Q I have an assured shorthold tenancy of a flat. My landlord says the tenancy specifically prohibits the keeping of pets. Can I lose the tenancy if I bring in a cat?
A Prohibitions in tenancy agreements are either conditional or absolute. A conditional covenant allows tenants to do something only with the landlord’s consent; an absolute covenant prohibits it completely.
If there is a conditional prohibition against keeping a pet, a landlord can generally only withhold permission if they act reasonably. For example, in the 2018 case of Victory Place Management v Kuehn, the High Court decided a management company could refuse permission for a dog when this was the majority view of other residents. Yet the court did say the decision might
