Question For Americans Bringing Pets to the UK on QM2

[Katyany]

So many Americans are bringing their animals to the UK since the quarantine laws were changed. The QM2 kennels are always booked solid and in great demand. There are even waiting lists!

 

Yet, there are NO PET-FRIENDLY RENTALS in the UK to speak of, especially not in London.

 

Where on earth do you all stay?

 

I see many dogs in the parks, but I'm told these belong mostly to apartment OWNERS.

 

Yet Americans are bringing their pets over in droves. Please, WHAT'S YOUR SECRET? Where are all the puppies and kitties going?

 

These landlords and estate agents have blanket BANS on all pets. Even the Office of Fair Trading considers it unfair, but it happens anyway. Many people are forced to give their pets away to animal shelters as a result, because they cannot find a landlord who will rent to them. Animal shelters in the UK are desperate about this, but landlords will not budge. It's infuriating.

 

The UK is the only country I know of where it is virtually impossible to find pet-friendly apartments. In France it's easy, and in New York there are hundreds.

 

So how on earth are people bringing their pets over (and obviously returning on QM2 as well) managing?

[MollyBrown]

How do you manage?

[Katyany]

How do you manage?

 

 

Well, I don't. I haven't traveled with my dog in several years. However, my sister wants to bring her 2 pugs as she is coming to London to work. I have been trying to find information for her about renting here, and I only come across a wall of "no pets, no pets, no pets".

[phillipahain]

Virtually everyone who rents out any kind of property in the UK has a NO PETS clause along with often no smoking

 

Quite simply they do not want carpets or furnishings damaged by pets or the allerfic problems that might face any future renters

[flag fan]

On the crossing I went on one of my tablemates used the kennel for her dog because she was moving to England, not just visiting. She had a kind of dog (pug?) who she said could not fly (because of the shape of its snout--never heard of that before). I doubt that all those people with dogs are relocating, but its an explanation for some of them.

 

I'll bet some hotels allow pets--to my surprise one of the Ritz-Carlton's in New York did; for the right price I'll bet there are plenty of hotels that will be accommodating.

[Katyany]

Virtually everyone who rents out any kind of property in the UK has a NO PETS clause along with often no smoking

 

Quite simply they do not want carpets or furnishings damaged by pets or the allerfic problems that might face any future renters

 

 

Which is ridiculous. Plenty of upscale apartment buildings in New York and Paris allow dogs and cats, as do nice hotels.

 

A properly trained animal is no problem what-so-ever. Human beings and children can cause more damage than pets.

 

The fact of the matter is, animals are a part of our lives, whether landlords (how I LOATHE that term---gives people who happen to purchase buy-to-lets an artificial aura of authority) like it or not.

 

The Office of Fair Trading in the UK states that such bans on pets are unfair:

 

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) considers a blanket ban on keeping pets in a property to be unfair under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999. A fair contract, says the OFT, would require the tenant to get the landlord’s consent before bringing in pets, but the landlord should not be able to unreasonably withhold consent.

 

http://es.homesandproperty.co.uk/property_news/rentals/rentalsforpetowners.html

 

http://www.lettingzone.com/landlord-legal-landlord-services/landlord-law-rental-laws/427/tenancy-agreements

 

I already know the reasons why "property owners" in the UK ban pets; they think it's easier that way. However, they are missing out because a huge number of people are trying to rent there and cannot because they have pets. It is absolutely ridiculous and outrageous.

[Katyany]

On the crossing I went on one of my tablemates used the kennel for her dog because she was moving to England, not just visiting. She had a kind of dog (pug?) who she said could not fly (because of the shape of its snout--never heard of that before). I doubt that all those people with dogs are relocating, but its an explanation for some of them.

 

I'll bet some hotels allow pets--to my surprise one of the Ritz-Carlton's in New York did; for the right price I'll bet there are plenty of hotels that will be accommodating.

 

 

Yes there are hotels. That's not too much of a problem. But most people who bring their pets are staying at least a month and it's much too expensive to stay in hotels. I'm talking about apartments, whether short-term or long-term.

 

Who is going to bring their pet for just a week?? Then they have to have a QM2 kennel going back, and those are difficult to come by.

 

There are of course those who don't stay in the UK but go on to Europe, as well as those who have relatives in the UK and stay with them.

 

The only other option is to buy a property if you are staying long term.

[Labs on board]

Can I just say that it is the same in areas of the USA, we moved to Massachusetts for 2 years with our dog from the Netherlands and had real problems trying to find houses that would accept our dog, we had to reiterate time and again that she was house broken, didn't chew and was kept in a crate when we were out and still we had an extremely limited choice and whilst some hotels in the US accept small dogs not many accept labradors. We were also turned away from a pizza bar in Cape Cod - they only had outside tables and still would not let us sit and eat with the dog. The USA like the UK and everywhere else has its pros and cons.

[balf]

hotels.

 

A properly trained animal is no problem what-so-ever. Human beings and children can cause more damage than pets.

.

 

Problem is that not all animals are "properly trained" and any ban on them has probably been the result of a property being trashed by a dog or cat.

 

And many landlords ban children as well, for the same reason.

 

David.

[Norfolk Brit]

I already know the reasons why "property owners" in the UK ban pets; they think it's easier that way. However, they are missing out because a huge number of people are trying to rent there and cannot because they have pets. It is absolutely ridiculous and outrageous.

 

You are absolutely right - my staff's house looks considerably better now that I've had a few little accidents, plastered the place in ginger fur, and sharpened my claws on the furniture.

 

How nice to meet one of the all-too-rare humans who appreciates the finer points of interior design.

 

Sir Martin

[Katyany]

You are absolutely right - my staff's house looks considerably better now that I've had a few little accidents, plastered the place in ginger fur, and sharpened my claws on the furniture.

 

How nice to meet one of the all-too-rare humans who appreciates the finer points of interior design.

 

Sir Martin

 

And the English used to love animals...

 

There may be SOME pets who will do damage, just as there are some people who will have wild parties and trash the place. That does not mean all pets will damage a property. My dog traveled with me and stayed in many hotels and apartments and never damaged anything, nor left hair, nor barked. Some animals can be annoying, but it's their owners who are truly annoying because they don't seem to care about making sure their pets behave.

 

If I were a landlord I would be worried about ANYONE damaging my apartment, especially if it was furnished. That would be a normal risk I would have to take. I would allow pets, but would make sure that the pet owners were likely to be the kind of people who had the sense to train them. I would also probably charge a pet deposit and possibly stipulate that the apartment had to be thoroughly cleaned on their departure.

[lehrerin]

So how on earth are people bringing their pets over (and obviously returning on QM2 as well) managing?

 

We're relocating to the UK next month and traveling there via QM2 with our cat in their kennel. We were in Scotland last month arranging for a flat and while we did find a few places where the landlord definitively did not want pets, we also found quite a few who were fine with it when asked. It seemed as if the general practice was just to list "no pets" in the ad or listing, even though they may actually be open to it.

 

That being said, we are just bringing over one lazy and well-behaved cat, so it may be different depending upon the number/types of pets you have.

[Katyany]

 

And many landlords ban children as well, for the same reason.

 

David.

 

Think about that sentence. Their Lordships BAN children as well. Would you say there might something a little odd about this picture? Who do they think they are after all? How ridiculously autocratic. This is what happens when human basic needs, such as shelter, become hijacked by capitalist interests.

[Katyany]

Can I just say that it is the same in areas of the USA, we moved to Massachusetts for 2 years with our dog from the Netherlands and had real problems trying to find houses that would accept our dog, we had to reiterate time and again that she was house broken, didn't chew and was kept in a crate when we were out and still we had an extremely limited choice and whilst some hotels in the US accept small dogs not many accept labradors. We were also turned away from a pizza bar in Cape Cod - they only had outside tables and still would not let us sit and eat with the dog. The USA like the UK and everywhere else has its pros and cons.

 

Boston is much more difficult about pets than New York for some reason. New York has a large selection of pet friendly hotels, and their is a seemingly unlimited supply of pet-friendly apartments available. It wasn't so pet friendly several years ago, so I'm not sure what changed it. Demand I suppose.

 

If pet owners give in, and give their poor babies away to animal shelters because of landlords that can't be bothered, then they are just as liable in this situation where animals shelters are overflowing and desperate. If they stand their ground, maybe more cities will become like New York and Paris.

 

Speaking of Paris, by the way, the old cliche is dog droppings all over the place...well, figurez-vous, people are picking it up now, because I don't see any more droppings to speak of; fewer than I see in New York City, where people supposedly pick up after their dogs.

[cruisegal101]

And the English used to love animals...

 

There may be SOME pets who will do damage, just as there are some people who will have wild parties and trash the place. That does not mean all pets will damage a property. My dog traveled with me and stayed in many hotels and apartments and never damaged anything, nor left hair, nor barked. Some animals can be annoying, but it's their owners who are truly annoying because they don't seem to care about making sure their pets behave.

 

If I were a landlord I would be worried about ANYONE damaging my apartment, especially if it was furnished. That would be a normal risk I would have to take. I would allow pets, but would make sure that the pet owners were likely to be the kind of people who had the sense to train them. I would also probably charge a pet deposit and possibly stipulate that the apartment had to be thoroughly cleaned on their departure.

 

I work with a lot of relocating clients and most rentals here do require an additional "pet" deposit (keep it clean, please;)) plus an additional charge of $20-50 per month in rent.

[Cruachan]

I would also probably charge a pet deposit...

 

Ah,

 

from what I've heard, Sir Martin knows all about "pet deposits". In fact I hear he's an world class depositer - particularly where brand new cars are concerned.

 

J

[Katyany]

Still do - especially pot roasted.

 

Why can't a landlord choose what he wants to do? It is his house, after all. You have no right to rent it.

 

Fine, then it just comes down to supply and demand. However, more and more pet owners are looking for rentals that allow pets.

 

Sure I don't have a specific "right" to rent someone's property, but a landlord is also bound by certain laws, he can't just do anything he wants, such as discriminate on the basis of race, for example. The Office of Fair Trading seems to believe that a blanket ban on pets is also discrimination, as I do as well.

 

So either the laws will be improved, or demand will convince more landlords to stop being so inflexible (I was going to say prissy).

[Katyany]

We're relocating to the UK next month and traveling there via QM2 with our cat in their kennel. We were in Scotland last month arranging for a flat and while we did find a few places where the landlord definitively did not want pets, we also found quite a few who were fine with it when asked. It seemed as if the general practice was just to list "no pets" in the ad or listing, even though they may actually be open to it.

 

That being said, we are just bringing over one lazy and well-behaved cat, so it may be different depending upon the number/types of pets you have.

 

 

That is good to know. I was wondering if perhaps some UK landlords were not as adamant about not allowing pets as others, but stipulated "no pets" because everybody else does it. I also wondered if those who say nothing about pets would care or not.

[Cruachan]

Think about that sentence. Their Lordships BAN children as well. Would you say there might something a little odd about this picture? Who do they think they are after all? How ridiculously autocratic. This is what happens when human basic needs, such as shelter, become hijacked by capitalist interests.

 

Seems to me Abraham Maslow would have understood this well enough. It fits perfectly with his final need - "Self-actualisation". To quote:

 

"A musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet must write."... and a landlord must rip people off. Simples.

 

J

[garigoun]

Why is everyone getting so wound up about this? When you take on the care of an animal you must know, if you have any sense at all, that there will be times when it will be an inconvenience. The benefit you get from the animal will normally outweigh that inconvenience -- but when it doesn't don't run around blaming everyone who doesn't fit in with your decision to keep that animal. Get over it, keep looking and stop whingeing.

Gari

[thranite]

Why is everyone getting so wound up about this? When you take on the care of an animal you must know, if you have any sense at all, that there will be times when it will be an inconvenience. The benefit you get from the animal will normally outweigh that inconvenience -- but when it doesn't don't run around blaming everyone who doesn't fit in with your decision to keep that animal. Get over it, keep looking and stop whingeing.

 

Gari

 

Have you run this past Mrs Gari?

[Felinophobic]

but a landlord is also bound by certain laws, he can't just do anything he wants, such as discriminate on the basis of race, for example. The Office of Fair Trading seems to believe that a blanket ban on pets is also discrimination, as I do as well.

 

It is legal to discriminate against pets. And, as far as I can tell, ginger people. One could discriminate against people with beards. Or tattoos. All that is legal.

 

Not fair, arguably, but life isn't fair.

 

Now drop it, and stop moaning.

[garigoun]

Have you run this past Mrs Gari?

 

No need. we are, as they say, as one.

Gari

[thranite]

It is legal to discriminate against pets. And, as far as I can tell, ginger people.

 

 

So it is doubly acceptable to discriminate against orange cats?

 

:D

[Felinophobic]

So it is doubly acceptable to discriminate against orange cats?

 

:D

 

There are by-laws in Norfolk that make it compulsory.