Pets can be a great source of companionship and enrich our lives. While we understand you may want a pet, you need to consider the impact on your home and neighbours.
If you are thinking of getting a pet, you will need to check your tenancy agreement or lease to confirm whether you need permission.
We have developed some pet guidance below, which must be followed if you are allowed to keep a pet.
When you can’t keep a pet
- If your tenancy agreements or lease doesn’t allow you to.
- Some of our properties have a head lease, meaning that we are not the freeholder of the property. If the head lease or any covenant says that pets are not allowed, then we will not be able to grant permission.
Animals we'll never let you keep.
- Banned dogs, as outlined in the Dangerous Dog Act 1991
:
- Pit Bull Terrier
- Japanese Tosa
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Brasileiro
- XL Bully Dogs (in England and Wales) – unless they have a valid certificate of exemption
- Wild, farm and poisonous or endangers species
When you need to check
Your tenancy/lease will have special conditions attached which will say whether you’re allowed to keep pets - please check your tenancy/lease agreement. If it’s not detailed on your tenancy/lease agreement then this means you don’t need to seek our permission you can keep a pet, unless there is a head lease, which doesn’t allow pets.
If you’re still not sure then please contact us to find out.
Remember to include your full name, postcode and date of birth at the beginning of your message. This will help speed up security and should mean that we can answer your query more quickly.
If you would like to keep a pet, you must first obtain our permission. Any pet we approve must be kept out of communal areas at all times.
Pets aren’t allowed in shared supported accommodation or shared temporary accommodation.
Requests for pets will be considered on an individual basis for people living in self-contained temporary accommodation and self-contained supported accommodation.
If you’d like to keep a pet, then please check your lease which tells you if there are any restrictions on keeping pets.
Some of our leases might say it’s conditional - for example, you might have to get our permission, or you might need to have a private garden. Leases vary, so please read yours so you know what applies to you.
If your lease says you can keep a pet with our agreement, please contact us.
Remember to include your full name, postcode and date of birth at the beginning of your message. This will help speed up security and should mean that we can answer your query more quickly.
Whilst not an exhaustive list, SNG will consider:
- The size and type of property (and the availability of outside spaces if applicable to the type of animal).
- The size and type of animal.
- How you are managing your tenancy or lease.
Assistance dogs
Assistance dogs aren’t pets; they’re relied upon to help with daily activities. They’re trained to help people with disabilities, including sight impairment, hearing difficulties, epilepsy, diabetes, physical mobility and more. Assistance dogs have important rights under the Equality Act 2010.
Therapy animals
Therapy animals provide emotional comfort and support but are not trained to carry out specific tasks, so they do not have the same legal status as assistance animals.
We can only grant permission for therapy animals if your tenancy or lease allows pets. In considering the request, SNG would require supporting evidence from a GP or Health Practitioner to confirm that the animal is providing this service to the customer.
You can find more information here around Assistance dogs and Therapy animals .
What if I want a therapy animal but my tenancy, lease or head lease doesn’t allow pets?
In this case, we would not be able to grant permission.
Poultry
- You must ask us for permission to keep poultry on your property.
- You must also check with your local council about any rules that may prevent you from keeping poultry, such as by-laws and planning restrictions.
- We’ll need to see the council’s written permission before we can consider giving you permission to keep poultry
Responsibilities
You’re responsible for making sure your pet is well cared for, kept under control, doesn’t cause problems for others, and doesn’t cause damage. This also includes all SNG owned communal and outside areas.
If a pet causes nuisance, damage, safety concerns, welfare issues, breaches legal or policy requirements, or is kept without required permission, SNG may require the customer to rehome their pet within an agreed timescale. We will take enforcement action if this does not happen.
If you suspect that a neighbour is guilty of cruelty or neglect towards an animal, then you can report this to the RSPCA .
For dangerous dogs, contact the police.
If a dog is aggressive towards you and you fear for your safety (even if it’s not bitten you), please report it to the police immediately. You'll find information about the law and dangerous dogs on the gov.uk website .
When you report it to the police, please contact us by phone or using our online Report ASB form with the incident report number and the officer’s name, so we can speak to the police, and you, about any next steps.