Landlords are in the dog-house with a charity which claims that three in four do not allow pets into properties.

Growing demand for rented homes has led to a rise in the numbers of pets being abandoned or handed over to charities to re-home, said the Dogs Trust.

The charity wants landlords to be more open to allowing tenants to keep dogs.

The Association of Residential Letting Agents (Arla) said it was "broadly supportive" of the Trust but it would struggle to change attitudes.

"Pet owners who need to rent privately are being forced to live in unsuitable properties, or rent with their pets without consent from their landlord," said Dogs Trust chief executive Clarissa Baldwin.

Leading issues

Staff at the Dogs Trust in Leeds said the waiting list had grown from 75 to 640 in six months.

They highlighted the cost of keeping a dog when household spending was being tightened.

The charity also said that housing issues were among the main reasons why dogs were handed in, alongside pets' behavioural problems.

Dogs are banned from many rental properties, the group says


The charity claimed one couple, living in the Outer Hebrides, had to move islands to find somewhere to live with their Border Collies.

In the survey of 1,400 pet owners by the Dogs Trust, nearly eight in ten said they had difficulty finding accommodation that allowed pets.The charity is now launching a campaign to encourage landlords to accept pets and is offering tips to tenants, such as getting a pet reference from former landlords.

Malcolm Harrison, spokesman for Arla, said some landlords had their hands tied by rules that banned pets from entire developments.

Others were reluctant to allow animals in their properties owing to cleaning costs, and consideration of allergies that subsequent tenants might suffer.

He added that the group was broadly supportive of the charity's stance, but it would struggle to change attitudes during a period of high demand.

The rental sector usually sees rising demand as house prices fall, with potential homeowners delaying their move into the market.

News Link BBC NEWS | Business | Struggling to find a dog's house

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Must say, after a recent experience I won't be letting the house I have available for rent again with a "pets allowed" tenancy agreement, not even with the best references.

I think this is awful for tennants with dogs, it's got to be so worrying.

We bought a house with the intention of renting it out and when we advertised it we were innundated with people because we were willing to let them have pets. Some told us that some landlords had agreed in the end but then hiked the rent up to compensate for the damage the pets might do

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Paula
Grifdegalles

I've recently finished a clean up on one of two houses we own that were purchased as 'nest eggs' for our children.

I won't be letting to folk that have animals again, not after the mess that got left behind it was discusting

But one persons mistake , makes it worse for others not all pet owners are like this , some have respect for other peoples property this sort of atitude is whats the matter with most landlords , just one bad mistake from one doesn't automaticly say the other will do the same

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I understand what you are saying but having to spend the kind of money we just have clearing up the house to get it right hasn't exactly been my idea of fun, seeing your childrens nest eggs trashed isn't either. I'm not saying all animal owners are the same, infact I know they are not - it's just a chance I'm no longer willing to take with the properties we own

We were lucky then as our fella was great, the one thing that did worry me though was if he left his dog and did a moonlight flit, i was just worried the dog would be shut in the house, dunno why because he was a great fella and we were sorry to see him leave.

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Paula
Grifdegalles

years ago, when i used to rent, my landlord, great guy, used to call round regularly. He was fine with me having dogs, but said he felt calling round more often would give him peace of mind. It worked for me and him, i rented from him for two years and i still see him on occasion. I realise how relieved i was when i bought my own house! I wasnt terrified of every little bit of damage... (usually chewing) that they did. ..... Mind you, if crate training was as common then i dont think i would have been so stressed. my pup and i both love crates!

I live in a privately rented 3 bed house up untill we got Daisy last year i only had a rabbit and she is in the garden , i am very house proud and although the grass isnt great any more after we leave it will recover , my landlords agent visits the house yearly to check it over ive been living here for 9 years i have re decorated and carpeted every room , the condition the house was in when i moved in was awfull as there had been a large family with lots of kids in it before me , the kitchen was so bad it took me 3 days to clean a day alone on the cooker . when my alndlord visited a year ago to see the new kitchen he had paid for he could not belive it was the same house he does not live in brum so has only been in the house a few times his agent looks after it , The agent always comments on how nice it looks and even took picures to e-mail the owner . As a tenant i am aware that ultimately the house isnt mine but as ive been here so long it kind of feels like it is and as such i look after it , it is our home even if its not our house . When we eventually leave hopefully next year i will leave carpets ect and the house will be in a much better state than it was when i arrived , the only affect of having dogs will be a slightly patchy lawn lol .

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