Pet rules, four months in: what Canterbury landlords have learned

The new pet rules under the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act took effect on 1 December 2025. Four months in, the dust has settled enough to see what's working, what's catching landlords off guard, and what you should be doing to protect your property.

Here's a plain-language breakdown of the rules and the practical lessons we've learned since December.

The Rules: What Changed

Tenants can now request written consent to keep a pet. If your tenant sends a written request, you have 21 days to respond. That's a hard deadline, and the consequence of missing it is significant.

Silence equals consent. If you don't respond within 21 days, consent is deemed given automatically. No exceptions. This is the single most important thing for landlords to understand: ignoring a pet request is the same as approving it.

When You Can Say No

You can refuse a pet request, but only on reasonable grounds. The legislation defines these as:

• The property is unsuitable for the type of pet requested (for example, a large dog in a small apartment with no outdoor space)
• Body corporate rules prohibit pets or restrict certain types
• Previous significant pet damage at the property, documented with evidence

"I just don't want pets in my rental" is not a reasonable ground for refusal. The bar is higher than personal preference, and any refusal needs to be specific and defensible.

Pet Bonds: How They Work

Landlords can now charge a pet bond of up to 2 weeks' rent, in addition to the standard 4-week bond. This is new money available to protect against pet-related damage, but there are rules around it.

Key details:

• The pet bond must be lodged with Tenancy Services, just like your standard bond
• It can only be claimed against pet-related damage, not general wear and tear or non-pet issues
• Pet-related damage means damage caused by the pet: scratched floors, chewed joinery, stained carpet from accidents, damaged gardens

The transitional rule: You cannot charge a pet bond for pets that were approved before 1 December 2025. If your tenant already had a cat when the rules changed, you can't retrospectively add a pet bond for that cat. The pet bond only applies to new pet approvals going forward.

Tenant Liability Hasn't Changed

The pet bond is a new tool, but it doesn't replace the existing liability framework. Tenants remain fully responsible for all damage beyond fair wear and tear, whether caused by a pet or not.

Think of the pet bond as a first layer of protection. If the pet bond doesn't cover the full cost of pet-related damage, you can still pursue additional compensation through the Tenancy Tribunal. The bond and the Tribunal are not either/or; they work together.

Lessons Learned After 4 Months

Four months of the new rules have taught us a few things that aren't in the legislation but matter just as much.

### 1. Documentation Is Everything

Photograph the property before the pet moves in. Not just a general condition report, but detailed photos of floors, carpets, joinery, gardens, and any surfaces the pet will have access to. Date-stamped, stored properly. If you ever need to make a pet bond claim, your "before" evidence is the foundation of your case.

### 2. Be Specific in Your Consent

When you approve a pet, specify exactly what you're approving: type, breed, and size. "One medium-sized dog (Labrador)" is much stronger than "a dog." Specificity protects you if the tenant later wants to add a second pet or swap a cat for a Great Dane. Each new pet is a new request.

### 3. Increase Inspection Frequency

We recommend quarterly inspections for properties with pets, rather than the standard six-monthly cycle. Early detection of damage means early intervention. A small carpet stain at three months is a conversation; a destroyed carpet at twelve months is a Tribunal application.

### 4. Review Your Insurance

Some landlord insurance policies exclude damage caused by certain dog breeds or have pet-related exclusions buried in the fine print. Check your policy now, not after a claim. If your cover has gaps, talk to your insurer about updating it before you approve a pet request.

Talk to Beina

Navigating the new pet rules doesn't have to be complicated, but it does require attention to detail. At Beina, we handle pet requests, documentation, bond lodgement, and inspections as part of our standard property management service.

If you'd like help getting your property set up properly under the new rules, or you're not sure whether your current documentation is strong enough, get in touch. We're happy to walk you through it.