Fourteen days. That’s how long a landlord in Western Australia has to answer a tenant who asks to keep a pet, according to the new landlord pet rules WA bylines, and if no reply ever comes, the answer is YES. It catches owners out more often than you’d think, which is why the WA landlord pet rules introduced under the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024 are worth understanding before a request lands in your inbox. At Bourkes Real Estate, we manage rentals across the Como, South Perth and Rivervale area, and pet requests are a regular part of our week.
The good news is that you haven’t lost control. You can still ask for a pet bond, set certain conditions and, in some situations, say no. You just need to follow the process in the right order. Here’s how it works for landlords and where tenant pet rights in WA stop.
Your Tenant Asks and the Clock Starts
A tenant who wants a pet partway through a lease fills out Form 25, the written pet request, and gives it to the landlord. The countdown is 14 days, and day one is the day after the form reaches you. Within that window, you must decide and let the tenant know. If you’d like to knock the request back or attach extra conditions, you also need to lodge an application with the Commissioner for Consumer Protection before the 14 days are up.
Here’s the bit that trips people up. Miss the deadline, or reply to your tenant but never lodge that application, and the pet is approved by default with no strings attached. A message left unopened over a long weekend can be all it takes. If a property manager handles your rental, it is prudent to make sure any request is passed to you on the day it arrives.
When a Pet Request Can Be Declined
Some requests can be refused, but the list of valid reasons is much shorter than many owners expect. Consumer Protection WA sorts them into two groups.
No approval needed: where having the animal would breach a law or the strata by-laws, you can decline without going to the Commissioner.
The Commissioner must approve first when your reason is something like:
- The property isn’t suited to the animal, such as property size or a yard with no fence.
- The home already has as many animals as it reasonably should.
- The repair cost of likely damage would be more than the bond could cover.
- The animal would create a real health or safety risk.
- Strata agreements prevent pets living in the property.
- It would cause genuine hardship for you or a housemate, for instance, a serious allergy or a noisy animal disturbing someone who sleeps by day.
- The dog is declared dangerous under the Dog Act 1976.
If you’ve invested in a refurbishment or furnished the property with pieces you chose yourself, wanting to protect it is completely reasonable. The difficulty is that a general worry about potential damage won’t carry an application on its own. Three months after the changes began, REIWA relayed that Consumer Protection won’t accept vague concerns about a pet harming the property or furniture. What counts is evidence tied to that particular animal and that particular home.Â
How the Pet Bond Works
A pet bond sits on top of the regular rental bond. Here’s what to know:
- It’s a one-off amount capped at $350, no matter how many animals the tenant keeps.
- Once collected, it goes to the Bond Administrator, so it never sits in your own account.
- It can cover damage caused by the pet, whereas before it stretched only to fumigation.
- If a tenant gets a pet partway through the tenancy, you can ask for it once you approve the request or when the next rent increase comes around.
- Assistance animals don’t count as pets, so there’s no pet bond for them.
Two conditions need no sign-off from anyone: capping the number of animals and requiring cleaning or fumigation, like a professional carpet clean when the tenancy ends. If you want something more specific, such as keeping the animal outdoors, the Commissioner has to agree first.
Strata Properties in Rivervale and Como
Apartments and units make up a large part of our rentals in Rivervale and Como, and strata adds a twist. When the by-laws ban pets, you can turn down the request straight away, with nothing to lodge. The same applies when the by-laws call for the council of owners to sign off. Councils face no deadline for replying, so a request may wait a long time for an answer. Speak to your strata manager about the by-laws before replying to your tenant, and skip any application the by-laws have already decided for you.
If You and Your Tenant Disagree
Disagreements about pets don’t have to head to court. Both sides put their evidence to the Commissioner through an online determinations process, which tends to be quicker and cheaper than a hearing.
Practical Ways to Protect Your Property
- Put it in writing. Spell out which animal is allowed, how many, what cleaning is expected and the bond amount. A clear agreement heads off arguments down the track.
- Record the property’s condition first. Dated photos of floors, skirting, doors and gardens, along with a thorough condition report, give you solid proof if you ever claim against the bond.
- Plan for floors early. Requiring a professional carpet clean is something you can do without approval. For timber and tiles, clear and detailed ‘before’ photos matter most, as any claim depends on showing what has changed. Anything beyond standard cleaning needs the Commissioner’s approval.
- Diarise the deadline. Count 14 days from the day after the request arrives and set a reminder for day seven.
With vacancy rates near record lows, as we covered in our look at Perth’s rental market in 2026, pet requests are likely to increase in momentum, so it pays to have a clear process ready before one arrives.
Need a Hand With a Pet Request for your Rental?
Handling requests, bonds and paperwork is part of what our property management team does every day. If you’re unsure how the new rules affect your rental, our landlord information page is a good starting point. You can also book a free rental appraisal and talk through your options with us.
Have a pet request sitting on your desk right now? Contact the Bourkes team before your 14 days run out.
Disclaimer: Information in this article is based on guidance published by Consumer Protection WA and REIWA, current at the time of publication (October 2026). Tenancy laws can change, and landlords should seek tailored advice from a property management professional before acting on this information.
