We allow you to keep pets where you have the facilities to look after them properly. However, irresponsible pet ownership can cause suffering to animals and nuisance to neighbours.

So we must have rules about keeping pets in council accommodation

You must never:

• keep the following dogs, because this is banned by law: Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentina, Fila Brazeliero; or any other dog that the law regards as dangerous or out of control;
• breed or board dogs in your home or on any council-owned land;
• keep dogs on balconies or in any communal spaces;
• chain or tether dogs on any council-owned land;
• leave your dog alone or unattended overnight or for long periods of time.

Regulations for keeping dogs and cats

• If you live in a house, bungalow or ground-floor flat with access to a garden that is for your use only, you can keep one dog or one cat or one of each without asking our permission.
  
  
• If you wish to keep more in any type of council accommodation, you must get our permission.
  
  
• If you wish to keep a dog or cat in any other type of council accommodation, you must apply for special permission to do so. Where you live in a flat with no direct access to a garden or open space, we will not normally give permission, and would only consider it in exceptional circumstances such as a request to keep a registered guide dog or hearing dog.

When you ask for permission to keep a dog or cat, we will consider:

• the type of accommodation and facilities available to you;
• whether you have access to a garden or an open space nearby;
• how many dogs you have, and their breed, size and temperament;
• what other pets you have.

Where you ask us to consider exceptional circumstances we will also take into account:

• whether the type of dog is suitable for the location and size of your flat;
• whether the dog or cat may cause a nuisance or risk to anyone in the immediate location;
• whether you can promise that the dog will get enough exercise with good access to a suitable open space;
• whether you have unique or exceptional circumstances that we should consider.

We will normally consider allowing only one dog or cat.

We do not allow dogs or cats in sheltered accommodation.

We only allow dogs in sheltered housing schemes if they are registered guide or hearing dogs.

Whether or not we have granted specific permission to keep a dog or cat, all owners must ensure that their pets do not cause a nuisance or annoyance to others or break the terms of their tenancy.

How to apply for permission to keep a dog or cat

You can get an application form from Housing reception or by filling in the on-line application form.

There is also the following leaflet Keeping pets in your council home (pdf document) for your information.

For more information on living in your council home, please see our page for tenants called living in your home and for leaseholders, the page living in your property.