SHORT ANSWER
A pet CV is a one or two page profile of your pet that you attach to a UK rental application. It lists your pet's name, age, breed, size, microchip number, vaccination and flea and worm treatment history, training, temperament, insurance cover, and references from previous landlords or letting agents, usually with a few photos. It is not a legal document, but it does help. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, tenants in England can ask in writing to keep a pet, and the landlord must reply within 28 days and cannot refuse without a fair reason. A clear pet CV gives the landlord the description and reassurance they need to say yes quickly.
A pet CV is exactly what it sounds like: a curriculum vitae for your dog, cat, or other animal. Where a job CV shows an employer you are reliable, a pet CV shows a landlord that your pet is healthy, well cared for, and unlikely to cause problems. It usually runs one to two pages and sits alongside your own references, proof of income, and right to rent documents.
Letting agents in the UK have used pet CVs for years because most landlords never meet the animal before deciding. All they hear is "the tenant has a dog," and that single line gives them no way to tell a calm, house-trained senior Labrador from an untrained puppy. A pet CV fills that gap.
In a recent live AMA, we spoke with Russell from PetsLets and he described securing a rental for a client because of the pet CV. There was competition for the property, and the landlord and agent were won over by the profile, which happened to include the client's hedgehog as well as their other pets. The point he made is simple: agents and landlords cannot imagine what your pets look like or how they behave, but a pet CV lets them see it. If your dog has training qualifications, he said, put them on there.
The rules changed significantly in 2026. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 moved most private tenancies in England to assured periodic tenancies, and the GOV.UK landlord guide now spells out how pet requests work:
Two money rules matter here too. Landlords and agents must publish an asking rent and cannot ask for, encourage, or accept bids above it. And the maximum tenancy deposit is 5 weeks' rent where annual rent is under £50,000 (6 weeks at £50,000 or more), with any pet damage recoverable from that deposit. Older advice to "offer a bigger pet deposit" or "offer more rent" no longer works in England.
These rules apply to England. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have their own tenancy laws, so check the rules for the nation you are renting in. A pet CV is useful in all four.
The GOV.UK guidance says a pet request should describe the animal, its size, and how much space it needs. A strong pet CV covers that and then answers every follow-up question a landlord might ask before they ask it.
Microchip details are not optional. All dogs in the UK must be microchipped and registered by 8 weeks old, and cats in England must be microchipped and registered by 20 weeks old. Listing the chip number shows the landlord you are already meeting your legal duties.
Landlord references carry the most weight. A short letter from a previous landlord confirming your pet caused no damage or complaints answers the biggest concern directly. Ask for it before you move out, while the relationship is fresh.
Insurance is a strong optional extra. Landlords can deduct pet damage from the deposit and may also claim through a relevant insurance policy held by either party. Showing a policy with third party liability cover signals you can meet costs if something goes wrong.
Keep it honest and short. Two pages is plenty. Use plain language, add two or three good photos, and leave out anything you cannot back up. If a landlord asks for more information during the 28 day window, a well prepared CV means you can answer the same day.
Yes, for three practical reasons.
It supplies the information the law expects. A written pet request in England needs a description of the animal, and landlords can ask for more detail before deciding. A pet CV attached to your first request removes that back and forth and makes a quick yes easier.
It changes how you compete. With rental bidding banned and deposits capped, you cannot outbid other applicants. When several people apply for the same home, the landlord is choosing who seems most reliable, and an organised pet CV is a visible sign of a responsible tenant.
It shapes the landlord's view of a "fair reason." General worries about future damage are usually not a reasonable ground for refusal. Evidence of training, a clean history, and references makes any remaining worry harder to justify.
As Russell Hunt,Founder of PetsLets, puts it: "Families relocating to the UK spend months getting their pet's import paperwork right, then lose a great flat because the landlord only heard 'we have a dog.' A pet CV turns that paperwork into a story the landlord can trust. We tell clients to build it the same week they book their pet's flight, so it is ready the moment they start viewing homes."
A pet CV does not override a genuine restriction. If the building's lease bans pets or the home is clearly too small for a large dog, a landlord can still reasonably refuse.
Renters in UK housing communities regularly recommend pet CVs as one of the first things to try. In an r/HousingUK thread from an owner trying to persuade a landlord to accept a small dog, one commenter suggested: "You could make a 'pet cv' with references, include pictures" (r/HousingUK). In a separate r/AskUK discussion, another user explained that a pet CV "allows the landlord to see the dog and character," because a letting agent who only says "they have a dog" gives the landlord no way to tell one pet from another (r/AskUK).
Some older threads also suggest offering a larger deposit. That advice predates the deposit cap and the Renters' Rights Act, so in England today, put the effort into the CV instead.
If you are relocating from the US or elsewhere, you already hold most of what a pet CV needs. To bring a dog, cat, or ferret into Great Britain, your pet must be microchipped before its rabies vaccination, vaccinated against rabies at least 21 full days before travel (some vaccines require waiting 30 days), and travel with the correct pet travel document. Dogs also need a vet-administered tapeworm treatment 24 hours to 120 hours before arrival. Each of those records is proof of good care that a landlord will recognize.
A few tips for international movers:
For the full relocation process, see our complete guide to pet travel to the UK from the USA. And if you want help presenting your pet to a landlord beyond the CV itself, read our other articles on pet travel to the UK.