GUIDANCE for tenants and landlords around keeping pets in rental properties has been published.
Tenants should be allowed to keep pets unless there are “reasonable” justifications against this, according to the non-binding document.
Landlords are also encouraged to introduce a “pet clause” in any rental agreements.
The newly published code of conduct follows a vote in the States Assembly last year. Deputy David Warr successfully amended a proposal brought by Deputy Catherine Curtis in November to request officers put together “guidance” rather than legislative changes around allowing or banning pets from rental properties.
The seven-page document is “based on the principle that tenants should be able to enjoy the same ability as homeowners to keep pets in their rental property, balanced against the right of landlords to expect that pet ownership by a tenant does not contravene their own obligations or adversely affect their property”.
The non-legislative framework said any requests to have pets in a property should be made before any animals are bought, and made in the form of a written request, which should include information about the animal, its history and any references to if the pet was previously housed in a rental property.
Tenants should consider whether the rental property they are applying for is suitable for pets, according to the advice.
If a landlord agrees to a pet in their property, the guidance recommends a “pet clause” including details of pet-related damages, insurance, additional deposits and professional cleaning.
Conditions imposed by landlords “should be proportionate to the type of pet”, the guidance states.
