Landlords will ‘need inventories’ if tenants can legally keep pets

Worried landlords should consider inventories as a defence should the Renters (Reform) Bill become law and tenants get a legal right to keep a pet in their home, one expert says.

Daniel Evans, the chair of the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC), says that tenants will only need written permission from a landlord – which cannot be ‘reasonably’ refused – to keep a pet.

And that, he says, leaves landlords having to navigate the fine line between accommodating their tenants’ needs and preserving the condition of their properties.

To safeguard their interests, landlords should be looking to inventories as their last line of defence with documentation of a property’s condition before and after a tenant’s occupancy.

That document will help landlords identify and address any pet-related damages if they arise.

‘Condition of a property at the start of the tenancy’

Mr Evans said: “A detailed inventory showing the condition of a property at the start of the tenancy agreement is the only way a landlord can be sure of the extent of any damage which may have been done by a pet.

“A professional, independent, inventory is vital for any successful tenancy if disputes are to be avoided further down the line.

“But if more tenants are going to be allowed to keep pets, the danger of additional property damage only increases.”

He added: “Of course, most pet owners are responsible people but with the best will in the world, there is always a risk of damage when animals are left in properties.

“Any dispute may well centre around what constitutes fair wear and tear – the only way to resolve that is to have accurate documentation and photographic representation of the state of the property when the tenant moved in.”

Request that tenants purchase insurance to cover any property damage

The new law could see landlords having the option to request that tenants purchase insurance to cover any property damage caused by their pets.

Mr Evans said: “Insurance cover will be helpful. But sometimes pet damage is not discovered immediately – it may be weeks before it comes to light.

“Or maybe the tenant hasn’t kept up with the insurance premiums?”

He added: “In those circumstances, the landlord will be looking to the tenant’s deposit to make good the damage.

“If that happens, the inventory will provide the necessary evidence to prove or disprove the case.”