Emotional support animals in council and housing association homes
The Renters’ Rights Act pet rule excludes social housing. What decides instead, what real council policies say, and how to ask.
The short answer. If you rent from a council or housing association, the Renters’ Rights Act pet rule does not apply: the Act excludes social housing. Your tenancy agreement and your landlord’s pet policy decide. Policies vary: some consider emotional support animals case by case, and some give a medical letter no special weight. Ask in writing before the animal moves in.
Why the new pet rule does not cover you
Since 1 May 2026, private tenants in England can make a written pet request that the landlord must not unreasonably refuse. That rule does not reach social housing. The section of the Housing Act 1988 that creates it applies to every assured tenancy “other than a tenancy of social housing”. It is an exclusion written into the Act, not a delay.
So if you rent from a council or a housing association, two documents decide: your tenancy agreement, and your landlord’s pet policy.
What landlords’ policies actually say
Policies vary a lot, and several are being rewritten. These are examples we have read, not a picture of every landlord.
- City of Lincoln Council has an adopted policy that names emotional support animals. Tenants still need permission, but permission for an emotional support animal will not be unreasonably refused where what the policy calls a “prescription” from a qualified medical professional is provided. It allows emotional support animals in multi-storey blocks where cats and dogs are otherwise not allowed. It also says emotional support animals do not have the same legal rights as assistance animals.
- Portsmouth City Council’s current policy limits cats and dogs by type of home and bans them in listed blocks. Its exception for those blocks covers guide, hearing and medical-condition dogs, and says it does not extend to a GP letter saying the pet is therapeutic. A draft replacement, consulted on until 17 August 2026 and not yet in force, would consider emotional support animal requests case by case, including whether allowing one would be a reasonable adjustment.
- Crawley Borough Council currently requires written permission for any pet. Its draft new policy, not yet adopted, says emotional support animals are not legally recognised and treats them like other pets, deciding each case individually.
- Clarion Housing tells its social tenants they must get written permission before getting a pet, and that it depends on the home, the type of pet and any restrictions in the block.
How to ask
- Read your tenancy agreement and your landlord’s pet policy. Most are on the landlord’s website. Look for limits by type of home, and anything about emotional support or assistance animals.
- Ask what evidence they accept. Some policies ask for medical evidence; others give it no weight. Find out before you pay for anything.
- Apply in writing, before the animal moves in. Describe the animal and, if it is an emotional support animal, explain what it does for your mental health. Our pet request template works as a starting point.
- Keep a copy, and use the appeal route if you are refused. Lincoln, for example, lets tenants appeal a refusal within 28 days.
A doctor’s letter can be part of your evidence where a policy gives weight to it. It will not override a policy that does not.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
In Scotland, the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 will give social tenants a pet term requiring the landlord’s written consent, which must not be unreasonably withheld. It is not yet in force. Elsewhere, your tenancy and your landlord’s policy decide. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland · the private renting rules in England.
Common questions
Does the Renters’ Rights Act pet rule apply to council tenants?
No. The pet request rule applies to private assured tenancies in England. The Act itself excludes tenancies of social housing, so council and housing association tenants rely on their tenancy agreement and their landlord’s pet policy.
Can a council refuse an emotional support animal?
It depends on the council’s policy and your home. Some policies consider emotional support animals case by case; others treat them like any other pet. Portsmouth’s current policy, for example, says a GP letter saying a pet is therapeutic does not create an exception to its “no pets” blocks.
Do I need written permission for a pet in a council home?
Usually. Crawley’s tenants’ handbook and Clarion Housing, for example, both say you need written permission. Check your tenancy agreement and ask before the animal moves in.
Will a doctor’s letter help with my council or housing association?
It can support your request, and some policies ask for medical evidence. But no letter overrides a landlord’s policy. Ask your landlord what evidence it accepts before you apply.
Sources. The legal and clinical facts on this page were checked against these primary sources on 25 September 2026. Law and landlord, university and airline policies change, so check the source before you rely on it.