Sydney’s most pet-friendly suburbs for renters revealed
Pet ownership has soared since the start of the pandemic – but luckily, so too has the availability of pet-friendly places.
A report has identified the top pet-friendly suburbs in Sydney for renters with a furry friend.
The suburbs of Macquarie Park, Kingswood and Cambridge Park all experienced an increase in the number of properties advertised as being “pet-friendly” over the past year, based on Ray White data.
It comes as welcome news for pet owners who continue to face slim pickings in the rental market.
While the rate of pet ownership has soared across the country, in NSW, the choice to adopt a pet remains largely in the hands of landlords.
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Tenants looking to adopt a pet must lodge a written request to their landlord, who has no obligation to grant permission to the tenant.
Similarly, there is no requirement to advertise a property for rent as being pet friendly.
This differs to rules in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and ACT, where landlords do not have the automatic right to refuse pets in their property and must have a department-approved reason in order to do so.
Ray White data shows the number of rentals advertised as pet friendly jumped from 675 to 771 in Sydney over the 12 months to June.
There were 14 more properties marketed as pet-friendly in Macquarie Park and an additional 6 properties in Kingswood and Cambridge Park.
Research from Choosi shows a surge in pet ownership over the past two years has created a challenging environment for renters.
One third of the nation’s pet owners adopted their animal companion during the pandemic while 61 per cent were influenced by the needs of their pet when choosing where they lived.
One in three felt they needed to compromise on the type of pet they owned due to living arrangements, with a whopping 79 per cent of renters reporting that owning a dog made it more difficult to find a home.
Over half of the renters surveyed were looking for pet-friendly apartments.
Ray White data analyst William Clark said pet-friendly listings were a rarity in most suburbs.
“As access to pets becomes easier, there is a good chance that these expressions of permission for pets appear more frequently, as giving this permission is likely to attract a larger pool of prospective tenants,” Mr Clark said.
He added that suburbs with a high concentration of apartment blocks, such as Macquarie Park, stood out – potentially because agents could advertise several units in the building using the same listing.
Mr Clark said homeowners reaped the benefits of pet ownership during the pandemic.
“The Covid-19 pandemic meant many of us were spending more time at home, isolating ourselves from friends and family in our homes,” he said.
“For homeowners, having a pet was a readily accessible source of comfort during a potentially lonely time.”
Animal behaviouralist Dr Kate Mornement said pet ownership had helped countless Australians during periods of lockdown.
“Our pets provided us with social support,” Dr Mornement said.
“It is well established that pets can provide several physical and mental health benefits for their owners. The pandemic has amplified these benefits and resulted in many more people adding a pet to their family.”
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Originally published as Sydney’s most pet-friendly suburbs for renters revealed