apply in Scotland?
Not yet. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 creates the right, but it hasn’t come into force and no date has been set.
Templates checked against legislation in October 2026. They are provided for general information and are not legal advice.
