Pet Friendly Rentals at a Premium

Date Published 15 February 2016

Dog owners who rent property in Notting Hill, Holland Park and Kensington are fortunate to have their pick of fantastic walks, including the nearby 54 acres of Holland Park, as well Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park close at hand. Some properties also have access to communal gardens where they can exercise their pooch.

However, people searching for pet friendly rental properties in these scenic areas, or indeed, other parts of prime central London often discover that renting a property that allows canine companions can be very hard to find.

The amount of dog owners in London has risen from two percent five years ago, to almost twenty percent last year. This has caused dog friendly rentals to become so scarce that landlords, in some extreme cases, can charge deposits of up to £25,000. More common is to increase the deposit by an additional two weeks rent, which can add up at the high end of the market. In addition, landlords are often advised to include an extra pet-relevant professional cleaning fee clause in the tenancy agreements.

Are pets really such a risk to property? Here at John Wilcox & Co we regularly help landlords and tenants negotiate satisfactory terms. We have many loyal clients with pets, and indeed are often found dog-sitting one of the local ‘best friends' of the neighborhood. The vast majority of pet owners are responsible tenants with well trained animals. However, landlords with high-end, luxury properties can be understandably careful when they are contemplating adding a friend with fur to the tenancy.

With more and more dog owners looking for properties in and around Notting Hill, Holland Park, and Kensington, and with private landlords who offer those properties able to command premium letting fees, make sure you only deal with a long established firm like John Wilcox & Co, who understand and regularly work in this market. We made another landlord and another tenant and dog all very happy only last week.