This order brings into force, on 1 December 2025, the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024 that are not already in force.

The provisions being brought into force amend the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 to implement changes relating to tenants keeping pets in rental properties, including the following:

• a tenant must obtain the approval of the landlord to keep a pet:

• the landlord may only refuse a tenant’s request to keep a pet on reasonable grounds:

• the landlord may require a tenant to pay a pet bond for keeping a pet.

There are transitional provisions to protect existing pets that are kept by a tenant before 1 December 2025 in accordance with the tenancy agreement or the landlord’s consent, or if the tenancy agreement did not prohibit the tenant from keeping a pet. A tenant will not be required to obtain approval or pay a pet bond for keeping those existing pets.