Landlords are being urged to allow more of their tenants to own a cat in rented accommodation, with benefits for both humans and felines.
Cats Protection, the UK’s leading cat welfare charity, has launched ‘Purrfect Landlords’, encouraging property owners to see the plus points of allowing cats to share rented accommodation with their human slaves.
The charity would like the number of private landlords allowing cats to grow from the current figure of 13% – only a further 29% have a tenancy allowing pets of any kind. Helping their cause is research from early in 2018 from Your Move that found that 28% of private rental sector tenants were willing to pay an average of £24 extra per month so they can have a pet.
Many landlords ban pets from their properties for reasons including the damage and extra maintenance work they could potentially cause. However, pet-free tenants could be equally as likely to cause damage in rental properties.
Pets+homes=happy tenants=happy landlords?
With cats in a home – and pets in general – making for happier tenants, Cats Protection has launched a campaign called ‘Purrfect Landlords’ that offers advice and flags up the benefits of pet ownership for landlords and tenants.
“The benefit of happy tenants is obvious: they’re more likely to stay for longer and value the home they’re renting,” says the charity. It suggests owners write a ‘pet CV’, and that tenancy contracts include clauses that cats be neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.
Cats Protection spokesperson Jacqui Cuff said, “The reality is that cats very rarely cause problems for landlords.
In actual fact, many cat owners tell us that having a cat is what makes their house a home and helps them put down roots and value the home they’re living in.
“We want more landlords to have responsible pet policies. This includes limiting the number of pets to two and having them microchipped and neutered.”
The good news for those looking for somewhere that will allow their furry friends to live with them is that there are specialist portals, such as Lets With Pets, that help renters with pets find accommodation.
