Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals to prevent leasehold agreements from imposing blanket bans on pet ownership where similar restrictions would not be permitted under the Renters’ Rights Act.

The government recognises that pets can bring joy and comfort to their owners, as well as supporting their mental and physical wellbeing.

At present, the ability of a leaseholder to keep a pet will depend on the terms of their lease. Where a given lease restricts the keeping of pets, variation of the lease to enable leaseholders to have a pet may only be made by agreement with the freeholder.

The government is considering the rights of leaseholders to keep pets as part of its leasehold and commonhold reform agenda.