Your tenant wants a pet. What do you do next? 

“My tenant asked if they can get a new puppy. Can I just say awww?” 

You can. But unfortunately, “awww” doesn’t technically answer the question. 

We get why you might want to leave it there. A puppy might be adorable, but when it’s your rental property, you may also be picturing scratched floors, chewed door frames and a garden that suddenly has a few more holes than you remember. 

The good news is that New Zealand’s pet rules give tenants a pathway to request a pet, while also providing protections for landlords. 

So, before you say yes, no, or simply admire the puppy photo and hope the question goes away, here’s what you need to know. 

First, know the pet rules 

If a tenant wants to start keeping a pet at the property, they generally need the landlord’s consent. 

However, under the rules introduced on 1 December 2025, landlords can’t simply decline a pet request without reasonable grounds. 

When a tenant makes a written request, the landlord must respond in writing within 21 calendar days. If you’re considering saying no, your reason needs to fall within the reasonable grounds for refusal provided under the Residential Tenancies Act. 

Tenancy Services has a helpful overview of the current rules for pets in rental properties. 

You still get to consider whether the pet is suitable 

The new rules don’t mean every pet request automatically gets a yes. 

You can consider the particular pet, your property and whether there are reasonable grounds for refusing consent. 

Depending on the circumstances, relevant considerations might include the property’s size and facilities, the type and number of pets requested, applicable bylaws or body corporate rules, and whether keeping that particular pet could cause unreasonable damage. 

If you’re thinking about declining a request, check the grounds on which landlords can refuse pet consent before responding. 

You can put reasonable conditions in place 

If you do approve the pet, it doesn’t have to be an unconditional yes. 

Landlords can attach reasonable conditions to their consent, taking into account the property and the type of pet. 

Depending on the circumstances, this could include requiring a pet bond, requiring carpets to be cleaned to a professional standard at the end of the tenancy where the pet is kept indoors, or requiring the pet to be appropriately restrained when you lawfully enter the property. 

Tenancy Services provides examples of conditions landlords can place on pet consent. 

And yes, there’s now a pet bond 

For landlords worried about potential damage, this is an important part of the new rules. 

If you consent to a pet, you can ask your tenant to pay a pet bond of up to two weeks’ rent. 

The pet bond is separate from the general tenancy bond, although only one pet bond can be charged for the tenancy, regardless of the number of approved pets. 

It also needs to be handled and lodged correctly, so check the Tenancy Services pet bond requirements before collecting one. 

What if the pet damages the property? 

This is often the question sitting behind a landlord’s hesitation. 

Under the current rules, tenants can be responsible for pet-related damage that goes beyond fair wear and tear. 

This makes your usual property records even more important. A thorough entry inspection, clear photographs and good documentation give you a record of the property’s condition before the pet arrives. 

If there is damage later, you’re not relying on someone remembering whether those scratches were already on the door. 

Not every animal falls under the pet rules 

There are some important exceptions. 

For example, certified disability assist dogs aren’t treated as pets under these rules. A tenant doesn’t need the landlord’s consent to keep a qualifying disability assist dog, and a pet bond can’t be charged for one. 

You can read more about what is and isn’t considered a pet on the Tenancy Services website. 

So, what do you do when the puppy photo arrives? 

There’s no need to panic about saying yes, and you shouldn’t automatically say no either. 

Instead: 

1. Get the pet request in writing. 

2. Consider the particular pet and your property. 

3. Check the permitted grounds for refusal if you have concerns. 

4. Respond in writing within 21 calendar days. 

5. If you consent, decide on any reasonable conditions. 

6. Consider whether you’ll require a pet bond and lodge it correctly. 

7. Document everything and keep good property condition records. 

There are rules to protect the tenant’s ability to request a pet, but there are protections for landlords too. Knowing both sides makes the decision considerably less daunting. 

And then you can say awww. 

Rather leave the pet requests to us? 

At Comprendé Property Management, we manage tenant requests, pet approvals, conditions, pet bonds and the paperwork that comes with them, while keeping the interests of your rental property in mind. 

Want someone who knows what to do when the puppy photo lands in your inbox? Get in touch with the Comprendé team today on 04 384 2141 or email hello@comprende.co.nz.