A cat charity claims it takes in an average of three cats daily because of landlords using Section 21 powers to evict tenants who then cannot find pet-friendly alternatives.
Cats Protection says blanket ‘no pet’ policies are unfair and deny millions of animal lovers the chance to own a companion pet.
The charity claims it currently takes in the equivalent of at least three cats a day due to landlords not allowing them in their properties.
The so-called ‘Senior Advocacy & Government Relations Officer for Cats Protection’ Annabel Berdy says: “We have an incredibly outdated and unfair approach when it comes to pets and renting the UK, where blanket ‘no pets’ policies are the norm.
“There doesn’t appear to be any sound basis for this, given the evidence that shows pet owners stay longer in their homes, and that the vast majority of pets cause no damage.
“Refusing pets creates a ‘pet privilege’, where people who own their homes can benefit from the companionship of a pet but people in rented housing are either banned from pet ownership or will find it very difficult.
“Even if people do find rented housing that allows pets, they live in fear of a change in circumstances as they are fully aware of how difficult it will be to find another pet-friendly property. Renters pay a huge proportion of their income on fees and rent, so they should be able to treat that property as a home.
“Pet ownership is important to millions of people, helping us feel settled and providing companionship to all sorts of people.
“Many of us can recall our first childhood pet with great fondness – but the reality is that we are denying that special experience to a generation of children.”
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What a catastrophe, i categorically cannot castigate such a catatonic state of affurs
Scratch that George, I think the article gives us all paws for thought. In a purrfect world, we would all be thinking of the cats!
At this rate every creature known to mankind with have more rights than the actual human being living in the abode
George
I think you mean the actual human who OWNS the abode?
I would only allow a tenant to keep a cat if the deposit held was enough to cover the cost of new carpets throughout the property. Past experience left me with damaged carpets and a house the stank of cat p***
I charge a pet rent to cover those costs, so if every tenant can now have a pet every tenancy will be paying a pet rent if there's a pet there or not, up go rents for every one
Pets should be allowed in social housing where the animal companions are going to live for an indefinite period of time. Private sector housing is quite different irrespective of the impending legislation which seeks to create lifetime tenancies.
Private sector housing is owned by private individuals who wish, in the main, to retain control of their properties.
Noisy animals can make life a misery for neighbours in any type of property.
Social tenants eventually move on too, leaving the tax payer with several pet lifetimes of mess to clean up.
Pet owners should pay a much higher rent in all properties for a pet licence which can be easily revoked in cases of anti social pet ownership.
“ Pet Privilege “ 😂😂😂 OMG I thought I had heard it all, apparently not 🤔
"Outdated approach with No sound basis" for landlords denying pets? Of course there is a basis which hasnt changed over time! Ie damage to property & huge costs to repair/clean neighbours complsining, Freeholder objection/BAN, insurance costs, etc.
Yes the basis is damage to property, complaints from neighbours, and non payment of rent when the pet needs expensive vet treatment. Had all of those!!
Section21 are being used because landlords are selling up and getting out en masse because a slew of reasons including cràp like this.
Charity! wounder how much Annabel is milking out of that ?
last available accounts are 2022 they show the emoluments of higher paid employees within the following scales were as below, I would suggest Annabel was probably the £120K earner:
2022 number 2021 number
£60,001 - £70,000 18 11
£70,001 - £80,000 9 3
£80,001 - £90,000 2 3
£90,001 - £100,000 0 3
£100,001 - £110,000 3 2
£110,001 - £120,000 1 0
£120,001 - £130,000 1 0
What a CATastrophe
Once had a tenant who moved a cat in. Which had 6 kittens. With fleas. Which we did not know about as they hid them on inspections.
On vacation my wife walked in and ran out when the fleas started jumping up her legs.
New carpets, fumigation, and redecoration due to damage and infestation. £2,500 a few years ago.
I find cats much worse than dogs, they stink + the fleas
It is very difficult to get rid of fleas once the cat has gone.
They can be in the beds, in the carpets, on the chairs etc. - a nightmare!
Ellie, my own cats, over the years, have brought in unwelcome guests.
first treat the cats with long-lasting flea killer.
Then vacuum throughout, more than once.
Finally treat the skirting and all sift gurnishing with a spray like Acclaim and re-treat as per instructions.
Is it qquick and easy? No , but it is not impossible.
You sound as though you have perfected the flea removal technique AL.
It is very difficult to treat cats with any kind of insecticide as they don't like it at all.
My cat picked them up from the tame fox in my garden who borrowed his garden bed.
I am not brave enough to deflea the fox.
Ellie,
Scuff the cat and apply spot on flea treatment. It can be done. Alternatively if you are not that brave, pay your vet to do it. 😉
I couldn't do that, Al. She trusts me. I've never done anything once to upset her. She would be shocked.
I think she has managed to get rid of many of the fleas herself. She grooms all the time. I have used steam cleaners everywhere and I think I have eliminated them.
The fox was scratching outside this morning waiting for his breakfast!
Another joke headline for today. It's this sort of nonsense that is causing the cataclysmic decline in rentals available.
I own the property. I will decide whether pets are allowed or not. Especailly when the government stops you taking a deposit to fix all the damage.
Annabel Berdy. "The so-called ‘Senior Advocacy & Government Relations Officer for Cats Protection’". Another 'charity' leach with another non-job. Milking the system...
Absolutely spot on. 100% agree.
The lefties don't seem to understand entitlement and affordability are two sides of the same coin.
If you can't afford or won't pay for your own property, where you can decide who or what lives with you, you must accept the property owner can decide for you.
I won't pay extra for an indoor swimming pool, basement gym or 5 car garage - so I have to accept that I live in a property without these.
Pet owners must accept life's realities just like everyone else and realise how their beloved pets can limit their choice of rental properties in a supplier's market. It's their choice and solely their responsibility.
What is it with people who want to have pets? All this entitlement that I want to look after another type of animal in my home. I don't see dogs having pets. Lions don't have dogs for pets. Goldfish don't have pets. Or snakes etc. So why do we? What is this obession of looking after another type of animal?? I like other animals and had pets as a kid. But It was always OUR PROPERTY to do it. Life can be tough. Sometimes you can't have everything you want. All these renters, 'charities' and politicians need to grow some backbone and accept that.
I kept three young humans as pets - very expensive and unbiddable especially in teenage years.
What's worse is they seemed to arrive spontaneously - big relief when they stopped arriving and eventually moved out and did the same themselves - now I am trying to train a whole new generation of human pets with the same limited success!
Well good luck to landlords trying to train tenants when they have more rights than THE OWNER! I fear they will be extremely militant and lazy going forward.
Good it's about time it was made illegal and it's it discriminates against prospective tenants and as for fleas not all pet owners keep there pets dirty.
You are very catty. I would class you as a cat and would not rent to you.
Pay me a pet rent Sandra and I won't discriminate
And not all tenants look after their pets or their home and their in lies the problem! Until ALL tenants are perfect expect LLs to try to choose the most perfect one!
The solution is simple. All prospective residents in the property, human or animal, should be reference checked. Any adverse history and it will count against your family unit. So a clean bill of historical health from a vet and pet behavioural reference from previous landlords would go a long way to helping reassure that the pet is a good one. Call it a pet rental passport and good tenants will actively seek one out. Can't supply it - I'll naturally assume your pet is a wrong 'un. Obviously the final decision should always rest with the asset owner, no ifs no buts.
I think us landlords should insist on giving the pet an interview. Perhaps some sort of aptitude test. The pet should also offer references in order to determine that they are of good character. If they pet can't offer satisfactory answers to the tests then they wouldn't be allowed.
That should be an amendment in the Renters Reform Bill.
What about -Freedom of Choice for us L lords. Human right to say no. Blumming ridiculous.
I see two points here. 1. If being a landlord was encouraged and incentivised allowing more competition so giving the tenants more choice with more landlords offering to be pet friendly. 2. If having a pet is so high up on your list of priorities then buy a house. With 95% mortgages and 50 year terms, if you really want to you can.
As a cat and dog owner and lover, I used to support Cats Protection, but if they can afford a ‘Senior Advocacy & Government Relations Officer' then they don't need my donations. Local charirties from now on.
As I have said previously I have been fortunate in that the four occasions when I permitted pets, only minor damage occurred in one property.
30 years ago after my mum died there was a collection. A few hundred pounds raised. My dad gave it to Macmillan. He went to meet them as some event. There were loads of salmon sandwiches there (was a lot more expensive back then). Lots of other expensive food. He made a comment about the quantity of nice food available. The 'charity' organisers were blase about it. Said there's plenty left. People that don't earn their own money don't appreciate it.
Local charities where you can see what your money is doing, and not being skimmed off
@ Nick VH - I spoke to someone recently who had worked for Macmillan and what they said reflected your experience - money spent on expensive hotels and fancy meetings with little to show for it and approx £200k salary for CEO on 2022
Catherine, a bit like Polly on £150k...
Charities, we know beyond any reasonable doubt that too many charities have a political agenda and tend to form alliances to further their doctrines. Charities are fast becoming the subject of public suspicion and should be exposed to far greater oversight and regulation.
Most of the big charities are based in London in expensive buildings and highly paid staff. They are too slick.
The only charity I support now is the MNDA - a genuine responsible charity with its headquarters in Northampton and staff paid average salaries. The monies they raise actually reaches the people suffering from that terrible condition Motor Neurone Disease.
I'm also very selective of any charities I support for the same reasons, I had a friend work for a big childrens charity, he could tell some tales of what went on there
We have a cat but only because we own our home and know that we can look after it and don't need someone else's permission. Tenants forget that they are RENTING a property and as such have no right to keep pets without the owners consent. If I was renting, I wouldn't have a pet. Simples. 👍
A Cat Charity indeed we house real people far more important where is our Charity Status ?. So instead of tax concessions we get to pay 40% / 45% even 60% for the bit in between, Penalties , a Repayment Order, a Criminal Record or even Jail.
I know a lady that had 2 un-allowed cats in a Private Benefit letting House that increased to 9, She worked part time for a large burger chain cleaning the tables she wasn’t very hygienic very off putting .
John Young, you are quite right buy your own I’ll be delighted for you and you’ll only have to pay half the Stamp Duty we pay, no need for a Licence, EPC, Right 2 Rent, How 2 Rent, ICO , fire risk assessment £220. fee approx, electric Certs, Gas Cert etc’ by the time they’ll have it paid for its not Cats will be worrying them .
I had tenants who weren't allowed pet's because the block of flats don't allow pets and because I'm allergic to animals with hair. I manage the property myself and do all the cleaning and decorating between tenancies. I'm not rich and only manage to get by so I was often on my hands and knees cleaning up other people's mess.
Unfortunately they had a cat that they removed from the flat during inspections. When they moved out I found that when I came the flat I came out in a rash and had breathing difficulties.
The cat had urinated in the same spot behind the TV on the laminate floor for a long period of time meaning the whole floor needed replacing. The same floor was in the lounge dinner and the entrance hall so I had to replace the whole lot. I struggled to get a joiner to do the work so had to wait 6 weeks for this to be done. The deposit no where near covered the cost of the replacement of the floor never mind the loss of rent, plus empty home council tax and bills over the period the property was empty.
It's still causing me problems to this day because due to divorce I now live in the flat and still suffer badly with asthma because the cat used to sit on the radiators and no matter how many times I try to clean the cat hairs from down the radiators it's impossible to get rid of them. Since they moved I've seen the cat on their Facebook and it's a very fluffy white cat that obviously loses a lot of hair.
The cats protection trust may love cat's, and to be fair I love animals but unfortunately they don't love me, so it's not fair to force me or other landlords to suffer long term health problems or financial losses due to other people choices in life. If you're not allowed animals in a rental and you want pet's then you should buy your own place. I don't force you (a tenant) or deceitfully lie putting you in a position that risks your health or finances. All I tried to do was provide you with a decent clean place to live.
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