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Pet Bond in New Zealand

Carrie
8 June 2018

Photo: Doggy in the kitchen by Alex Matravers

Most landlords are well aware that charging extra bond for pets is illegal in New Zealand. So what can you do to make sure you feel more comfortable renting to tenants with pets?

Whether you normally allow pets, or thought you never would, sometimes your best potential tenant has a pet. If you’ve made the decision to allow a pet on your property, there are a few steps you can take to limit potential damage.

Write it in the tenancy agreement

You and your tenant need to agree on the conditions for keeping a pet on your property. Writing these conditions into your tenancy agreement should prevent future hassle.

What conditions can you place?

You can choose to only allow pets outside, only allow small pets, only allow a set number of pets, or only allow certain breeds. It’s completely up to you so long as it is laid out ahead of time.

Extra steps

If you plan to allow pets on your property, you may want to think in advance about installing pet-friendly, durable surfaces to cut down on maintenance needed in between tenancies. While you can’t charge extra pet bond, tenants are responsible for any careless damage done by their pet. Regardless, it’s smart to minimize potential damage before it occurs.

I don’t want pets at all!

Not allowing pets on your property is completely up to you. However, you should know what steps you can take if an unauthorised pet is found on your property by reading more here.

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