Renters (Reform) Bill

[North80]

What are your thoughts on the new Renters Reform Bill?

 

I'm particularly concerned about the section that gives tenants more rights to keep pets. Recently, I've been trying to find a place to live, and one of the biggest challenges is finding a property where pets haven't lived. I have severe allergies to cats and dogs, and this change could make it even harder for people like me to find suitable housing.

 

I recently viewed a property where a tenant had a dog, and the smell was overpowering. I had to cut the tour short because my eyes started watering and my chest began to tighten.

 

I don't think dogs should be allowed in apartment buildings. In many flats I've visited, the stairwells are covered in dog hair, which isn't right. Allowing dogs will also be a nightmare for landlords. It's almost impossible to get the smell of dog out of carpets; they might have to re-carpet the entire property after each tenant to eliminate the odour. Even wood flooring can retain the smell.

 

Additionally, dogs can spread fleas and bed bugs in their fur, creating further headaches for landlords. In apartment buildings, infestations in common areas like stairwells could easily spread to other flats.

 

What do others think about this aspect of the bill?

[Crofter]

Sorry to hear about your health problems. Are you able to live in a place after deep cleaning, and/or with sufficient medication? It sounds a nightmare. If it's really not possible to mitigate the effects, you'd think it should be treated with the same priority that disabilities are.

 

Just to play devil's advocate, some people rely on their pets for their mental health, and it's pretty heartbreaking to hear about vulnerable people having to give up an animal which might be the only thing they can trust. Happens when homeless people are housed.