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Residential Tenancies Act 1986

Tenancy agreements - Key money, bonds, and rents

18AA: Pet bonds

You could also call this:

"Paying a pet bond to keep a pet in your rental home"

Illustration for Residential Tenancies Act 1986

You can be asked to pay a pet bond if you want to keep a pet on the premises. This pet bond can be no more than 2 weeks' rent. You need to have your landlord's agreement to keep a pet. If your rent goes up, your landlord can ask you to pay a bit more pet bond. If your rent goes down, you can ask for some of your pet bond back. Your landlord cannot ask you to pay a pet bond if you do not have a pet. Your landlord can get in trouble if they ask you to pay a pet bond that is too much or if you do not have a pet. They might have to pay a fine, as stated in the Schedule 1B. You can only be asked to pay one pet bond at a time.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1561960.

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Part 2Tenancy agreements
Key money, bonds, and rents

18AAPet bonds

  1. A landlord may require payment of a bond (a pet bond) of no more than 2 weeks’ rent lawfully payable under the tenancy agreement relating to the tenant’s obligations in relation to a pet if—

  2. the tenant is keeping, or intends to keep, a pet on the premises; and
    1. the landlord has agreed the pet may be kept on the premises.

      1. A landlord must not require payment of more than 1 pet bond at any one time during a tenancy.

        Examples

        A tenant has their landlord’s consent to keep 3 pets. The landlord may require payment of 1 pet bond of no more than 2 weeks’ rent.

        A pet bond is paid out following the death of a tenant’s pet (see section 22BA). The tenant subsequently obtains the landlord’s consent to keep a new pet. The landlord may require payment of a pet bond again.

      2. If the landlord lawfully increases the amount of the rent, the landlord may require payment of a further sum of pet bond not exceeding the amount by which the rent payable for 2 weeks has been increased.

      3. If the landlord decreases the amount of the rent, the chief executive must, on application by the person who paid the bond, refund the tenant the amount by which the total sum of pet bond already paid exceeds the rent payable for 2 weeks following the decrease.

      4. A landlord commits an unlawful act if the landlord requires payment of a pet bond—

      5. that is greater than the amount referred to in subsection (1); or
        1. from a tenant who is not keeping, or does not intend to keep, a pet on the premises.

          1. A landlord commits an infringement offence and is liable to a fine or an infringement fee specified in Schedule 1B if the landlord requires payment of a pet bond as set out in subsection (5)(a) or (b).

          Notes
          • Section 18AA: inserted, on , by section 9 of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024 (2024 No 52).