Pet consent and pet bond not required

If the tenant started keeping a pet before 1 December 2025 that was approved by the landlord, they do not have to request consent for that pet.

If the landlord set conditions for the tenant when they approved the pet, the tenant must continue to meet them. The landlord cannot set new conditions, for example they cannot charge a pet bond.

If the tenant does not continue to meet the conditions that were set when the pet was approved, the landlord can follow the disputes process.

Disputes process

If there is pet-related damage

All tenants on the tenancy agreement are responsible for pet-related damage that is more than fair wear and tear.

What you are responsible for depends on if the damage was done:

• before 1 December 2025, or
• on or after 1 December 2025.

If the tenant and landlord disagree when the damage took place, the tenant will need to provide proof. This could be photos or property inspection reports.

If the damage was done before 1 December 2025

If the damage happened before 1 December 2025 , the maximum amount of damage tenants can be charged is the lesser of:

• 4 weeks’ rent, or
• the amount of the landlord’s insurance excess.

If the damage was done on or after 1 December 2025

If the damage happened on or after 1 December 2025, tenants are responsible for all damage that is more than fair wear and tear.

Pet-related damage

If a landlord did not approve a pet before 1 December 2025

A tenant could have asked the landlord before 1 December 2025 if they could keep a pet. If the landlord did not approve this and they did not have a good reason, the tenant can request pet consent now , under the new rules.

If the tenant applies for a pet consent on or after 1 December 2025, the landlord must have a valid reason to decline it. This is called a reasonable ground.

For information about how to apply for pet consent, see the sections 'What is a pet' and 'Requesting pet consent'.

What is a pet

Requesting pet consent