Since we are a nation of animal lovers, you’d think landlords would lay down the welcome mat for tenants with pets.

A new survey shows tenants (41.2 per cent have a cat or dog) are not necessarily turned away as pet owners, but there is less choice of property, say 52.7 per cent of those quizzed. Downsides include pet hair in the home (21.2 per cent) and noise (14.3 per cent), according to lettingsearch.co.uk.

More tenants are requesting their furry friends join them, says Nina McDowall from Strutt & Parker, who’s recently dealt with an Afghan hound, mini-Dachshund and rabbit. “Landlords are becoming open to the idea of pets, subject to the tenant agreeing to a few parameters.”

She suggests clients ask for a larger deposit, eight weeks rent rather than six, and the tenant has the pet regularly professionally groomed and its claws clipped.

“We also recommend inserting a ‘pet’ clause into any agreement. If the tenant’s pet barks endlessly or annoys the neighbours, the landlord has the right to ask the tenant to remove the pet,” McDowall adds.

“These clauses sound restrictive, but if tenants are confident their pet is as well-behaved as they say, there should be no reason to worry - and it’s often the case pets are better behaved than some children. It’s quite usual not only to reference the tenant, but also to ask for references for pets.”

Angharad Gabriel at Savills Richmond and Barnes insists on a professional clean, including fumigation, at the end of the tenancy. “My advice would be to limit rooms where the pet is allowed, and preferably not to let pets go upstairs. We would also not recommend pets to landlords with solid wood floors.”

Ria Geerling from Henry & James Chelsea Green says one of her landlords asked to have the pets named and photographed in the contract, so the little Chihuahua did not suddenly become a Rottweiler.

“He also asked to check the property on a quarterly basis, so any damage caused by the pets could be rectified and costs taken from the deposit, and the deposit would then have to be topped up,” explains Geerling.

Summer is the best time for a landlord to allow a pet into a property, because they will be outside due to the good weather, resulting in less wear and tear on the property, believes Louise O’Driscoll at Kay & Co.

Another plus, she says, is that tenants with pets know they will be expected to pay a larger deposit. Often, they’ll agree to pay at or over the asking price.