New Pet Rules Give Student Renters More Rights, But No Guarantees

New tenancy rules make it harder for landlords to reject pets without explanation, but students wanting a pet may still face added costs, shared liability, and restrictions based on where they live.

Since 1 December 2025, tenants have been able to ask their landlord for permission to keep a pet under changes to the Residential Tenancies Act.

Landlords cannot unreasonably refuse a request. However, tenants must receive permission before bringing the animal into the property, unless the pet is already covered by an existing agreement.

Requests should be made in writing. The landlord then has 21 calendar days to respond and must provide their decision in writing.

Where a landlord refuses permission, they must give reasonable grounds.

Tenancy Services says those grounds could include the property being unsuitable for the animal, restrictions imposed by a body corporate or local council, likely disruption to neighbours, or the tenant refusing to agree to reasonable conditions.

The changes mean a landlord can no longer rely only on a general “no pets” rule. However, they do not mean every tenant will be allowed an animal.

The first major Tenancy Tribunal ruling under the new system involved Christchurch tenants who wanted to keep a golden Labrador puppy in an upstairs flat.

The landlord raised concerns about fencing, barking, damage to the deck, and the safety of the dog.

The Tribunal approved the tenants’ request, finding that the risks could be managed through conditions rather than requiring the pet to be refused entirely.

Those conditions included installing deck mats and safety barriers, supervising the dog in shared areas, paying a pet bond, and professionally cleaning and flea-treating the carpets at the end of the tenancy.

The ruling suggests landlords need to consider the specific animal and property rather than relying only on general concerns about pets.

For students wanting a cat, providing additional information may help a request. This could include whether the cat will remain indoors, how litter and scratching will be managed, and who will care for the animal during holidays or after the tenancy ends.

The rules only apply to people legally classed as tenants.

A student who pays rent to a head tenant but is not named on the tenancy agreement cannot make a formal pet request directly to the landlord. They would need the named tenant or tenants to seek permission.

University halls, hostels, and other forms of student accommodation are also exempt from parts of the Residential Tenancies Act and may continue to apply their own rules about animals.

Students may also need to pay an additional bond.

A landlord who approves a pet can require a pet bond of up to two weeks’ rent. This is separate from the standard bond, which can be up to four weeks’ rent.

Only one pet bond can be charged for the tenancy, even where the landlord approves more than one animal.

The pet bond can be used to cover damage caused by an approved pet. Tenants remain responsible for costs above the amount held in the bond.

That responsibility is shared across the tenancy.

All tenants named on the agreement can be held responsible for pet-related damage beyond fair wear and tear, even where the animal belongs to only one flatmate.

For student flats, this means a cat adopted by one person could create financial consequences for everyone who signed the tenancy agreement.

Flatmates can make their own agreement setting out who will pay for damage, cleaning, food, or the pet bond. However, that agreement does not prevent the landlord from seeking payment from any named tenant.

Students whose request is declined can ask the landlord for further reasons or propose conditions to address their concerns.

Where the dispute cannot be resolved, tenants can use mediation or apply to the Tenancy Tribunal. The Tribunal can decide whether a refusal or condition is reasonable.

The changes give students a clearer pathway to request a pet and challenge blanket refusals.

They do not remove the larger barriers to student pet ownership. Students may still need to find suitable accommodation, secure their flatmates’ support, pay an additional bond, and plan for future moves.

For students considering a cat, the new rules make landlord approval more achievable. They do not make it automatic.