How To Find Rentals That Allow Dogs In The UK

If you’re relocating to the UK from the US with a dog, finding a property rental that allows dogs is undoubtedly at the top of the moving list. And most likely cause of a lot of stress, too! Between finding a school for your American kids and where to live that will allow a dog, you might reconsider moving abroad altogether. Although I managed to find a dog-friendly rental in England entirely on luck, thankfully you don’t have to.

In this post, I’ve collaborated with Pets Lets to answer questions I regularly receive from Americans moving to the UK who need help on how to find a dog-friendly house or apartment.

And for Americans looking to hire a realtor to manage their dog-friendly rental search, how Pets Lets can help.

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means I may make a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking a link but costs you nothing more). Read here for the full disclosure policy.

How to move to the UK with a dog

Before getting too far into the dog-friendly property search, be sure you’re entirely up to speed on the government regulations for a dog to enter the UK from the US. Although I’ve summarized the steps to relocate your dog to the UK, be sure to check the official USDA and GOV.UK site for the most current pet travel requirements.

Moving our large dog to England was a tremendous amount of research, paperwork, consultations, and veterinary visits. While we managed the entire dog relocation process from Houston to London on our own instead of hiring an international pet shipper, it was no short of a herculean effort. For more on managing an entire dog move, Download the Dog Relocation Checklist.

Steps need to be timed just right to avoid a vaccination redo so do your homework on dog relocation as soon as you know you’re moving to England.

Couple the dog relocation paperwork with the dog-friendly house hunt near London, and I certainly recall a few tears.

Needless to say, Pets Lets can help with the dog-friendly property search so you can focus on the rest of your moving abroad checklist.

What you need to know about UK property listings and pets

If you’re questioning whether or not dogs are even allowed in UK rentals, you’re not alone. This is a question I’m asked regularly by American expats and here is why.

In the USA rental properties typically include in the advertising whether or not a pet is allowed. USA rental property listings go so far as to include what type of pets are allowed, and most clearly define whether dogs are allowed or not. Listings include whether or not an additional security deposit or other non-refundable fee is required if you plan to include a dog.

In the UK, rental property listings generally exclude a reference to pets. According to gov.uk, only 7% of private landlords advertise pet-friendly properties. With the additional timezone complexity Americans have contacting property agents in England, this lack of advertising makes it more time-intensive and difficult to secure a rental.

So, yes, pets are allowed in UK rentals but you have to directly inquire to find out on your own.

There is no easy way to find if dogs are allowed on Rightmove

In addition to the lack of pet information on UK property listings, rentals, in general, are in massive shortage in Great Britain. This is an issue for pet and non-pet owners, resulting in an even reduced housing supply for renters with dogs.

The mission behind Pets Lets is founded upon the national shortage of rentals for pet owners. The co-founder of Pets Lets, Russell, inherited 3 dogs from other owners after UK landlords refused to allow them.

To further complicate the supply and demand UK rental issue:

• According to the World Animal Foundation, in 2023 13 million UK households (or 34%) own a dog as a pet.
• Labrador Retrievers are the 2nd most popular dog breed in the UK, requiring more space than smaller dogs.
• There are nearly as many dogs as there are children in the UK (12.7 million kids under 16)!
• And although London is entirely known for being incredibly dog-friendly, Pets Lets reports there are only about 10% of London landlords that are pet-friendly.

With lack of transparent property listings and a massive shortage of dog-friendly rentals in the UK, it’s easy to understand why Americans wonder if pets are allowed at all.

Zoopla doesn’t offer a filter for dog-friendly

What the UK Standard Tenancy Agreement really means

For Americans moving to England, there may be a lack of awareness of the standard tenancy agreement which UK landlords are urged to adopt. This new standard tenancy agreement released in January 2021 is meant to improve landlords’ immediate denial of pets.

Instead of banning pets from UK rentals, landlords are meant to accept pets by default. And in the event the landlord is not accepting, the landlord must inform in writing within 28 days why the pet isn’t suitable for the rental.

While on the surface the 2021 standard tenancy agreement might seem to have made finding a pet-friendly property far easier and in favor of tenants, the dog-friendly rental search still remains a problem. Here’s what you need to know:

• This agreement released by the government is an encouragement only and not a mandate. This means that landlords do NOT have to adopt the new tenancy agreement but are only urged to.
• Property advertising of dog-friendly rentals has not changed, therefore not improving the process or time it takes to find a landlord accepting of your pooch.
• Although a UK landlord needs to accept the dog by default, the landlord can still deny the dog on the basis of a valid claim, such as property size relative to the dog, lack of a garden nearby, etc.

Pets Lets – a solution to finding your UK dog-friendly home

With the dog owners to dog-friendly rental ratio at best 10:1 and a tenancy agreement that offers little in the way of tenants, it is easy to see why finding a property is hard. Rather than question if you should bring the pooch from USA to UK (taking our dog was the best decision!), here’s how Pets Lets can help.

Mission

Provide a solution for pet owners to find pet-friendly properties so they don’t have to leave their pet behind. Pets Lets is focused on accomplishing this via its easy-to-use pet property portal, network of pet services, and growing online community of pet owners, landlords, and services.

Russell is on a mission to help dog owners change the negative stigma landlords have that all dogs aren’t well-behaved. With a landlord mindset shift and evidence (see CV below), more landlords will advertise pet-friendly properties in the UK. With 20+ years in the London real estate industry and 3 dogs of his own, Russell is in a position to do just that.

Services

While Pets Lets offers many services for pet owners, the primary three for pet owners include the Pet Portal Database, Relocation Services, and Information Hub.

Pet Portal Database

Pets Lets primary service is the pet portal database. You can search for long lets (more than 6 months), short lets (1-6 months), holiday lets (1-7 days), and even pub rooms for a 1-2 day stay.

It costs nothing to create a Pets Lets account. As soon as you have an account, you can freely start your search for a pet-friendly property in the UK. Costs only come into play if you book a property.

Proof of funds is also required to execute a property lease, particularly if you are moving to England unemployed. Proof of funds can be in the form of savers (savings accounts) or bank statements. Landlords need to know you can pay the rent.

With no established credit for Americans moving to the UK, you’re expected to provide financial evidence you can pay, and an employer’s letter stating position, salary, and length of time with the company is preferred. An employer letter template is in the Moving To England Workbook.

To start your dog-friendly property search for moving to the UK, click Pet Portal Database.

Gorgeous Pets Lets property near Buckingham palace that allows dogs

Relocation Service

For Americans moving to the UK who need a realtor connected in London and nearby counties, Pets Lets can service the entire dog-friendly property search.

Relocation service starts with a call to go over needs, your budget, when you think you’ll move from the US to UK, schools you’re considering, and Pets Lets starts working the rest.

Since Russell is connected with UK realtors, sourcing a dog-friendly home for you in the UK goes beyond what’s available in the online pet portal.

To book a call with Pets Lets to manage your relocation needs, click Pets Lets Relocation Service.

Information Hub

For resources and answers to all your pet questions, use the Information Hub.

New expats and Americans in England can find resources such as how to fly their dog to London or even how to buy a property in the UK with pets.

To find an abundance of information to help with your dog-friendly property search in England, click Information Hub.

Pet Community

To connect with other pet owners and pet services in the UK, request to join the Pets & Property Tips Facebook group.

You might not only find Pets Lets testimonials, special pet services, and group Q&A but also make a friend or two after moving to the UK. How paw-some is that! (Sorry, couldn’t help myself.)

American Testimonial About Pets Lets

Just a quick shout-out to Pets Lets who are helping us relocate from California. They are wonderful. I highly recommend engaging Pets Lets’ relocation service if you need help wading through the options and positioning yourself for success. Thank you.

Find more reviews about Pets Lets at the bottom of the Pets Lets home page.

Best tip for securing a UK rental that allows dogs

So what do you do to secure a rental in the UK once you find one you like?

Aside from the obvious be first, fast, and offer more money approach, the best tip to secure a landlord’s approval to allow a dog is the CV.

Dog CV is essential for securing a rental Britain

In the USA, a CV, or resume, is typically used for a human seeking a job. Unless the dog is trying out for a commercial, movie, or other Hollywood position, most Americans will chuckle at the idea of a dog resume.

But in the UK, a stellar CV for a dog is an absolute must. And it can’t be just any CV. In the UK a landlord needs a polished one. Here’s what a dog CV in the UK requires if you want a landlord to say yes!

Stellar dog resume example for a UK landlord

What to include on your dog’s CV for renting a property in the UK:

• Photo
• Short Description (include personality)
• Sex, Weight, Breed, Age
• References
• Certifications and/or Trainings
• Experiences
• Status of: Vaccinations, Toilet Trained, Neutered/Spade, Insurance, Microchipped, UK travel compliance/pet passport, etc.
• Testimonials
• 1-page

The dog’s CV should look nice and professionally done, accompanied by a prior landlord’s reference.

According to Pets Lets, a CV that looks like this, in conjunction with a landlord’s written reference (official letterhead helps) will win a new landlord over every time.

CV example that includes multiple pets

Where a CV that is missing testimonials and other critical information that the landlord will want to see, may result in a no.

And certainly, an interested renter who offers no dog CV at all but requests the property to allow a dog will get completely overlooked.

If you need help pulling together a CV for your dog, Pets Lets can help with that too.

Final Tips On How to Find UK Rentals That Allow Dogs

Moving your family overseas is hard. Throw a dog into the relocation mix and it can feel exponentially harder. But despite the moving challenges that come with taking a dog to the UK, don’t leave your pooch behind.

Even though we managed the dog relocation process on our own, and it was so much work, I’d do it a thousand times over again. The UK is dog country. The British culture absolutely includes taking your dog for a park walk, to the pub, and everything in between.

Although the low housing shortage in Britain for dog-friendly properties might deter you, you will find a place. And you’ll be so grateful you have your dog with you once you’ve arrived in the UK. There is nothing more comforting after completing your moving checklist than snuggling with your furry friend.

Finding a lovely British house that allows dogs is easier now with Pets Lets

So as hard as finding a new home may seem right now, it’s beyond worth it. And with Pets Lets, there are resources now that didn’t exist when I moved in 2017 that make property searches from the USA easier, viewing easier, and the whole relocation with a dog easier.

With as many things as you have to do on your moving checklist, engaging Pets Lets to rely on your dog-friendly property search isn’t only smart but will solve other pet solutions once you’re settling into England, too.

Still have questions on UK rentals that allow dogs?  Let me know in the comments or contact Pets Lets today!

Moving to England with a dog? Use these:

• How to Move A Dog To The UK (costs, too!)
• 7 Tips For Traveling In London With A Dog
• Download the Dog Relocation Checklist

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