Pet Agreement Addendum: A Guide for UK Landlords | LegalDocuments.co.uk

What this document is

A Pet Agreement Addendum is a supplementary document that attaches to an existing tenancy agreement and gives the tenant permission to keep a specific pet at the property. Rather than rewriting the whole tenancy, the addendum simply varies it, adding pet-specific terms that weren't originally contemplated.

Typically it names the animal (species, breed, approximate size), confirms the landlord's consent, and sets out the tenant's ongoing responsibilities around care, cleanliness and any damage caused. Because the Tenant Fees Act 2019 caps what landlords in England can charge, the addendum cannot impose extra deposits or standalone 'pet fees' beyond the statutory deposit limit.

Some landlords instead ask for pet insurance or agree a higher rent to reflect the additional risk. The addendum also commonly covers nuisance, noise, smells, behaviour around neighbours, and gives the landlord a route to withdraw consent if the tenant repeatedly breaches the terms. Used well, it turns an informal conversation into a written record both sides can refer back to.

How to use this document

1. Check the head lease and any superior agreements. Before agreeing to a pet, confirm that the freeholder, managing agent, or mortgage lender doesn't prohibit animals. Leasehold flats frequently contain pet clauses, and breaching them can create problems that sit well outside the tenancy itself. If in doubt, request written confirmation from whoever controls the building.
2. Agree the specifics with the tenant in writing. Don't rely on verbal conversations. Record exactly which pet is permitted, species, breed, rough size and age, along with any limits on numbers. A permission for 'a cat' is very different from an open-ended right to keep multiple animals, and vagueness here tends to cause arguments later.
3. Set out the tenant's ongoing obligations. The addendum should spell out practical duties: keeping the pet under control, cleaning up waste in shared areas, maintaining flea and worming treatments, and ensuring the animal doesn't cause nuisance to neighbours. The more concrete these obligations are, the easier they are to enforce if standards slip during the tenancy.
4. Address damage, cleaning and end-of-tenancy expectations. Make clear that the tenant remains responsible for damage caused by the pet and for any specialist cleaning needed at check-out, for example, carpet treatment or pest removal. Remember that the deposit cap under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 still applies, so you cannot ring-fence an additional 'pet deposit' on top.
5. Sign, date and attach to the tenancy. Both landlord and tenant should sign and date the addendum, keeping copies alongside the original tenancy agreement. If the tenancy is joint, all tenants should sign, not just the pet owner, because the obligations affect the household as a whole. Store it with your tenancy paperwork so it's easy to find if issues arise.

Common questions