Financial gains outweigh assumed damages.

An economic report, commissioned by Battersea, has explored the advantages for landlords to let properties to pet owners.

The findings reveal that the perceived costs of damage caused by pets are outweighed by monetary benefits of letting the property to pet owners.

The report, which is the first economic cost-benefit analysis on the matter, collated data from over 2,000 private landlords and over 1,000 private renters. It explored a range of issues, including relationships between landlords and their renters, and the risk of damage to properties.

The data highlighted that the average total reported cost of pet-related damage in a property was £300 per tenancy. Meanwhile properties let to those without pets had an average reported cost of £775 for non-pet-related damage.

Furthermore, 76 per cent of landlords reported that they did not encounter damage caused by dogs or cats in their rental property.

The statistics also showed that renters with pets were staying longer in rental properties than those without pets. Fifty per cent of pet owners stayed in their previous rental accommodation for more than three years, in comparison to 31 per cent of those without pets.

The report was led by the University of Huddersfield, in collaboration with Sheffield Hallam University and Brunel University.

Battersea says that their findings display clear financial and social benefits for landlords to foster longer and more stable tenancies.

The charity supports a Pet Friendly Properties campaign. Battersea says that it believes pet ownership should be available to people regardless of housing situation.

Its findings will form part of discussions about a Renters Reform Bill, which the animal welfare charity says is vital to support renters who wish to own pets. It says that 29 per cent of renters would be more likely to consider pet ownership if the legislation is passed.

Ben Parker, public affairs manager at Battersea, said: “This first-of-its-kind report is a great help in dispelling the myths on pets and damages in the private rental sector. Sadly, one of the most frequent reasons Battersea sees owners bringing their pets to us is a lack of pet friendly places to live.  

“The Renters Reform Bill has the potential to allow more people to benefit from pet ownership, while ensuring landlords and their properties remain protected.”

The full report can be found here.

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