1 Dec 2025
Pet requests in New Zealand rentals
From 1 December 2025, pet rules aim for a fairer split between landlords and tenants. A tenant can ask to keep a pet. A landlord has to consider that request and can only decline on reasonable grounds.
Reasonable grounds are specific to the animal and the property. A large dog and an unfenced frontage is a different conversation from a cat in a contained unit. We do not use a blanket "no pets" line where the law expects a real decision, and we do not ignore an owner's insurance or body corporate rules.
What we put in writing
- Whether pets are by consent, and any conditions
- The pet bond where it applies, often two weeks' rent
- Who repairs damage an animal causes
Move-in costs for tenants are usually four weeks' bond plus one week in advance, and the pet bond on top if a pet is approved. We tell applicants that before they fall in love with a house that will not work.
The fine print changes. Check Tenancy Services for the current test, and talk to us about the house you actually own. A fenced Totara Park section and a central Hutt unit are not the same pet decision.