I need your help to stop landlords from dictating if tenants can have pets!

With the corona virus claiming many jobs and therefore homes, there is an increase in demand for rental properties. Council properties are low in supply and it can take an incredibly long time to access one, leaving private rental as the only option for many families who are in a very tricky and stressful situation. 

The private rental market is lead by many hard working individuals who are fortunate enough to own more than one property. Many private rental landlords make specific demands or state requirements for their tenants, the law has been adapted to state that landlords cannot dictate whether a rental applicant is in receipt of benefits or not and has also stated that they are not able to refuse an application for pet ownership without a proper reason, I.E flats, no enclosed outdoor area for a dog. 

Unfortunately with the demand for rental properties increasing, it appears that landlords feel they are in a position to bypass these rules with loopholes in the law. I want the law to change entirely so that families with pets such as dogs and cats are able to move in without having the added stress, worry and heartbreak of having to rehouse their beloved family member. 

I have 2 dogs, lulu an 8 year old boxer and Rocket a 12 year old staff x. We have had them both from puppies. Rocket is reactive and struggles with other dogs, I have loved her for 12 years, lulu is my 8 year old sons best friend in the whole world. He was 16 weeks old and she was 8 weeks old when we got her, she slept in his shoulder - no larger than the palm of my hand - most days, she loves him, protects him, listens to his fears and his joys, supports him when he needs a cuddle, takes care of him and plays with him, they are inseperable. 

If my husband was to lose his job, we would lose our house, our home, our memories our sanctuary, my sons sanctuary. Currently we would have to move into a rented property majority of which don't accept animals despite being perfectly appropriate for them. We would have to then explain to our 8 year old that we have to lose our home, move away from his friends and he'd also be having to say goodbye to his best friend in the whole world and he'd never see her again.

With the covid puppy boom and people beginning to go back to work, dog rescue centres are already overwhelmed, many with young dogs who are snapped up quite quickly, however, older fury family members (pets) are overlooked and left to see out their days in a concrete kennel. The average life of a boxer is 10 years so my sons best friend only has 2 years left if he's lucky, who's going to rehome a dog for 2 years? Rocket is reactive, doesn't like other dogs and can be a little temperamental with people... she is MY best friend in the whole world, she's so skittish she wouldn't meet rehoming standards and would be destroyed. 

Families in this position don't need the added extra stress, heartbreak and devastation of having to say goodbye to other members of their family, because landlords are allowed to refuse people homes because of pets. Pets are family. You wouldn't ask me to leave my son behind because he's likely to draw on the walls or be sick on the carpet, why would you ask me to leave my other family behind?

I need your help in gaining traction on this, to get it into parliament to be considered, I need every single pet owner to sign it and get it moving. You never know what the future holds, would you want to have to send your pet away if you found yourself needing a rental property?  This can't continue and something needs to change!

The landlords don't have to miss out. I appreciate where they are coming from, urine on the carpet is awful and chewed door frames are inconvenient, however, there can be supoort for the landlords too, more regular inspections of the property, damage repairs at the tenants cost before the end of tenancy, bond retention at the end of tenancy.

Why is it that only the landlords get all the support and to be able to call the shots when families are losing everything and are in need? Pets are family, whether it's a snake, tortoise, gold fish, cat or dog.. If it isn't a flat without a garden or access to a garden then pets should be allowed. It's really simple.