36SOwner must not unreasonably refuse consent to keeping of pet

36S Owner must not unreasonably refuse consent to keeping of pet

[Section 36S Inserted by No. 22 of 2025, s. 5, Applied:20 Mar 2026]

(1)  The owner of residential premises to whom a tenant has made a request under section 36R(2) must, within 14 days after being given the request –

(a) give written consent to the tenant keeping the pets specified in the request; or

(b) refuse to consent to the tenant keeping the pets specified in the request by –

(i) giving written notice of the refusal and the reason for the refusal, in an approved form, to the tenant; and

(ii) if the pet is not a dangerous dog within the meaning of the Dog Control Act 2000 , making an application to the Tribunal under section 36U(1) ; or

(c) give consent under paragraph (a) to the tenant keeping one or more pets, and refuse to consent to the keeping of another one or more pets under paragraph (b) .

(2)  The owner of residential premises to whom a request has been made under section 36R(2) must not unreasonably refuse that request.

(3)  For the avoidance of doubt, the owner of residential premises to whom a request has been made under section 36R(2) may refuse to consent to the tenant keeping a pet, specified in the request, that is a dangerous dog within the meaning of the Dog Control Act 2000 , without making an application to the Tribunal.

(4)  The owner of residential premises may give conditional consent to a request made under section 36R(2) , as specified in a written consent under subsection (1)(a) , if those conditions –

(a) are agreed to by the tenant; and

(b) relate only to the pets specified in the request; and