When tenants can get a pet bond refund

The tenant can get a refund of their pet bond if:

• they are no longer keeping any consented pets at the property
• there is no pet-related damage to the property that is more than fair wear and tear, and
• the landlord and tenant have agreed to refund the bond.

Pet-related damage

If there are still other consented pets at the property

A pet bond is paid for the tenancy, not for each pet. This means there must still be a pet bond payment lodged with Tenancy Services if:

• there are other consented pets at the property, and
• a pet bond was required as a condition of the consent for those pets.

Example

• Tenant A had paid a pet bond, but their pet is no longer being kept at the property.
• Tenant B also got consent to keep their pet at the property.
• This means there still needs to be a pet bond lodged with Tenancy Services.
• Both tenants and the landlord should agree on how to refund Tenant A’s share of the pet bond (for example, Tenant B can pay this directly to Tenant A).

If Tenant B had approval to keep a pet at the property before 1 December 2025, they do not need to pay a pet bond. In this case, Tenant A can apply for a pet bond refund (as long as there are no other consented pets being kept at the property).

Pet rules to 30 November 2025

Example

• You are a tenant who lives alone and has 2 approved pets at the property.
• One of these pets is rehomed or passes away.
• You cannot apply for a pet bond refund because there is still 1 consented pet at the property.

How much of the bond can be refunded

If there is no pet-related damage, the tenant can get the full amount of the pet bond refunded to them.

If there is any pet-related damage to pay for, that amount will come off the pet bond total. The tenant will get a refund of the difference.

If the pet bond is not enough to cover costs, the general bond can be used if:

• the landlord and the tenant agree to this, or
• the Tenancy Tribunal has ordered it.

Refunding a general bond

Example

• The total pet bond the tenant paid at the start of the tenancy was $1,000.
• There is pet-related damage worth $500.
• The tenant will get a refund of $500.

How to apply for a pet bond refund

The tenant will need to apply for a bond refund from Tenancy Services or sort the refund privately. It depends on their situation.

If there are no other consented pets at the property

If there are no other consented pets at the property, the tenant can apply for a pet bond refund.

The refund can be paid to 1 tenant or split between many tenants. A tenant can also choose to transfer their bond to a new landlord if they agree.

To apply for a bond refund, follow the steps in the section ‘How to apply for a bond refund’.

How to apply for a bond refund

If there are still consented pets at the property

If there are still consented pets living at the property, the tenant can sort the refund privately. The tenant who paid the pet bond must agree with the other tenants and the landlord how to refund the pet bond.

If the other consented pet is the tenant’s own pet, they cannot get a bond refund.