WaggelBest overall
SunderlandIts 89.99 score reflects a strong balance of pet-friendly availability and rent that is slightly below the local average.
Pet-friendly rental index 2026
Best places to rent with a pet
Waggel analysed 2-bedroom rental listings to reveal where pet owners have the best chance of finding a home, and where pet-friendly renting costs the most extra.
A good move should feel good for them too
Key findings
What the rental listings revealed
Availability and affordability vary sharply between locations. One city offers the strongest overall balance, while another stands apart for the cost of pet-friendly renting.
Best availability
Cambridge17.69% of qualifying 2-bedroom listings were advertised as pet-friendly, the highest share in the study.
Biggest premium
128.11%Liverpool's average pet-friendly rent was more than double the local average in this snapshot.
Largest market
LondonLondon returned 15,540 listings, including 1,116 advertised as pet-friendly.
Top spots
Why the leading places ranked well
The top three each combine relatively strong pet-friendly availability with a more competitive cost profile than many of the locations analysed.
1
Sunderland
Ranked first because 12.12% of listings were pet-friendly and those homes averaged slightly less than the local rental market.
- Score
- 89.99
- Pet-friendly share
- 12.12%
- Extra cost
- -0.81%
2
Cambridge
Achieved the highest pet-friendly availability in the study, which helped offset its higher average rent and 7.91% pet premium.
- Score
- 64.08
- Pet-friendly share
- 17.69%
- Extra cost
- 7.91%
3
Salford
Placed third with the second-highest pet-friendly share among ranked locations, despite a 16% premium versus local rents.
- Score
- 60.02
- Pet-friendly share
- 13.01%
- Extra cost
- 16.00%
Waggel advice
Make a new home safe and welcoming for pets
Moving can be unsettling for an animal. A few practical changes can help them explore safely, settle into a routine and feel at home sooner.
Create a quiet settling-in space
Start with one calm room containing familiar bedding, water, food and favourite toys, then let your pet explore gradually.
Check doors, windows and balconies
Secure escape routes, repair loose screens and make sure balcony gaps or low windows cannot put curious pets at risk.
Move hazards out of reach
Store medicines, cleaning products, cables and small objects safely. Check that houseplants are suitable for your pet.
Give them a place to retreat
Set up a bed, crate, covered nook or high perch where your pet can rest without being disturbed by visitors or moving activity.
Protect floors without restricting play
Use washable rugs or mats in feeding and high-traffic areas, and provide scratching posts or chew-safe toys from day one.
Keep routines familiar
Maintain usual meal, walk and bedtime patterns where possible. Familiar timing can make an unfamiliar home feel more predictable.
Draft advice for review and approval by Dr Warner.
Full ranking
Every metric in one table
One consolidated view replaces the previous separate tables. Scroll horizontally on smaller screens to retain every metric.
SourceZoopla 2-bedroom rental searches.
TimingListings analysed in June 2026.
Minimum sampleAt least 10 pet-friendly listings.
Best towns and cities for renters with pets
Ranked by Waggel's Pet-Friendly Renting Score.
Swipe or scroll to see all metrics →
| Rank | City | All listings | Pet-friendly listings | Pet-friendly share | All-rental avg rent | Pet-friendly avg rent | Monthly extra | Extra pet cost | Score /100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunderland | 99 | 12 | 12.12% | £761.59 | £755.42 | -£6.17 | -0.81% | 89.99 |
| 2 | Cambridge | 147 | 26 | 17.69% | £1,893.08 | £2,042.88 | £149.80 | 7.91% | 64.08 |
| 3 | Salford | 392 | 51 | 13.01% | £1,439.42 | £1,669.72 | £230.30 | 16.00% | 60.02 |
| 4 | Sheffield | 211 | 14 | 6.64% | £1,015.50 | £1,177.67 | £162.17 | 15.97% | 59.65 |
| 5 | Manchester | 1,360 | 101 | 7.43% | £1,746.57 | £1,814.71 | £68.14 | 3.90% | 58.12 |
| 6 | Birmingham | 863 | 67 | 7.76% | £1,299.07 | £1,553.97 | £254.90 | 19.62% | 53.75 |
| 7 | Brighton and Hove | 213 | 15 | 7.04% | £1,875.62 | £2,034.80 | £159.18 | 8.49% | 51.87 |
| 8 | Leicester | 279 | 13 | 4.66% | £1,050.00 | £1,207.69 | £157.69 | 15.02% | 50.63 |
| 9 | London | 15,540 | 1,116 | 7.18% | £2,922.04 | £3,206.11 | £284.07 | 9.72% | 48.12 |
| 10 | Leeds | 593 | 27 | 4.55% | £1,108.89 | £1,349.12 | £240.23 | 21.66% | 42.22 |
| 11 | Liverpool | 446 | 22 | 4.93% | £1,032.86 | £2,356.09 | £1,323.23 | 128.11% | 28.41 |
Source: Waggel analysis of Zoopla 2-bedroom rental searches, June 2026. Places with incomplete data or fewer than 10 pet-friendly listings were excluded. Sunderland's all-rental average and monthly difference are derived from the published pet-friendly average and percentage difference. Results are a snapshot of advertised availability at collection time.
Methodology
How Waggel scored each place
The score balances the chance of finding a pet-friendly home with rental affordability and the extra cost attached to pet-friendly listings.
Score weighting
Higher scores reflect stronger availability, lower pet-friendly rents and a smaller, or negative, cost premium.
50%Pet-friendly availability
30%Average pet-friendly rent
20%Extra pet cost
Research process
- Waggel compared standard Zoopla 2-bedroom rental searches with searches using the pet-friendly filter in June 2026.
- The analysis recorded total listings, pet-friendly listings, each average monthly rent, pet-friendly share and cost difference.
- Locations with incomplete data or fewer than 10 pet-friendly listings were excluded.
- Zoopla's filter depends on agent labelling, so the figures show advertised availability rather than every landlord who may consider pets.