TV presenter pleads for more landlords to take pets

TV personality and landlord Jasmine Harman is appealing for more rental properties to accept dogs.

She has joined forces with welfare charity Dogs Trust to launch an ‘Ask, Advertise, Add’ campaign directed at letting agents.

With one in five homes predicted to be privately rented by 2016, and almost half the population owning a pet, it is clear that the demand for pet-friendly homes is high, says the charity.

Yet still Dogs Trust has found that one in three pet owners do not manage to find rental homes with their pets, despite the fact that over 70% of landlords say they would consider accepting pets.
 
The Lets with Pets Scheme was set up in 2009 to help tenants who struggle to find pet-friendly rented homes. The scheme helps pet owners find privately rented homes by working with letting agencies and private landlords.
 
The ‘Ask, Advertise, Add’ drive is aimed specifically at lettings agencies to encourage them to always ask if their landlords are happy to take a ‘pets considered’ approach.

It suggests they ask all their landlords if they would consider pets; advertise properties where pets will be considered; and add a pet clause to tenancy agreements where a pet has been agreed.
 
Jasmine Harman, pictured here with Shadow, said: “As a pet-friendly landlord myself, I am delighted that Dogs Trust is looking after the interests of renters with pets.

“In my experience, many landlords would be happy to consider pets but lettings agencies have sometimes been slow to pick up on this and some could do more to find out if pets would be considered.”

Susie Jones at Dogs Trust said: “We know from experience that some people will go to extraordinary lengths not to be parted from their pets. People have moved areas or rented larger homes than they need simply to keep their pets with them.

“We hope that the Lets with Pets 3A’s campaign will encourage and support more landlords and letting agencies to take up a ‘pets considered’ approach to letting their properties.”