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Lockdown has seen a boom in UK dog ownership, which has become a ‘pandemic puppy’ poo problem. Some people pick up the poo but leave the bag on the ground. Others just leave the poo to be trodden on.
Every day you see it and people are talking about it more and more. It is rising up the social agenda as a concerning topic of conversation and is becoming an issue across the UK. How long before councils take further action and letting your dog freely off the lead becomes a thing of the past like in some other countries.
When you break it down further; in 2021 there are 12 million dogs and the same number of cats in the UK. On average a dog deposits 340g of waste a day depending on the size of the dog. That equates approximately to 3,000 tonnes.
At Pets Lets we specialise in finding pet friendly rentals. We talk to landlords and agents as well as visit developments all the time. The topic of conversation is how landlords should be more open minded when renting to tenants with pets.
According to the is BBC News article, only 7% of landlords allow pets. It also refers to ‘renters being allowed to keep well-behaved pets’. In fact, nothing has changed. The law has suggested rather than enforced that landlords should consider pets.
The Pets Lets pet friendly property portal list properties that allow cats and dogs all the time. It is about landlords considering pets as dogs and cats vary in size and quantity. We come across pet owners all the time who are looking for rural unfurnished properties because they have more than four dogs, need the space and would prefer that their own furniture has ‘wear and tear’, rather than worrying about the landlords furniture. It is about giving landlords the ability to consider each case. Don’t say no to all pets. If the tenant has a small dog or a house cat then that is a different proposition to a pet owner with a number of pets.
People renting with pets do stay longer and do tend to be responsible as they appreciate the landlord allowing pets
More information about the properties mentioned in this blog is on Pets Lets a 100% pet friendly property portal where landlords consider pets.
The Best Pet Friendly Property Portals & Facebook Groups
Anyone coming to the UK and London with a pet, realises sooner or later, that finding rentals that allow pets is not easy. It is time consuming and a lot of landlords and estate agents say no to pets We are a pet loving nation, 50% of the population has a pet and lockdown witnessed a surge in people adopting pets, in particular puppies.
By 2025, it is estimated 40% of the UK population will be renting. In London alone that figure is set to increase to 60%. Currently 50% of the UK population has a pet. 30% of pet owners do not declare their pet(s) to their landlords. Hundreds of pets a year are returned to shelters because landlords say no. Refusing pet friendly accommodation has a negative effect on society.
In the UK, basically landlords are afraid of what they don’t know. A pet means damage to many and they hear horror stories. Unlike the other afore mentioned countries, a UK landlord cannot ask for a bigger deposit, add a request for pet insurance and a deep clean to be written into the tenancy agreement. Unlike their counterparts overseas, their hands are tied. Yet it is forecast that by 2025, 60% of the UK population will own a pet. With a younger ‘generation rent’, that is over half the available tenants. Something has to change. The recent suggestive approach by the UK government is not enough and it needs to be regulated.