You cannot require a tenant to buy pet damage insurance as a condition of keeping a pet in an assured periodic tenancy in England. You also cannot require them to reimburse you for your own policy. Our earlier article said otherwise; that advice was incorrect.
The Tenant Fees Act guidance restricts compulsory insurance and service contracts. Do not include a mandatory insurance clause in a tenancy agreement or pet consent letter.
What to Do About Damage
Keep a dated inventory and photographs, discuss any damage with the tenant, and record the proposed repair and actual cost. A pet request should be considered on its own facts; a general fear of future damage is not a fair basis for refusing it.
The government pet guidance explains that pet damage may be covered through the tenancy deposit or a relevant insurance policy held by either party. Cover depends on the actual policy terms. Do not assume ordinary pet health insurance covers damage to a landlord's property.
You cannot recover the same loss twice. If insurance has paid for a repair, you cannot also deduct that repair cost from the deposit. For a disputed deduction, follow the protection scheme's dispute process or obtain advice about court proceedings.
Review an Existing Insurance Condition
Do not enforce a prohibited payment or treat failure to buy a policy as an automatic reason to withdraw pet consent. If an existing document contains that condition, obtain advice on correcting it and any payment already taken. Once pet consent has been given, a landlord cannot simply change their mind and remove it.
Record the Decision
Our free pet response tool prepares a draft consent or refusal letter without an insurance requirement. Check its details and the applicable response deadline before sending it. If you also need the tenancy agreement and move-in records, see what is included in the £29.99 document pack.