Landlords pet allergies being ignored?

A landlord, or their contractors, having allergies to cats/dogs/rodents etc etc is a legitimate reason not to allow tenants with, or to get, pets.

Hi Sally
The position is that when reviewing a request from a tenant to have a pet in a rental property, it is about the pet. It is not about you, with one possible caveat.
Landlords can refuse pets if they are unsuitable for the property and the tenants’ lifestyle. A large dog in a small third floor flat with tenants who work full time can probably be refused. A lapdog in the same flat with a retired lady tenant is probably OK. Two labradors in a house with a decent-sized garden probably can’t be refused.
If you as a landlord are allergic to an animal, you may have to make arrangements for an agent to carry out visits and inspections.
The caveat is that if the property is your main home and you let it out, e.g. whilst you work abroad or far from home for a year or so, you may be able to object if your allergies are such that you will have an allergic reaction even after the animal has gone. This has not been tested in court yet but it seems objectively reasonable. A landlord with allergies who is letting out their property in such circumstances should ask the prospective tenant: “Do you own a pet and if not, do you intend to request permission for a pet?” He or she should also inform the tenant of the allergy and explain that a request for a pet that will cause an adverse reaction will very likely be refused. It will still be lawful to refuse a tenant before they are your tenant if they own a pet or want to bring one into the property.
Most tenants will accept this and find other accommodation if faced with this scenario.

Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 17/02/2026 – 10:13
….but others faced with little rental options may well choose to pick a legal fight (make an claim against unfair practices as per RRA) if they are refused a tenancy because they have a pet at the point of application….

Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 17/02/2026 – 10:08
Sorry Judith, it is not a legitimate reason once the tenancy has been signed. However, if the tenant has said they do not have pets and don’t intend to have pets and then very shortly thereafter asks for one you may (I stress may, as this will have to be tested) be able to reject the request and say: “You have lied to me about this. I cannot trust whatever you tell me about the pet. Moreover, you have dishonestly obtained the tenancy by deceiving me as to your intentions.”

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 17/02/2026 – 10:36
No, until the tenancy starts the obligation not unreasonably to refuse a request does not bite. There is, thankfully, no general rule in the RRA against “unfair practices” whatever they may be.

So here’s me story when I caught fleas from a tenant.

I was sitting in her kitchen filling forms in, some’at was getting me, biting me, I was jumping. I filled the form in again, I jumped again, the gal said Ooh it’s the wind. As the door was open Sunny day.
Aah right I said.
I was driving home, I ended up smacking me back of neck in me van, swerving all over the road. I knew something was wrong.
Got home outside, missus knew was what wrong, said you’ve got fleas from XXX. I stripped off outside, had shower outside. I’m not kidding u, I had em for about 3 weeks, even though I stripped off on back garden.
But I was quite proud I’d got fleas, I’ve never had em before. I told every one.
We knew this too cause several years later when tenant left, we had to fumigate house.
Here is the house: BolsoverTenantsFromHell2013 https://photos.app.goo.gl/GyfmnRdnM5H82dyn6

So few months later, I went to another tenants house, I caught fleas again from her cat. Now this time I wasn’t happy cause it wasn’t new & some’at to be excited about any more. And I told her she was a scruffy basxxrd. Don’t laugh, I even housed her again several years later & she’s still with me today in posh bungalow.