Pets in a Rental Property NSW: A Landlord's Guide

This article is general information, not legal advice. The rules below come from NSW Fair Trading's guidance on pets in rental properties, so check the current requirements with NSW Fair Trading before you act on any pet request.

The basic rule for pets NSW landlords need to know

In New South Wales, a tenant can keep a pet with the landlord's consent. You can't simply say no because you'd prefer a pet-free property. The law sets out specific reasonable grounds on which a landlord can refuse a pet request, and if you don't respond to a written pet request within 21 days, consent is automatically taken to have been given. That last point matters a lot for self-managing landlords: silence isn't a safe default. It's effectively a yes.

What this means day-to-day

For a landlord managing their own property, this changes how you need to handle pet requests in practice:

• Treat every written pet request as time-sensitive. Diarise the date it arrives and make sure you respond well before the 21-day mark.
• Have a genuine reason ready if you intend to refuse. A blanket "no pets" preference isn't enough under the law; refusal needs to sit within the specific reasonable grounds set out in the legislation.
• Put your decision in writing, whether it's a consent or a refusal, so there's a clear record of what was requested and what was agreed.
• Don't ask for a separate pet bond or extra rent for the pet. That's not permitted, regardless of the type or size of animal.

Can you charge extra for a pet?

No. The landlord cannot charge a separate pet bond or extra rent as a condition of allowing a pet. This catches some landlords off guard, especially those used to older norms around "pet bonds" or pet-inclusive rent premiums. Under the current NSW rules, the standard rental bond covers the property regardless of whether a pet lives there.

What you can rely on is the tenant's responsibility for damage. If a pet causes damage to the property, scratched carpets, chewed doors, dug-up gardens, that cost sits with the tenant, not with you as an absorbed loss. This is why a thorough condition report at the start and end of a tenancy is worth the time it takes, pet or no pet. Clear photos and a detailed written record make it far easier to establish what damage occurred and when, if a dispute ever arises over the bond at the end of the lease.

Responding to a pet request properly

Get it in writing

A pet request needs to be in writing to trigger the formal process, and your response should be too. A verbal chat at an inspection isn't a substitute for a documented request and a documented response. If a tenant raises the idea of a pet verbally, ask them to put it in writing so the timeline and paper trail are clear for both of you.

Assess it against reasonable grounds

Before refusing, check whether your reason genuinely falls within the specific grounds the law allows. Concerns like the type of property, the nature of the pet, and practical suitability can be relevant, but a general dislike of animals or a wish to keep things simple as a landlord isn't a valid basis on its own. If you're unsure whether your reason holds up, that's exactly the kind of question worth confirming directly with NSW Fair Trading before you send a refusal.

Don't let the clock run out

Because unanswered requests default to consent after 21 days, the biggest practical risk for a self-managing landlord isn't refusing a pet. It's forgetting to respond at all. If you're managing multiple properties, or juggling this alongside a full-time job, a request can easily sit in an inbox longer than it should. Building a simple reminder into your process, the date the request arrived and a hard deadline to respond by, protects you from accidentally granting consent by default when you actually wanted to raise a concern.

Setting expectations in the lease

Once a pet is approved, it's worth documenting the specifics: what type of pet, and any conditions you've agreed to (for example, the pet staying outside, or being registered with the local council where relevant). This doesn't override the tenant's underlying right to keep an approved pet, but it does create a clear shared understanding of what was agreed, which is useful if anything comes up later around damage or the pet's presence in the property.

FAQ: pets NSW rental questions

Can I refuse a pet just because I've always had a no-pets policy?

No. A blanket policy isn't a valid reason under the current NSW rules. Refusal needs to be based on the specific reasonable grounds the law sets out, not a general preference.

What happens if I don't reply to a pet request at all?

If you don't respond to a written pet request within 21 days, consent is taken to have been given. Not responding is, in practical effect, the same as approving the pet.

Can I ask for a bigger bond because the tenant has a pet?

No. You can't charge a separate pet bond or extra rent for a pet. The tenant remains responsible for any damage the pet causes, which you can address through the standard bond process at the end of the tenancy.

Do I need anything special in the lease to allow a pet?

It's good practice to record the pet and any agreed conditions in writing, even though the tenant's right to keep an approved pet comes from the law itself rather than from the lease wording.

Keeping track of pet requests, response deadlines and condition reports is easier when it's built into how you manage the tenancy day to day. EZRENT's tools for self-managing landlords help you log requests, store documents and keep a clear record for each property, so nothing slips past a deadline by accident. If you're setting up a new tenancy and want the whole process handled properly from the start, you can sign up and get started in a few minutes.

This article is general information only and is not financial, legal or professional advice. Rules, thresholds and requirements vary by state or territory and change over time - always check the current rules with your local tenancy authority or a qualified professional before acting on anything above.