Hi all,
would anybody know if the renters bill will override lease agreements?
In our mansion block tenants aren’t allowed pets but owners do. Yet our porter who in fact is a tenant was granted special permission to bring his dog.
I had several offers for my flat which is overlooking a large park at asking price for long tenancies of 2/3 years but they wanted to bring a dog so that is really frustrating.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks
If your lease doesn’t allow it then the RRA won’t over-ride that, but if that rule is just custom and practice, its probably unenforceable and you’d have to consider a tenants pet after 1 May.
Thank you David. Yes the no pet rule is in the lease so I take it it won’t be overruled.
No it cant be over-ridden. In theory anyway. That lease clause sounds wide open to challenge to me as it seems unfair and potentially discriminatory. The freeholder/management company may have a valid reason of course, but if challenged it would be put under some scrutiny.
@David122 its unlikely the no pet clause in leases distinguishes between owners and anyone they sublet to.
If the freeholder/mgt co overlooks or doesnt enforce the clause for owners that doesnt mean it doesnt have the same legal effect for any consideration of whether a tenant is allowed a pet. In any case thats not the landlord’s problem or responsibility they arent being discriminatory (having a pet is not a protected characteristic and it is the freeholder/mgt co deciding to sometimes apply a no pet clause not the LL
LLs have to act legally within the terms of their lease for their property, if that forbids pets and they know this is applied when owners sublet to a tenant, they cant be expected to risk action from a freeholder.
What @Friederike can do is discuss with the freeholder/mgt co whether they would make an exemption for your tenant (as they have for the porter). But not hold out much hope..
@Friederike said that tenants aren’t allowed pets, but owners do. If that’s not what the lease clause says then you’re probably right. Perhaps Friederike could enlighten us.