Member

Lords amendment 11 would allow landlords to require an additional deposit, equivalent to three weeks’ rent, as a condition of consent to a tenant’s request to keep a pet. We cannot support this amendment. Requiring a further three weeks’ deposit would cost the average tenant in England over £900. Such sums would be unaffordable for many tenants and would greatly exceed the average deposit deduction for pet damage of £300. We are satisfied—this speaks to the point made by the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon)—that the existing requirement for five weeks’ deposit for typical tenancies is sufficient to cover the risk of any damages relating to pet ownership. Crucially, as I mentioned, we already have the delegated powers necessary, under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, to allow higher deposits for tenancies with pets, should evidence come forward to the contrary. For those reasons, I urge the House to reject Lords amendment 11.