The new rental rules in England were designed to make the market fairer for tenants. But in competitive areas, they may also have made securing the property you want more complicated.

This is not only backed up by our experiences but also in this recent Telegraph article.

Since 1 May 2026, landlords and letting agents in England cannot invite, encourage or accept an offer above the advertised rent. So, if a property is advertised at £2,500 per month, £2,500 is effectively the ceiling.

No more offering £2,600 to jump ahead of the competition. Sounds good for tenants. But there is another side to it.

If everyone offers the same rent, how does a landlord choose?

This is where the rental market has changed.

A good property in London or another competitive market can attract dozens of enquiries very quickly. Several applicants may view it, like it and offer the full asking rent.

Previously, one tenant might have tried to secure the property by offering more money.

That option has gone.

The landlord is therefore comparing the strength of the applicants rather than simply the strength of their offers.

That can put even more emphasis on:

Affordability and income
Employment and financial stability
Referencing
Credit history
Guarantors, where relevant
Proposed move-in date
Length and suitability of the tenancy
How organised and prepared the applicant appears

In other words, you may not be able to offer more money, but you can still present a stronger application.

My Own Recent Landlord Experience

I recently had to choose between two excellent tenants. It became a classic case of head over heart.

One application was from two young women heading to university, with their parents acting as UK guarantors. The other was a young professional with an impeccable credit history.

If I’m honest, my heart wanted to say yes to the students.

But after speaking to other landlords, the advice was unanimous: with the new rental laws, you simply can’t afford to take the greater financial risk.

I chose the stronger financial application.

That, for me, sums up today’s rental market. The best tenant on paper isn’t always the one you most want to help.

It can be even trickier if you have a pet

For tenants renting with pets there is another layer.

The Renters’ Rights Act gives tenants stronger rights around requesting a pet, and a landlord cannot unreasonably refuse a request.

However, that doesn’t mean every property automatically has to accept every pet.

There may be restrictions within the building or head lease, and landlords still need to consider the suitability of the property and the individual application.

If a landlord has several applicants offering exactly the same rent, a pet owner needs to make the rest of their application as straightforward and reassuring as possible.

A good Pet CV, clear information about your pet and addressing the pet question early can all help.

Trying to hide the pet until later is unlikely to be the best way to start a relationship with a new landlord.

Overseas tenants can face another challenge

We see this particularly with people relocating to the UK.

In the past, some overseas tenants without a UK credit history or conventional UK income could strengthen an offer through rent in advance.

The new rules restrict that option too.

That means referencing, proof of income or savings, visas, Right to Rent documentation and the overall presentation of the application become even more important.

You don’t want to discover a referencing problem after you’ve finally found the property you want.

That is why we set up our Rental Approval Service to help people who have already secured a property or even want their finances vetted by us first, so they can have a stress free rental process.

“I worked with Russell on referencing, and he has been an indispensable support, I could not have navigated the process without him. More than that, Russell went above and beyond the task at hand to ensure my interests in the property were protected. He is a true professional with high-calibre negotiation skills and market insights. From my experience, Russell is the ultimate local property advisor for anyone planning a move to the UK.”

Google review from a Rental Approval Service client

The asking price is now only part of the offer

This is perhaps the biggest change tenants need to understand.

Offering the asking rent doesn’t necessarily mean you have made the strongest offer.

If five applicants all offer the advertised rent, the landlord still has to choose between them.

That decision may increasingly come down to which applicant looks financially secure, well prepared and most likely to make a reliable tenant.

For pet owners, add a well-presented and suitable pet to that list.

Preparation matters more than ever

The rental reforms have removed some of the financial advantages that tenants previously used to compete.

That’s a positive change in many respects. Nobody wants to see tenants pushed into an auction just to secure somewhere to live. But it doesn’t remove competition.

It changes what tenants are competing on.

In a fast-moving rental market, particularly in London and other high-demand areas, having your finances, referencing documents and pet information ready before you start viewing could now make the difference between getting the property and hearing those frustrating words:

“The landlord has decided to proceed with another applicant.”

At Pets Lets, we help tenants, with or without pets, understand their position before making an offer, identify potential referencing issues and put forward the strongest application possible.

Because finding the property is only half the battle.

You still have to secure it.

Call to Action

If you’re navigating the UK rental market with a pet—or thinking about it—take a look at:

👉 https://www.sayyestopets.co.uk/

Get the right advice early, and you’ll put yourself in a completely different position when it matters most.

About the Author – Russell Hunt

Pets Lets Expert Insight

This article was written by Russell Hunt, co-founder of Pets Lets, a specialist service helping tenants secure pet-friendly property to rent in London and across the UK.

With more than 30 years of experience in the London property market, Russell works with tenants, landlords and estate agents to make renting with pets possible in practice, not just in theory. His work focuses on helping pet owners present strong applications, prepare properly for competitive markets, and navigate landlord concerns around pets.

Through Pets Lets, Russell supports UK tenants with pets as well as educates landlords with UK properties on the benefits of dog friendly rentals and cat friendly rentals in London and across the UK.

Russell also runs the community “Relocating to the UK with Pets”, helping thousands of members understand the realities of travelling to the UK with pets.

Learn more about pet-friendly renting advice and services at Pets Lets

For further guidance on renting with pets, visit Dogs Trust’s Lets with Pets