Pet insurance U-turn attacked by letting agents and property lawyers
The Government's decision to drop a requirement for tenants to have insurance for pets from the Renters' Rights Bill, is condemned by the property sector.
Letting agents and solicitors have reacted with dismay to news that the Government has done a U-turn on insurance for pets.
Landlord leaders had earlier slammed a change to the Renters’ Rights Bill meaning no insurance is needed for tenants to keep pets, as “shoddy and outrageous”.
Greater risks
Ben Beadle, CEO at the NRLA, said the amendment to the Bill leaves landlords and letting agents having to “shoulder even greater risks”.
The Bill introduces a ban on ‘no pets’ tenancies, and tenants will have the right to keep pets. Landlords will need a good reason if they refuse.
Will someone please drop me a postcard because I am baffled.”
Now, John Redden, Partner at Belvoir Lettings in Tynedale, Northumberland, says: “I have had dogs much of my life and while we train them well there can still be minor damage, badly trained pets cause major damage.
“Not sure how they think they are protecting tenants will someone please drop me a postcard because I am baffled.”
Betrayal
And David Smith, a Partner with law firm Spector Constant and Williams, says: “These are government amendments so will form part of the Bill.
“This will be seen as something of a betrayal by many landlords who were prepared to accept pets provided that they were able to get tenants to pay for an insurance policy to cover the cost.
I suspect that the government has got cold feet.”
“A number of insurers had already done a fair bit of work in preparing these policies for the market as well,” he says.
“I suspect that the government has got cold feet having realised that these pet policies were going to cost rather more than they had expected. I had been told that figures in the order of £150 per annum were likely.”
He warns that it is “almost inevitable” that landlords will find ways to avoid giving permission for pets.
More on the Renters’ Rights Bill
As a pet owner for years, I believe that the deposit schemes will be bearing the brunt of the claims for damages if there is no insurance in place.. Everyone has accidents, and life happens.. BUT pets, parties, and people will always have an impact.. Some pet owners are far more responsible than others, and some pets will have a far greater impact on a property than others. I can see a lot more questions being asked and there will an interesting journey ahead.
This shows how little experience of real life MPs have.
Apartments ban pets in the lease.
Insurance should be mandatory.
If the tenant cannot afford the insurance, how do the afford the food and the vet’s bills for annual vaccinations?
A screeching U – turn needed by this inept administration three already this month.