We love that you want to share your home with a pet. We've put this policy together so you know exactly where you stand — what to do, what we'll consider, and how we'll respond. As with everything at Occu, we'll be straightforward with you.

This policy applies to all residents and applicants at Edenwood House and is issued in accordance with the Renters' Rights Act 2025, which came into force on 1 May 2026.

Our default position

Edenwood House is a pet-considerate building. We do not operate a blanket no-pets policy. All requests for pets will be considered on their merits, fairly and within the timeframes set out in this policy.

Whether a pet can be approved will depend on a number of factors, including the type and size of the pet, your flat, and the terms of the head lease for the building. We will always give you a clear written reason if we are unable to approve your request.

How to apply for a pet

You must submit a pet request to us in writing before bringing any pet into your home. Verbal requests cannot be considered. Your written request should include:

• the type of animal (species and breed)
• the size and approximate weight of the animal
• the age of the animal
• confirmation of any vaccinations, neutering, or microchipping
• a reference from a previous landlord confirming responsible pet ownership (where available)
• any other information you think would be helpful

New applicants can include this information in the Applicant Portal. Existing tenants can submit your request by email to [email protected] or via the resident app.

How We'll Respond

We will respond to your request in writing within 28 calendar days of receiving it.

If we need more information from you before we can make a decision, we will let you know in writing. The 28-day period will pause until you provide the requested information and will 
then restart with a 7-day response window.

We will either:

• approve your request, with or without conditions; or
• decline your request, with a written explanation of our reasons

We will not leave you waiting without an update. If circumstances mean we need more time, we will tell you.

Factors we will consider

When assessing your request, we will take into account:

1. The head lease: The terms of the building's head lease may restrict or prohibit certain types of pet. Where the head lease prohibits pets, we are not able to grant approval regardless of other circumstances.
2. The size of your flat: We will consider whether your home is a suitable size for the animal you've requested. A large dog, for example, may not be well-suited to a studio or smaller one-bedroom flat.
3. Impact on other residents: We will consider whether the pet could reasonably cause noise, disturbance, or health issues (such as allergies) for neighbours in the building.
4. The nature of the animal: Certain animals pose a higher risk of damage or disturbance than others. We will assess each request individually.
5. Illegal breeds: We are unable to approve any animal that is prohibited under UK law, including breeds listed under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
6. Your tenancy history: We may take into account your conduct as a resident to date.

Valid reasons for refusal

In line with the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and government guidance, we may refuse a pet request for the following reasons:

1. the head lease or superior lease prohibits the animal
2. the property is not of a suitable size for the pet
3. the pet is a breed or species that is illegal to keep in England
4. the pet poses an unreasonable risk of disturbance or nuisance to neighbouring residents
5. another resident in the building has a documented allergy or medical condition that would be adversely affected
6. the pet poses a risk to the structure or fabric of the building or communal areas

We will not refuse a request on the basis of a general aversion to animals, a presumption that pets cause damage, or for reasons of convenience. Any refusal will be specific to your request and the circumstances of your flat and building.

Conditions of approval

If your request is approved, we may attach reasonable conditions to the permission. These will be set out in a pet addendum to your tenancy agreement and may include:

1. a requirement that the pet is kept out of certain communal areas
2. a requirement that the pet is kept on a lead in all communal spaces
3. confirmation that you are responsible for any damage caused by the pet beyond fair wear and tear
4. a requirement for professional cleaning of carpets or soft furnishings on departure
5. a requirement that the pet is vaccinated, microchipped, and insured, and that evidence is provided on request
6. a requirement to notify us immediately if the pet causes a nuisance complaint from a neighbour

Approval is granted for a specific named animal. It does not extend to additional or replacement pets, which will require a separate request.

Charges

In line with the Tenant Fees Act 2019 and the Renters' Rights Act 2025, no additional fees or deposits may be charged in connection with keeping a pet. We will not charge a pet fee, a pet deposit, or any monthly pet supplement on top of the rent agreed at the outset of your tenancy. If your flat is advertised as pet-friendly and carries a specific rent, that rent is the rent. Nothing more. Any damage caused by a pet beyond fair wear and tear will be addressed through the standard deposit deduction process at the end of your tenancy, in the same way as any other damage.

Withdrawal of permission

We may withdraw pet permission during the tenancy in exceptional circumstances — for example, where:

1. a pet has caused significant and repeated disturbance to other residents and the issue has not been resolved despite written warnings
2. the pet poses a risk to the safety of residents, staff, or contractors
3. the terms of the pet addendum have been materially breached We will not withdraw permission without first issuing a written warning and giving you a reasonable opportunity to address the issue.

Unauthorised pets

Bringing a pet into your home without prior written approval is a breach of your tenancy agreement. If we become aware that an unauthorised pet is being kept, we will:

1. write to you requesting that you either remove the pet or submit a formal request under this policy
2. consider the matter when assessing any future pet requests
3. Keeping an unauthorised pet does not in itself constitute grounds for possession, but persistent breach of tenancy terms may form part of a broader grounds-based possession process under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

Assistance Animals

This policy does not apply to assistance animals, including guide dogs, hearing dogs, and other animals trained to support a resident with a disability. Assistance animals are permitted at Edenwood House at all times and do not require a separate application under this policy. If you have an assistance animal, please add it to your application and ensure "service animal" is ticked. 

How to raise a concern

If you are unhappy with our decision on your pet request, please contact us in the first instance at [email protected]. If we are unable to resolve your concern, you may refer the matter to The Property Ombudsman at tpos.co.uk.

This policy is issued by Occu Living (UK) Limited in accordance with the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and the Tenant Fees Act 2019. It will be reviewed annually and updated to reflect any changes in legislation or building terms.

We believe in being completely upfront about costs — no surprises, no small print you have to hunt for. Below is a full statement of every charge that can apply to your tenancy, in line with the Tenant Fees Act 2019 (as amended). This statement applies to assured tenancies at Occu-managed properties in England and Wales. A separate schedule applies to non-Housing Act tenancies and company lets, set out at the end of this page.

Holding Deposit

• Amount: £400 (Equivalent to no more than one week's rent)
• When payable: On application, before referencing begins
• How it's applied: Deducted from your first rental payment. If it exceeds that amount, the balance is deducted from your second rental payment.
• Maximum holding period: 15 calendar days from receipt, unless otherwise agreed in writing or your tenancy start date is more than 15 days away.
• Refunds: If we do not proceed with your application through no fault of your own, we will return your holding deposit within 7 days of notifying you of our decision.
• Withholding: We may retain the holding deposit if you:
  • fail a right to rent check
  • withdraw from the application
  • fail to take reasonable steps to progress the tenancy before the deadline
  • provide false or misleading information that affects your suitability as a resident.
  • We will always notify you in writing if we intend to withhold your holding deposit, with reasons.

Security Deposit

Your security deposit will be equivalent to one month's rent and will be registered with an approved deposit protection scheme within 30 days of receipt. You will receive confirmation directly from the scheme. The deposit is held to cover any damages beyond fair wear and tear, or unpaid rent at the end of the tenancy. It is not used for routine maintenance or general cleaning.

Rent

Amount: Advertised amount, per calendar month

• Payment frequency: Monthly, in advance
• Maximum upfront payment: One month's rent (from 1 May 2026)
• Due date: 1st of each month, or at least 7 days before move-in in the case of the first rent payment.
• Rent increases: Any increase in rent during the tenancy will be proposed via a Section 13 notice (Form 4A). You will receive a minimum of 2 months' written notice and rent may only be increased once per year. You have the right to challenge any proposed increase at the First-tier Tribunal.

Utilities and Council Tax

• Where any of the above are included within your rent, this will be clearly stated in the property listing and in your tenancy agreement.
• Unless your tenancy agreement or property listing states otherwise, you are responsible for arranging and paying for the following:
  1. electricity and gas
  2. water and sewerage
  3. broadband and telephone services
  4. TV licence
  5. council tax

Change of Sharer

£50 inclusive of VAT per replacement tenant
Subject to our approval and the landlord's consent
Applies when you wish to replace a named tenant on the tenancy during the tenancy term. Where the reasonable costs incurred by us in facilitating the change exceed £50, we may charge those actual reasonable costs instead. We will notify you of any higher charge before proceeding.

Early Termination

Early termination of your tenancy requires the landlord's prior written consent. If agreed, any charge will be limited to:

• the landlord's reasonable re-letting costs (such as agent fees and marketing); and/or
• the rent outstanding for the remainder of the notice period.

Any charge will not exceed the financial loss suffered by the landlord as a direct result of the early termination. We will provide you with a written breakdown of any costs before they are applied.

Late Rent

Late rent applies when a rental payment is more than 14 days overdue. It is charged at a rate of 3% per annum above the Bank of England base rate. It is calculated daily, for each day the payment remains outstanding from the 15th day of arrears. Interest will only begin to accrue from the 15th day after the payment was due. We will always contact you before applying interest charges.

Lost Keys and Access Fobs

Cost of replacement keys, fobs, or access cards, and locksmith fees if required may be recharged. We will provide you with a written summary of costs, including receipts or invoices from any third-party locksmith.

Contractor Call-Out Fees

If a repair or maintenance issue is identified as your responsibility under the terms of your tenancy agreement, and we need to arrange a third-party contractor to resolve it on your behalf, any applicable call-out fee charged by that contractor may be passed on to you. We will:

1. 9. 1.  

• notify you in advance wherever possible
• provide written evidence of the contractor's charges
• only pass on the actual cost with no mark-up

No Other Fees

1. no administration fees
2. no check-in or check-out fees
3. no inventory fees
4. no renewal fees
5. no referencing fees
6. no cleaning fees
7. Any charge not permitted under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 is unenforceable.

9. Permitted Charges –
10. Tenancy Type

Tenancies at Edenwood House are granted as assured periodic tenancies (APT), rolling monthly from the tenancy start date with no fixed end date. A written statement of tenancy terms, as required under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, will be provided to you before you are asked to sign or agree to a tenancy.

4.  

The following fees apply where the tenancy falls outside the scope of the Housing Act 1988 (for example, company lets or tenancies at a rent above £100,000 per annum):

• Setup / administration fee: £[amount] inclusive of VAT
• Check-in fee: £[amount]+ (confirmed prior to move-in)
• Reference fee: £[amount] per person
• Tenancy renewal fee: £[amount] inclusive of VAT

These charges are not subject to the Tenant Fees Act 2019. All amounts are confirmed in writing before any commitment is made.

Redress scheme	The Property Ombudsman (tpos.co.uk)
Regulatory membership	Propertymark (ARLA)
Client money protection	[Propertymark CMP scheme name]
Deposit protection	Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS)

If you have a complaint that we have not been able to resolve, you may refer it to The Property Ombudsman. Details of our complaints procedure are available on request.

 

At Occu Living, we aim to provide a high standard of service at all times. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, please let us know so we can look into it and try to put things right. We take complaints seriously and will always aim to resolve concerns fairly and as quickly as possible.

Complete the web form below by choosing "Complaint" on the Type field and entering your details and relevant information about the complaint. 

When contacting us, please include your name, the property address, a telephone number or email address, details of your complaint, and the outcome you would like us to achieve. 

Prefer to contact us another way? 
Email: [email protected] 
Phone: +44 203 996 9927 
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm 
Post: Occu Living (UK) Limited, 56 Leman Street, London E1 8EU

We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and investigate it fully. We will normally send you a written response within 15 working days. 

Stage 2 — review

If you are not satisfied with our Stage 1 response, you can ask for a Stage 2 review by emailing [email protected] within 20 working days. A senior manager who was not involved in Stage 1 will review your complaint and send you a response within 20 working days. 

If you remain dissatisfied after completing our complaints process, or if we have not resolved your complaint within 8 weeks, you may refer the matter to The Property Ombudsman (TPO). 
 
The Property Ombudsman 
Website: www.tpos.co.uk 
Telephone: 01722 333 306 
Email: [email protected] 

Occu is a member of The Property Ombudsman and complies with its Code of Practice. 

If you need to make a complaint in a different format, for example by phone instead of in writing, in large print, in translation, or with the support of a friend, family member or advocate, please let us know and we will adjust how we communicate with you. You do not need to give a reason.