Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act that came into effect on 1 December 2025 have changed the liability that tenants have when pets cause damage.
Tenants are now fully responsible for paying all pet-related damage other than fair wear and tear (s 49B(1)(c) RTA).
This rule change is intended to overcome landlords' concerns about pet-related damage and therefore increase their willingness to rent to tenants with pets.
Tenants must pay for all damage other than fair wear and tear
There is no upper limit on how much tenants can be required to pay for pet-related damage (s 49B(1)(c) RTA).
Previously, pet-related damage was considered under the same rules as any other form of damage, with a cap on how much a tenant could be required to pay unless the damage was considered intentional.
Find out more about tenants’ liability for damage
If the tenant has paid a pet bond, this can be used to pay for pet-related damage at the end of the tenancy (s 18AA RTA). The tenant may also be able to use their general bond if the landlord agrees.
What types of damage are included?
Pet-related damage includes anything resulting from keeping the pet, not just direct damage caused by the pet. For instance, if an aquarium leaks and causes water damage this would be considered pet-related damage.
Tenants are not responsible for fair wear and tear.
If the amount owing for the damage cannot be agreed
If the tenant and landlord cannot agree on the amount that should be paid to repair or replace any items damaged by pets, either party can take a claim to the Tenancy Tribunal.
A landlord will not be able to claim for damage to the item if the item was already in a poor state before the pet damaged it or the damage amounts to fair wear and tear.
Overview of the disputes process and the Tenancy Tribunal
Tenants have joint responsibility
When agreeing to another tenant or flatmate getting a pet, tenants need to be aware that all tenants on the tenancy agreement are ‘jointly and severally liable’ for any damage.
This means that every tenant in the rental property is responsible for damage caused by a pet that is living there, regardless of who owns the pet. Tenants are also responsible for damage caused by visitors' pets.
The landlord can choose to pursue pet-related damage costs from the tenants as a group or from one tenant individually.
Get an agreement in writing
Before anyone gets a pet in a situation where there is more than one tenant or tenants and flatmates, rules and responsibilities for the pet owner should be agreed to and included in a written house-sharing agreement.
This will not alter the ultimate responsibility that all tenants in the flat have to the landlord for damage, but it will help resolve any issues between the other tenants and the pet owner. If a tenant has to pay for damage when they are not the pet owner, they can take a claim to the Disputes Tribunal to seek repayment from the pet owner if needed.
Damage that occurred before the new rules came into effect
The new rules apply only to pet-related damage occurring after the rule change on 1 December 2025.
If the tenant can prove that the damage occurred before the rule change, the amount that the tenant will have to pay will be determined by the previous rules. Under the previous rules, the liability for pet-related damage depended on whether the damage was classified as careless or intentional (ss 49B(1)(a)-49B(1)(b), ss 49B(2)-49B(3) RTA).
If the pet-related damage is agreed to be careless rather than intentional, the tenant may only be required to pay a maximum equivalent to 4 weeks' rent or the landlord's excess, whichever is lower.
Tenancy Tribunal Rulings
The following Tenancy Tribunal cases pre-date the new pet rules but they still provide useful examples of the factors that may be considered.
Case Study – Tenant liable for damage caused by pet dog
A Tenancy Tribunal case found that the tenant was responsible for the damage caused by their dog. The costs for repair and replacement of damaged items were awarded to the landlord.
The landlord had not given consent for the tenant to have a dog. At the end of the tenancy, the property was infested with fleas. The landlord was awarded two days’ rent for the time the property could not be occupied due to flea bombing.
The tenant was also required to pay for replacement of three rugs and blinds damaged by the dog, and repairs to areas on doors, door frames and windowsills that were damaged by claw marks.
Case study – Tenant not responsible for replacing old carpet damaged by dog
A landlord seeking compensation for replacing a carpet that they claimed was soiled by the tenant’s dog was not successful because of the age and condition of the carpet.
The landlord said that at the end of the tenancy the carpet was stained and smelt of dog urine. The tenant denied that her dog had caused any damage but acknowledged that there was a coffee stain.
The Tenancy Tribunal found that it was more likely than not that the carpet was damaged by pet urine and would need to be replaced.
However, because of its’ age and wear, the carpet had no real value. Also, the landlord was intending to do renovations after the tenancy ended.
The Tribunal found that it was more likely than not that the landlord was intending to replace the carpet at the end of the tenancy anyway. No compensation was ordered for the damage to the carpet.
Last reviewed on 02 Dec 2025
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