Thousands of pet-owning renters across the UK face challenges every day. From being automatically rejected by letting agents during their search for a home, to having to spend more than they can afford every month on unfairly high rent. Pet owners deserve better. That’s why people like Kerrie in Leicester and Sara in Sussex are joining Battersea’s call for fairer housing opportunities for pets and their owners.
KERRIE AND HAVEN'S STORY
Kerrie and her family had been living in a home in Leicester when their landlord sold the property and they had to find a new place to live. It took Kerrie almost six months to find a home that was not only within distance of her son’s school, but also allowed pets. She had to negotiate with agents and landlord until she found somewhere that would let the family keep their dog. This home came at a cost though – Kerrie had to use money she’d been saving for a wedding to pay an additional deposit and extra rent each month. A price she was happy to pay if it meant her whole family could stay together under one roof.
SARA AND JASMINE'S STORY
Like many people across the country, Sara’s life was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. A change in her financial circumstances meant that she needed to find somewhere more affordable for her and her 16-year-old cat to live. When enquiring about properties, Sara repeatedly found conversations were shut down as soon as she mentioned having a cat despite glowing references from previous landlords for both her and her pet. After a long search, Sara finally found a flat with a landlord willing to waive the no pet policy for her and her elderly cat, provided other tenants did not find out as the whole building has a blanket ban on pets. Sara says she couldn’t live without her beloved cat but fears she would be asked to leave if someone were to find out her landlord had been flexible with their pet policy.