Pets and Renting: What's The Solution?
More people than ever are renting, but we’re still not allowed pets. What’s the solution?
It is no secret to those who know me that I love animals. Any animal - fluffy, scaly, smelly; I do NOT care, I will take two to go please! I am fortunate enough to work for a local animal rescue charity, and do my best to assist Bristol’s unfortunate creatures in finding a better life. And if I get to squidge a kitten or two along the way then it’s been an especially good day for me!
At work I hear the same comments over and over again from members of the public, ‘Oh, don’t you wish you could take them all home?! You must have a house full of cats and dogs and rabbits!’ The answer is yes I would like to, and no I do not have a house full because, alas, I am a renter. After an awkward pause, I usually get a sympathetic look before being bombarded with pictures of their beloved Ringo, Buster or Poppy. Although I will happily look through their photos and hear about the time Buster ate a whole block of cheese at Christmas and got the hiccups, it makes me feel indignant - how can it be that someone who works so hard, with a flawless track record of renting can’t even keep a hamster in their flat?
Let’s work backwards: Why not buy a house to solve this issue? This is what I hear more than you might think, usually from those who already own their own property. I laugh and respond with something like, ‘Good idea! And afterwards I think I shall treat myself to a holiday - on planet Zargh. Before you say it, I am NOT being dramatic because the likelihood of anyone below the age of 40 earning enough to put a deposit down on a decent home, without any help from inheritance, family or benefactors, is almost impossible. Amongst my peers the only ones who have managed to buy their own house have had help from their parents, landed a very high paying job or married into a wealthy family. Anyone who falls in the middle of these categories is a renter. I graduated in 2010, straight into a recession and conservative leadership - as a theatre student I was pretty screwed from the moment I got that diploma. Ten years later, after lots of hard work and graft, sometimes holding down multiple jobs, I still don’t earn enough to pay off my mammoth amounts of student debt. And I know this doesn’t just apply to me; especially within cities such as Bristol, there are so many people who feel that buying their own home is a pointless ambition to have.... pretty sad, eh?
‘So get a better paid job’ - If only this were as simple as it sounds. More than a decade ago I remember being at a local pub in my hometown, and after many rounds a friend of mine drunkenly stumbled up to the bar asking for a job, citing that he was very qualified because he loved drinking - the manager gave him a job on the spot! Nowadays, the idea of waltzing into a coffee shop or bar and asking for a job is almost whimsical. Now that more people than ever are university graduates, a degree is not as impressive as it was twenty years ago (unless you want to be a brain surgeon or something, in which case please do get the correct training first!) Therefore the average Joe or Josie has to have additional credentials on their CV in order to stand out - training programs, volunteer work, awards and accolades etc. This plethora of eager graduates gives employers the opportunity to be as picky as they want. Instead of seeing the potential in someone and giving them a shot, they tend to go for the safe option and select a person who has already done the same job elsewhere. This makes total sense of course, but it does block a lot of people from getting the experience they need to progress in their career. And when it comes to volunteering or completing an intensive training course in order to bulk out your CV, nobody has time for that! People work long days and unsociable hours, ironically to pay their rent and bills. In 2019 Bristol saw rental prices sky rocket by 4.5% due to the city being a sought after place to live. So unless I can become a brain surgeon using my theatre degree, I don’t think I will be successful in finding a much better paid job.
‘If you cannot afford to rent in the city, move further out.’ Many people feel forced to move further out, away from the city centre which certainly has its advantages - cleaner air, less noise, cheaper rent. However, Bristol traffic is woeful and moving further out will increase your stress levels as well as the amount you spend on petrol. The same can be said of using public transport every day, which is also going to add serious weight to your monthly bills. A lot of young people move to Bristol to make connections, find their tribe and start their life. If you live out in the countryside you are limiting your options and might miss out on life changing opportunities.
‘Just rent properties that allow pets’. I don’t know how many of you have ever flat/house hunted in Bristol, but it can be brutal. Once you have found a place to call your own (for a mere £600 per month) you want to settle there forever, but if your flatmate moves out or the rent increases yet again, then it might be time to move - and so the nightmare begins! Not only does every advert you come across specifically state, No Pets Allowed, but even if you found somewhere perfect I guarantee that it will vanish quicker than toilet paper during a pandemic. Landlords know there is high demand for rented property in Bristol, and therefore do not need to be flexible when it comes to animals - someone else can fill that spot. Even if you think you made a good impression it is likely that they will give the tenancy to the couple who earn more money and don’t have a cat. An alarming number of people do not tell their landlord that they already have an animal and try to hide them throughout their tenancy. Those who are evicted or can no longer afford the rent often have to rehome their animals, because there are so few properties that allow them. Unfortunately I see this regularly at work and it is rapidly becoming the number one reason why people have to rehome their beloved pets.
By now you should be enraged about not being able to get the guinea pig or chinchilla of your dreams just because you are a long term renter. ‘What is the solution?’ You cry out passionately…. Well I’m afraid I don’t have all the answers, but I have some ideas and positive light to shed on the situation. Firstly, if you are living in a property that doesn’t allow pets then simply ask your landlord or letting agent - It doesn’t hurt to ask! You can even quiz them on their concerns, for example if they are worried about a dog that drools and sheds everywhere but you would like a hamster, then a resolution could be met easily. You could even offer to pay a Pet Protection Deposit, which is an additional down payment added onto your regular deposit. Some Landlords feel better knowing that there is some money set aside in case your new rabbit chews all the skirting boards. The bottom line is don't try to sneak an animal into somewhere that doesn’t allow pets, you are better off asking I promise you.
There is also a great partnership between Bristol Animal Rescue and the Letting Game which has been cleverly dubbed, ‘The Petting Game’. This union aims to create more flexibility by encouraging landlords not to discriminate against acceptable applicants just because they are pet owners. With support from either side and increased awareness, the hope is that there will be an increase in renters being able to have a pet and a decrease in animals having to be rehomed because of the issue.
There are also a few websites and social media pages dedicated to finding pet friendly properties, which can be helpful if you are house hunting. People who rent still want to call somewhere home, and that’s hard to do with so many regulations - no decorating, no wall hangings, no pets. If anything, having an animal in the home creates a sense of elevated responsibility, forcing you to consider your furry friend’s welfare and wellbeing as well as your own. Everybody deserves to have that option, regardless of their living arrangements. So look into your renter’s rights, communicate with your landlords and tell them how you feel and maybe, just maybe you can reach an agreement. And if all else fails, you could just buy a house.
Written by Katie McFaul
After travelling from place to place (much like Madonna in ‘Desperately Seeking Susan’), Katie finally settled in Bristol and spends her time helping animals in need, eating biscuits and constantly being late for everything. Her likes include vegan cuisine, movies of any description and writing god awful poetry. Her dislikes include slow walkers, narrowmindedness and talking about herself in the third person.