Pet-friendly Northern Quarter scheme fully let

All 100 apartments at a pet-friendly scheme in Manchester’s Northern Quarter have been snapped up.

The Quarters, on Spear Street and Oldham Street, targeted pet owners ahead of the Government’s newly announced tenancy rules, which are being lined up for introduction in 2023, making it easier for tenants to own a pet.

The first phase of the scheme comprises 100 one-bedroom, two-bedroom two-bathroom apartments, 100 cycle parking spaces and four communal roof terraces located over four and eight-storey blocks.

The second phase will be made available for rent in November and will include three-bedroom and three-bathroom apartments.

The apartments were designed to bring life back to Oldham Street after the former Dobbins Department Store was fire damaged in 2013.

As well as offering the warmest of welcomes to the city’s four-legged fraternity, The Quarters will have a dedicated rooftop for dog meet-ups, with bins and dog bowls and each new tenant moving in with a pet will get a free introductory offer to Doggyland Park in New Islington.

A free introductory dog walk will be offered to residents, allowing them to test out the local pet companion services that the area has to offer. The Quarters also provides a daytime concierge, bookable workspaces and meeting rooms.

The Government recently published plans to give private tenants the legal right to have a pet. It is expected that the Renters Reform Bill will stop blanket ‘no pet’ clauses being imposed by landlords, but it’s not expected to be introduced until the end of spring, 2023.

Under the proposed new rules, it will be easier for responsible tenants with well-behaved pets to secure rented accommodation. The new standard agreement has consent for pets as the default position and landlords will no longer be able to blanket ban pets without good reason.

If a landlord does have an objection, they will have to put their reasons in writing within 28 days of a tenant making a written pet request. Tenants will also have a legal duty to repair or cover the cost of repairs to any property damage caused by their pet.

In the meantime, only seven per cent of private UK landlords advertise pet-friendly properties, despite 52% of adults being pet owners. A recent report from one animal welfare charity highlights the difficulties facing tenants when it comes to pet ownership.

Demand for pet-friendly rental accommodation is high – even more so since the pandemic, during which more than 3.2 million UK households bought a pet.

Today, 43% of tenants own a pet and a further 33% hope to in the future. This sees 76% of tenants being impacted by landlord pet policies, making restrictions on pets very problematic for around 3.6 million households.

Emily and Tom, who have recently moved into The Quarters in August – along with their short-haired moggie called Holmes – said: “Pets are part of the family and so having a home that welcomes them is important, especially in today’s world. With it becoming increasingly difficult to get onto the property ladder more people are renting for much longer, but most apartments still don’t welcome animals.

“The company of a cat, dog, rabbit, snake, whatever you have, can have great mental health benefits – this especially rang true during the pandemic when people were home alone. When searching for a new apartment, it being pet-friendly was one of our key requirements.”

Paul Dobbs, chief operating officer at Northern Group and agent for the apartments, said: “We set out to lead the way with the launch of The Quarters and what the development means in terms of Manchester city centre living. The developer, Kempton Homes, has designed the property with tenants’ needs in mind, and we’re delighted to launch this one as pet friendly as that’s what they really want.

“We’re a city of animal lovers. Earlier this year Manchester was named as one of the UK’s most dog-friendly cities. Caring for a pet provides so many health and mood-boosting benefits and the Northern Quarter is absolutely brilliant if you’ve got a dog. From the cafes, bars and restaurants to the shops, so many are super dog-friendly and it’s really easy to get out and about with them.”