Long Eaton-based pets charity slams House of Lords renters bill meddling

A spokesperson for local pets charity AdvoCATS has described finds the reasoning of the House of Lords baffling after it voted for two diametrically opposed amendments to the Renters Rights Bill recently.

The first – a government sponsored move to scrap the provision for landlords to require pet damage insurance - was initially blamed on affordability and then on a market deemed not ready for such policies “at scale.” 

AdvoCATs founder Jen Berezai said: “Let’s debunk that second reason straight away. “No one within the specialist insurance market inside the private rental sector was consulted about their readiness. There are products in development now, both for landlords and for tenants. The bill’s implementation period would have allowed for further policies to be brought to market. There’s been a lot of behind-the-scenes preparation by the industry in anticipation of the Renters Rights Bill becoming law, and this last-minute amendment has left them, and us, stupefied.

“As for the monetary angle, the sums simply don’t add up,” adds Berezai. “Pet damage insurance for tenants starts from as little as £2 a month with £3k’s worth of cover. That’s £24 a year, slightly under the average monthly rent per pet that many landlords who currently allow pets charge. A landlord policy costs much the same for £5k cover, so both options are extremely purse-friendly.”

In what has been described as a moment of irony by Jen, the second amendment voted on by the peers seems completely at odds with any budgetary concerns they may claim to hold – the introduction of a separate pet deposit of three week’s rent. 

Jen claimed: “This is nonsensical. The average rent in England is £270 a week, which means pet owning tenants would need to find around £810 extra deposit up front, a huge additional expense. It’s also geographically disproportionate, why should someone, in say the Home Counties, have to pay significantly more pet deposit than someone here in the East Midlands? Rent itself is subject to market forces, a pet deposit shouldn’t be.”

"Whilst the insurance amendment was proposed by the Government, the pet deposit one was not and many feel as such, it will not make it through the protracted process between the two chambers that pre-empts any new legislation. Moreover, the Government has stated the insurance issue will be kept under review. “That’s one glimmer of hope on the horizon” 

Jen added: “We intend to give them plenty to review after the summer recess. Pet damage insurance is favoured by landlords and tenants alike, giving the former more financial cover and being financially viable for the latter. We can only hope common sense will ultimately prevail.”

AdvoCATS’ Heads for Tails! campaign calling for landlords to be able to require pet damage insurance, was launched in 2021 and was endorsed by over 80 MPs, peers, the private rental sector, companies and animal welfare organisations. It was first included on the then Conservative government’s Renters Reform Bill, and survived the 2024 general election, when it made it onto Labour’s near identical Renters Rights Bill.

AdvoCATS is a voluntary not-for-profit organisation set up in 2018 to offer a free tenant pet referencing service to landlords and tenants in the East Midlands.