UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi all and thanks in advance.

First time landlord, 1 bed 1st floor flat owned on 100  year lease, built to last, 2 solid front doors (1 flat, 1 building) to get outside. Fully managed via letting agent. newly refurbed, new carpet.

New tenant (not sure if its on a model tenancy agreement)  recent to UK,  lonely as her partner is away during week, 6 months into 1 year lease wants to adopt a cat,  and mentioned The Tenant Fees Act of 2019.
They have promised that they will take care of the flat as they have done so far.

A recent minor breakage in the flat has not been owned up to.
The letting agents handy man said it was a manufacturing fault (Unlikely, I installed the item myself).
Letting agent said it was fair wear and tear, it wasn't (accidental damage imo), and tenant will not be paying for it.
I take the above as a minor test of character.

Letting agent, who repeatedly fails to call me back when I request it (their failing or colleagues who didnt pass message on) advised verbally

Option1 :to refuse as '"freehold lease dont allow pets".
Not sure how much faith I put in this given the failures to call back.

The tenants have jobs requiring reasonable intelligence and have quoted tenant act 2019 in their request, so may be smarter than me or the letting agent.
Looking at the act a Landlord has 28 days to reply in writing to a pet request and if refusing must give reasonable grounds.

For example :
"rejections should only be made where there is good reason, such as in smaller properties or flats where owning a pet could be impractical. "


The flat is a small 1 bed
A cat could be locked inside or outside while owners are away/at work.
The cat could yowl, meow, claw at carpet/ other objects day or night to advertise its distress or desire to enter or exit (for instance at 5am if it prefers to toilet al fresco.)-in the past I've lived with cats that do this quite loudly.
During the night this could disturb the downstairs neighbour who is quiet or next door.

If I follow the letting agents advice I would not have proof they advised/ the freehold lease only says "no pets unless landlord agrees"/  I would not have given reasonable grounds for refusal.

I am inclined to refuse on grounds of :
Option 2:
2.1. Unsuitable due to size, elevation, multi- solid front doors.
2.2  Disturbance of neighbours entited to quiet enjoyment of their properties
2.3  Welfare of the cat who may be locked inside/outside for extended periods day or night in high or low temperatures -Cat welfare organisations advise best temp for cats is 16-20degreesC.


Slightly OT- I think serial fostering would suit them better (a 1-2 month commitment, holidays easier) than 10-15 year commitment. and moving to a ground floor flat (cat flap, garden) I'm happy if they move out in 6 months to do this.
The "want cat/ im currently lonely" seems the wrong reason to adopt.
I used to foster and saw so many cats given up because owners split up, moved away, lost job, got a puppy, changed colour scheme- sad for them and the cats.

I don't think the flat or their work schedule is right for the cat..

Seems landlords can't charge for repairs, steam cleans, fumigations any more.

What is the right response in accordance with The Tenant Fees Act of 2019 to these professional, slightly dishonest tenants that pay rent?

Which do you choose ?

TIA

The Tenants Fees Act doesn't say anything about a Landlord having to give a reasonable response to a request to keep a pet.
There have been talk of changing the act to encourage landlords to allow pets, but no actual change.

Feel free simply to say no if you choose.

Thank you