Can you get kicked out for having a pet?
Emma Jordan
Published Mar 11, 2026
The Tenants Union believes that you cannot be evicted unless your landlord can prove your pet is causing a nuisance, damaging the property or endangering the safety of neighbours. Your landlord, however, may give you a Notice to Vacate for simply having a pet.
Can tenants keep pets?
The Model Tenancy Agreement wording says pets are allowed by default if a tenant makes a written request to keep one. Landlords can still stop tenants from keeping pets but must offer a reasonable excuse for refusal in writing within 28 days of the tenant’s request.
How do landlords handle pets?
How to Address Pets in Your Rental Lease
- Pet rent amount.
- Pet deposit amount.
- Nonrefundable pet fee.
- Require renters insurance in your lease. This will provide your tenants coverage in case of theft, a fire, or even a dog bite on the property.
- Customize your rental lease rules so you mention: Picking up after your pet.
What can my landlord do if I have a dog?
If your tenants have pets without permission, you can bring eviction proceedings using a Section 8 notice, under the Housing Act 1988, for breach of the tenancy agreement – but a judge may reject your case if your wish to restrict pets is deemed unfair.
How can I hide my pet in my apartment?
If you want to hide your pet from your landlord, always cover up any evidence (odor, hair). Vacuum your house thoroughly, including the couches, curtains, and the rugs/carpets. Regularly make use of scented candles, room sprays to mask the pet smell. A portable air purifier can help in eliminating the pet odor.
Why don t landlords want pets?
The main reason is that tenants sometimes misinterpret the regulation and bypass the no-pet policy. An emotional support animal isn’t considered a pet, so a landlord can’t charge any fees or pet deposits. Landlords know that getting a medical prescription from a psychiatrist isn’t hard.
Why landlords don’t want pets?
Can a landlord refuse an assistance dog?
However, the Equality Act 2010 gives disabled people (including assistance dog owners) essential rights, making it unlawful for landlords or agents to refuse a prospective tenant with an assistance dog on the grounds ‘no pets allowed’.
What happens if you have a pet in a rental?
Most landlords are willing to work with their tenants, even if you do break the lease, but some landlords won’t. If you’re caught sneaking in a pet, your landlord may have the right to evict you. If you’re evicted, your landlord may sue you for the remainder of your lease payment.
How can I hide my pet from my landlord?
How do I get around my landlord not allowing pets?
But despair not—there are some tips and tricks for getting a pooch into what might otherwise be stringently pup-free pad:
- PUT YOUR BEST PAW FORWARD. “Everything in life is about who you know, like and trust,” Karten says.
- GO FETCH (AN EXTRA DEPOSIT)
- TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS.
- UNDERHANDED TACTICS.
- LANDLORD’S BEST FRIEND.
What is classed as an assistance dog?
Assistance dogs are trained to support people with disabilities and medical conditions in a variety of ways. From guide dogs to medical alert dogs, from autism dogs to hearing dogs, assistance dogs change, and often save, the lives of their owners and their families.
Can a landlord deny an emotional support animal Florida?
Florida’s laws prohibit housing providers from discriminating against tenants with a need for an emotional support animal. ESA owners are allowed to live with their animal companions as “reasonable accommodation”, even in buildings that generally prohibit pets.
How can I hide my pet in inspection?
5) Disguise Your Pet For pets like a lizard or a mouse, you can surely place them in their pen and keep them in the store’s dark cupboard during inspection time. Be sure your pet is not afraid of a dark environment as they make some sounds and expose you.
Does maintenance know if you have pets?
It may seem easy to sneak in a pet since the apartment managers aren’t in the apartments, but as soon as a maintenance tech is needed, they’ll be sure to be the first to notice that there is a pet. The maintenance techs often get to know individual tenants, since they spend time in their apartments doing repairs.
Can landlords charge extra rent for pets?
The ban on allowing landlords and letting agents to take an extra deposit from tenants to cover the cost of a pet has resulted in landlords upping their rent charges – as it is now the only legal way for them to cover the potential additional cost of pets.
How do I sign my dog up for emotional support?
The only legitimate way to qualify your dog as an Emotional Support Animal is by obtaining a recommendation letter from a licensed mental health professional. If you do not have a therapist or are having trouble finding one, you can connect with a mental health professional through an online platform.
Can any dog be a therapy dog?
Step 1: A certified therapy dog must be a friendly dog. Any mix or breed can be trained to provide comfort and affection to people in hospitals, retirement homes, schools, mental health institutions, airports, and many other settings. Dogs must be at least one year old to become a therapy dog.
