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Residential Tenancies Act 1986

Tenancy agreements - Rights and obligations of parties

42D: Provisions in tenancy agreements relating to tenant keeping pet

You could also call this:

"Rules about having pets in your rental home"

Illustration for Residential Tenancies Act 1986

You can keep a pet in your rental home unless your landlord has a good reason to say no. Your landlord must write this reason in your tenancy agreement. You cannot be forced to agree to unfair conditions about keeping a pet. If your landlord does not follow these rules, they are doing something wrong. Some conditions in your tenancy agreement may not be valid, such as being stopped from keeping a pet without a good reason. These rules are part of the Residential Tenancies Act, which was updated by the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1561979.

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Part 2Tenancy agreements
Rights and obligations of parties

42DProvisions in tenancy agreements relating to tenant keeping pet

  1. A tenancy agreement must not prohibit a tenant from keeping a pet on the premises unless the landlord provides reasonable grounds in the agreement for the prohibition.

  2. A tenancy agreement must not impose on the tenant an unreasonable condition relating to the tenant keeping a pet.

  3. A landlord who fails to comply with subsection (1) commits an unlawful act.

  4. The following provisions of a tenancy agreement are of no effect:

  5. a provision that prohibits a tenant from keeping a pet without providing reasonable grounds for the prohibition:
    1. a provision that imposes an unreasonable condition relating to the tenant keeping a pet.

      Notes
      • Section 42D: inserted, on , by section 20 of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024 (2024 No 52).