Landlord Tenant Unauthorized

If your tenants have pets without permission, you can bring eviction proceedings using a Section 8 notice, under the Housing Act 1988, for breach of the tenancy agreement but a judge may reject your case if your wish to restrict pets is deemed unfair.

If a tenant is found to be keeping a pet despite the tenancy agreement stating that they can't, the landlord has the right to evict them from the property as it is considered a breach of contract.After all, you may lose money from your decision to evict if you cannot replace the tenant soon enough.

You will have to forfeit your rental bond, you'll be forced to move and you'll have a black mark put on your tenancy record. It could get worse, though. If the reason your landlord did not allow dogs was because their policy did not cover them, and your dog bites another tenant, that tenant could sue your landlord.

If you want to hide your pet from your landlord, always cover up any evidence (odor, hair). Vacuum your house thoroughly, including the couches, curtains, and the rugs/carpets. Regularly make use of scented candles, room sprays to mask the pet smell. A portable air purifier can help in eliminating the pet odor.

Under the new Model Tenancy Agreement, announced by Housing Minister Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP, landlords will no longer be able to issue blanket bans on pets.To ensure landlords are protected, tenants will continue to have a legal duty to repair or cover the cost of any damage to the property.

Federal LawsLandlords may not charge the tenant extra "pet" rent or "pet" security deposit for a service or emotional support animal. Landlords may not apply other "pet policy" rules like breed or weight restrictions to service or emotional support animals.

Tenants will still be responsible for their pets and will have to pay for any damage caused. Landlords will also be able to charge higher deposits for tenants with pets as long as it is within the cap of five weeks' rent. It may also cost more to rent a property if you have a pet.

The law stipulates that landlords can't use blanket pet ban clauses to prevent tenants from keeping pets because it's subject to the unfair terms regulations (which is part of the Consumer Rights Act 2015) unless they have a legitimate reason for prohibiting pets.