A new platform aims to help tenants build a comprehensive pet profile so landlords and agents can review their pet’s history and make an informed decision without the paperwork chase.

Pawfect puts all the relevant information into one shareable profile including pet insurance documents, vet health records, previous landlord references, behaviour/training certificates and microchip details. Tenants can also upload photos to evidence their pet’s suitability for a particular property.

The Renters’ Rights Act gives tenants the right to request a pet, which landlords are required to consider and cannot unreasonably refuse – within 28 days.

Founder Manus McGinty says while most UK households now own pets, many landlords and letting agents still struggle to properly assess pet-related risk. As a result, responsible tenants are often rejected, while landlords are left relying on incomplete information spread across emails and documents.

Score

The platform generates a simple profile score and reference link so landlords or agents can review everything in one place. For landlords, it reduces the time and uncertainty involved in assessing pet-owning applicants, while still allowing them to review supporting documents, he explains.

With a background in construction and property maintenance, McGinty says he understands both the concerns landlords have around property risk and the growing difficulties responsible pet owners face in the rental market. With the new rental laws, the biggest friction point is landlords’ fear of the unknown.

Idea

“The idea behind Pawfect was to create a more standardised and transparent system that makes the process clearer and easier for both landlords and tenants,” he says.

Tenants pay a one-off fee of £12.99, and while it is currently free to use for landlords and agents, McGinty is developing a landlord dashboard which would incur a cost.

“We’re looking to appeal to all kinds of landlords,” he tells LandlordZONE. “The platform launched this week and is still at an early stage, but the response so far has been really encouraging.”

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