Keeping pets in your council home

Your responsibilities when keeping pets in your council home

If you keep a pet in your home, you must look after it responsibly.

You must:

keep your pet under control, especially in communal areas
keep dogs on a lead in shared areas such as corridors and stairwells
make sure your pet does not cause a nuisance, create excessive noise or put people at risk
clean up after your pet in your home and in shared or outdoor areas
make sure your pet does not damage your home, shared spaces or neighbouring properties
meet your pet's welfare needs, including food, water, shelter and veterinary care
make sure dogs are microchipped and registered before they are 8 weeks old, and wear a collar with identification
make sure cats are microchipped and registered before they are 20 weeks old, including indoor-only cats
keep vaccinations and treatments up to date
make arrangements for your pet to be cared for if you are away
not breed or sell animals from your home

You must ask us for permission before making changes for a pet, such as installing a cat flap or dog flap.

Pet flaps are not allowed on doors that open onto shared areas, such as communal corridors or stairways, because they can affect fire safety.

We only give written permission for a pet flap in an external door that is not shared and is not a fire door.

If your pet causes problems, such as excessive noise, fouling, aggression or damage, we may:

You may have to pay for repairs to any damage caused by your pet.

We will report suspected illegal activity to the police, for example if a dog is dangerously out of control.