Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act are expected in late 2025 or early 2026 which will change how landlords handle pets in rentals. The biggest change to the laws is that landlords will no longer be able to say “no” to pets. Refusals need to be tied to property-related reasons.
So when can landlords say no?
Here are the main situations where refusal is reasonable:
- Unsuitable property: An example would be if a large dog is inside a tiny and unfenced unit. If the property isn’t suitable for the type of pet, landlords are allowed to say “no”.
- Too many pets: If the property already has animals and adding another would make it unreasonable for the space, landlords can decline.
- Legal restrictions: If there are body corporate rules or bylaws that ban pets, it will by default override the tenant’s request.
- Dangerous or inappropriate pets: Animals classified as dangerous or menacing under the Dog Control Act, or pets that have a track record for aggression or property damage can be refused.
- Past tenant issues: If a tenant has already broken pet rules such as not cleaning up after the pet or allowing nuisance behaviour, the history can be grounds to decline future requests.
- Tenant won’t agree to fair conditions: If the tenant won’t agree to reasonable terms such as a pet bond, extra cleaning or similar proposals, landlords can refuse to accept the pet.
Conclusion for Pets in Rentals
The law is moving towards making pets more common in rentals, however, landlords still have protections. The main difference is that landlords will need to be clear and objective with their decisions. Every refusal will need to point to a specific reason and if so, will need to be elaborated. These conditions will be applied across all tenants.
It is now a good time for landlords to review tenancy agreements ahead of time and think about reasonable pet conditions before the changes arrive.
