Rented sector reform: landlord and tenant engagement questionnaire - analysis report

6: Keeping a pet

The Scottish Government is looking at changes that would introduce the right to request to keep a pet and to not be unreasonably refused for tenants with:

• a private residential tenancy under the 2016 Act (those whose tenancy began on or after 1 December 2017); and
• for social rented sector tenants with a Scottish Secure Tenancy or a Short Scottish Secure Tenancy under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

There would be clarity about what types of animals would be considered pets.

Private and social tenants would need to make a written request to their landlord to keep a pet. Landlords would only be able to refuse a request where it was reasonable to do so and would be required to give reasons for any refusal of permission. Landlords would also be able set out conditions for any approval but only where the conditions are reasonable.

Question 26 – Do you agree that private tenants should have a right to request and not be unreasonably refused to keep a pet?

Responses to Question 26 by respondent type are set out in Table 24 below.

A majority of respondents, 63% of those answering the question, agreed that private tenants should have a right to request to keep a pet and should not be unreasonably refused. The remaining 37% disagreed.

A substantial majority of PRS and SRS tenants, SRS landlord organisations and those in the ‘None of the above’ and ‘None selected’ groups supported the introduction of the right, ranging from 86% to 100%. A majority of PRS and SRS tenant organisations also agreed with the proposal, at 54% and 75% respectively.

However, a majority of PRS landlords, PRS landlord organisations and SRS landlords disagreed, at 75%, 68% and 63% respectively.

Question 27 – How long should private landlords have to respond to a request to keep a pet?

Responses to Question 27 by respondent type are set out in Table 25 below.

A majority of respondents, 62% of those answering the question, thought private landlords should have 20 working days to respond to a request to keep a pet. Of the remaining respondents, 23% favoured 30 working days, 4% favoured 40 working days and 11% more than 40 working days.

A substantial majority of PRS and SRS tenants, and those in the ‘None of the above’ and ‘None selected’ groups, chose the 20 working days option, with support ranging from 94% to 99%. Although in a minority, the 20 working days option was also supported by some of those in other groups. For example, 24% of PRS landlords and 36% of SRS landlords selected 20 working days.

Those favouring the 30 working days option included small majorities from the PRS landlord organisation and PRS tenant organisations, at 51% and 62% respectively. The 30 working days option was also supported by 47% of PRS landlords and 40% of SRS landlords.

Although the overall level of support was not high, 22% of PRS landlords and 19% of SRS landlords thought that landlords should have more than 40 working days to respond to a request to keep a pet.