Finding a place that allows pets, and finding a place while still in the US?

Hello, all!  I will be moving to Liverpool in September, and I am wondering what the likelihood is that I'll be able to find a furnished rental that allows cats. I am also curious if any letting agents will work with you before you actually arrive without me physically seeing the property, or if I'll have to wait until I arrive.  If the latter, how quickly could I find a place and get moved into it? Meaning how long from seeing the property to getting the keys does that generally take? Anyone in Liverpool know how the rental market is there? Looking on rightmove.co.uk, there's tons of properties coming up, but I keep reading that properties get snatched up and then aren't removed from these search sites very quickly, so I debate it's accuracy.

As for the cats, they would not be coming to England until probably October, so I would not have them when I move in. I have two, and I of course don't want to be deceitful, but would it be in my best interest to say at the start that I only have one, and see if they are amenable to pets at all?  Looking at places on-line, it seems that those who don't allow pets explicitly say so, but most listings do not say whether they do or not.

Sorry for the long-windedness, there's just so many questions that come up doing this research. Thanks!

Looking back at a previous question of mine (which I didn't realize how similar was to this one ), I'm getting the impression that I'm really not going to be able to do much in the way of getting housing settled until I am physically there.  Since I'll be there on a student visa, and have to have maintenance funds, rent could be paid immediately for 6 months to a year, so would we still have to have a "sponsor"? That doesn't really make any sense to me if everything is paid up in advance, there would be no concern with rent not getting paid. Sigh, this is all so confusing and difficult.

I would consider getting a temporary rental to allow you the opportunity to get around and know your area and then find a long-term rental. I'vd found that most agencies won't allow you to rent sight-unseen. It can turn into a big problem for them.

But in the past I have found an agent that was willing to do this. But that's why I say to get a short-term let first, even if it's just a room. Are you looking on gumtree dot com? There you can find lots of student lodgings and even hotel rooms that you can rent on a weekly basis. Since you won't have the cat at first this could be ideal.

When you do find a suitable long-term rental you'll find that there's a little more tolerance towards pets than in the U.S. A cat should not be a big problem.

Also, the standards of quality tend to be much higher here. I used to manage rentals in California and the attitude was always to invest as little as possible in the places, especially if they were for students or lower income people.

There are also a few slumlords in the U.K., especially in big cities, but in general the quality and decoration of rental property is very high and landlords are more accommodating.

I think it depends on your area about the pets issue.  I never had a problem in the US, although it usually required an extra deposit, but none of any of the places I have seen in my area allow pets.

Most don't even allow children.

When you do find a suitable long-term rental you'll find that there's a little more tolerance towards pets than in the U.S. A cat should not be a big problem.

Also, the standards of quality tend to be much higher here. I used to manage rentals in California and the attitude was always to invest as little as possible in the places, especially if they were for students or lower income people.

There are also a few slumlords in the U.K., especially in big cities, but in general the quality and decoration of rental property is very high and landlords are more accommodating.

I have found the completely opposite to be true.  I would never rent a property sight unseen in the UK and I have always had to visit an extraordinary number when looking because the quality was so consistently poor.  I have also known people to go weeks not finding a place for pets.  This is 100% opposite from all my US experiences. 

I have to agreee with Sara on the quality issue as well.  Standards here are way lower, even compared to the places I was living in as a uni student in the US.  I lived in a housing complex in St Louis that most pizza places wouldn't deliver to (unjustly I felt) and it was far and away more superior to any UK housing I have lived in.

Also, no landlords, or agents, coming around every 6 months to do an inspection.  It was clean when you moved out in the US or you didn't get your deposit back.  End of.

Also, no landlords, or agents, coming around every 6 months to do an inspection.  It was clean when you moved out in the US or you didn't get your deposit back.  End of.

I really miss that. My ex-landlady opted to be an utter twat about a reference for me because she came by once and decided the place was "filthy". (Based on the fact that there was a little bit of dog hair on the floor - shocking, given that a dog lived there with her permission - and the bathroom hadn't been cleaned that very day.) She didn't come by to "inspect" the place, either, so it's not like I had advance warning that she was going to judge its cleanliness.

Thanks for the info, everyone.  I have been looking at gumtree to see what's out there.  I was originally looking just at furnished places, which tend to be more likely to not allow pets, which is completely understandable.  It seems based on things being sold on gumtree, one could probably furnish a place pretty easily and cheaply. I am beginning to worry that I originally put our monthly rental budget too low, especially when I learned about the council tax. 

Just reviving this post with a little nugget about Gumtree that may help. When flat hunting, you have a couple of different search options: Agency and Private. Seeing as you are a student, going the private route may be your best bet.

A) you cut out the agency which will charge you a holding deposit and then there are inventories, applications, sponsors (as you mentioned). Your private landlord may make it loads easier for you and be grateful for the payment in advance!

B) as a result the rents tend to be more reasonable. I'm looking in London (I get there in Sept as well) and finding so many more fantastic options in the "private" search. Better furnishings, more care and detail. I'm so tired of looking at expensive places in expensive locations and seeing a 10 year old Ikea couch and a dirty lack coffee table. I'm thinking of going unfurnished too!

Thanks, dels.  That's a very good point and I'll definitely check it out. I've also been looking at easyroommate.com for possibility of a short term room let, giving us more time for the perfect place that will allow our cat.