Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the Renters Reform Bill will include a ban on no pet clauses.

Further to my answer to Question UIN 136842 on 9 February 2023, the Government will publish guidance for tenants and landlords in the private rented sector (PRS) on what would constitute an unreasonable refusal of a pet before the new rules come into effect.

The new legal 'right to request a pet' will apply to the PRS. Many social landlords set out their pet policies in their tenancy agreements and allow tenants to keep pets where it is appropriate to do so, provided they are well looked after and do not adversely affect the lives of neighbours and those living nearby.

In the Social Housing White Paper we encourage all social landlords to adopt similar policies.