Renting with a pet in Brighton and Hove
The local picture
Brighton and Hove’s rental stock is dominated by flats, and a great many of them are conversions of Regency and Victorian houses. That means head leases, freeholders and management companies, and it means a landlord who may not be free to say yes on their own.
It is also one of the most competitive rental markets in the south of England, and tenants here often assume that asking for anything will cost them the flat. The right to request applies to your existing tenancy, and an unreasonable refusal is unreasonable however many other people would have taken the property.
The law, which is the same everywhere in England
The right applies across England
Since 1 May 2026, section 11 of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 gives every tenant in England, Brighton and Hove included, the right to formally request consent to keep a pet. Your landlord must give or refuse that consent in writing within 28 days, and must not refuse unreasonably.
They cannot require you to take out pet insurance, and they cannot take a larger deposit. The full explanation of how the right works applies anywhere in England.
Ask about the lease, then ask anyway
The most useful thing to establish early is whether the lease actually restricts pets, and if so in which clause. A landlord who says the lease forbids it and cannot point to the words is in a weak position; one who can may still be able to ask the freeholder, and the Act gives them a short extension to do so.
Conversions also make noise between flats a real concern rather than an excuse. Address it directly, and you have removed the strongest objection available.
Practical notes for Brighton and Hove
- Ask which clause of the head lease restricts pets, politely and in writing.
- Offer to provide anything the freeholder or management company needs.
- The seafront and the South Downs are real answers to the exercise question, but check the seasonal rules on the beaches before you cite them.
- ACORN Brighton and Shelter both support renters in the city, and the council’s housing team deals with licensing.
What there is to buy
The letter, written on the Act, with a one-page summary of your pet an agent can file. Or copy our free template and write it yourself. We would rather you sent a good letter than no letter.
One payment, current for 18 months. England only.
Not a legal document. UK ESA Register is a private service, not a government body, and no official UK register of emotional support animals exists.
Not a legal document. UK ESA Register is a private service, not a government body, and no official UK register of emotional support animals exists. This page is general information about renting in England, not legal advice.