Can I keep a pet in a rented home?
Yes, the landlord can't ban it. Any residential-lease clause banning the keeping of a pet is deemed unwritten (law of 9 July 1970): it's void and doesn't apply. The tenant can therefore keep a pet (dog, cat…), even if the lease purports to ban it. But this freedom has a counterpart: the animal must cause neither damage to the home nor neighbour nuisance (barking, smells, damage). If there's a problem, you're liable. Notable exceptions: category 1 dogs (banned), and seasonal rentals / furnished tourist lets, where a no-pet clause stays valid.
📋 The rules
- Clause banning a pet: deemed unwritten (void)
- The tenant can keep a pet
- Provided no damage or neighbour nuisance
- Exception: category 1 dogs (banned)
- Exception: seasonal rentals / furnished tourist lets
🔓 Exceptions
- Dangerous category 1 dogs: banned in all cases
- Furnished tourist/seasonal let: no-pet clause valid
- Co-ownership rules: can frame (not totally ban) pets
⚠️ Penalties & fines
A pet causing damage to the home or neighbour nuisance engages the tenant's liability: repairing the damage, and a possible action for abnormal neighbour disturbance. Serious, repeated nuisance can even justify ending the lease. Conversely, a landlord can't end or refuse the lease solely because the tenant has a pet (the ban clause being void).
📎 Official sources
- Service-Public.fr · Pet in a rented home →
- Légifrance · Law of 9 July 1970 (pet clause deemed unwritten) →
- ANIL · Keeping animals and the lease →
❓ Frequently asked
Can the landlord ban pets?
No, for a pet in a residential rental: the ban clause is deemed unwritten (law of 9 July 1970), so void. The tenant can have a dog or cat, provided it causes no damage or nuisance.
Are there exceptions?
Yes. Category 1 dogs (attack dogs) are banned in all cases. And in seasonal rentals or furnished tourist lets, a no-pet clause stays valid, as these aren't main residences.
What if my pet causes damage?
You're liable: you must repair the damage. Repeated nuisance (barking, smells) can be an abnormal neighbour disturbance, lead to damages, even justify ending the lease.
Can the co-ownership rules ban pets?
They can frame their presence (common parts, nuisance), but can't absolutely ban keeping a pet in the private parts. A total ban would, here too, have no effect.
And for a standard furnished rental?
For a furnished rental that's the tenant's main residence, the no-pet clause is also deemed unwritten. It's mainly the seasonal / tourist let that escapes this rule.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “pet banned rental void clause”
- “keep dog cat in rental”
- “law 9 july 1970 pet”
- “landlord ban pets lease”
- “category 1 dog rental banned”
- “pet furnished tourist let”