Britain is supposed to be a nation of animal lovers. However, this doesn't seem to apply to landlords who frequently specify ‘no pets’ in their listings. 

Due to a change of job, I am relocating and looking to rent a modest 3 bedroom house for myself, two daughters and two rescue cats in a Yorkshire town. When I search for houses in my price range there are about 50 possibilities. However, when I remove those that specify ‘no pets’ there are just 2. That's right, 95% of properties specify no pets. It is simply unreasonable that so many landlords should seek to control their tenants in this way. 

The mental health benefits of owning a pet are well known and it is wrong that landlords should seek to deny their tenants these benefits. All this, presumably, to protect their valuable bricks and mortar. However, all it takes is simply an assurance from the tenant that any ‘damage’ done by a pet is made good at the end of the tenancy. That said, in my experience pets do little or no damage, and certainly less than some children and no one suggests that landlords specify ‘no children’! 

I would like to request that a law is passed making it illegal for landlords to specify ‘no pets’ when putting a house up for rent.