Pets can be wonderful, but tenants need to understand the financial risk before bringing a pet into a rental property.
From 1 December 2025, pet-related damage is treated differently from careless damage. If damage is caused by, or results from, keeping a pet at the property, tenants can be responsible for the reasonable repair or replacement cost.
That means the usual protection that may limit a tenant’s liability for careless damage to the landlord’s insurance excess or four weeks’ rent does not apply in the same way to pet-related damage. Under section 49B of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, tenants are liable where the damage results from keeping a pet on the premises.
This is a big deal.
Pet-related damage is not limited to a dog chewing a door frame or a cat scratching curtains. It can include stained carpet, pet smells, fleas, scratched flooring, damaged lawns, damaged curtains, or other damage that results from the pet being kept at the property.
Pet-related damage includes both direct damage caused by the pet and indirect damage resulting from keeping a pet. In simple terms, it is not just about what the pet physically does. It is also about the damage that happens because the pet is being kept at the property.
If carpet is damaged by a pet and replacement is required, the cost may sit with the tenants. A pet bond may help, but it is not a cap on liability. If the damage costs more than the pet bond, tenants can still be responsible for the balance. It is important to know that all tenants named on the tenancy agreement are responsible for pet-related damage, including repair or replacement costs.
Flatmates need to be very clear about this. If one tenant owns the pet, all tenants named on the tenancy agreement may still be liable for the damage. Your flatmate’s dog, cat, rabbit, bird or fish tank can become your bill. If tenants disagree among themselves about who should pay, that is a separate issue between the tenants. It is not something the landlord or property manager is expected to sort out, and disputes between tenants are not dealt with by the Tenancy Tribunal.
The landlord insurance is not a safety net for pet damage. Tenants may have the benefit of the landlord’s insurance for some types of careless damage, but pet-related damage is different. Before agreeing to live with a pet, tenants should think carefully about the risk, the condition of the property, the type of pet, and whether everyone in the tenancy understands the financial responsibility.
The message is simple. Pets come with love, companionship and joy, but in a rental property they also come with liability. If the pet causes damage, or damage results from keeping the pet, tenants should expect to pay.Back