21-Day Pet Request Deadline NZ: How to Respond on Time

How the 21-Day Clock Works

Under Section 42E(1) of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, you have 21 calendar days to give your tenant a written response after receiving their pet request. The clock starts the day after deemed service — not the day you actually read the request.

That distinction matters because the delivery method changes when service is "deemed":

• Email or hand delivery before 5 pm: served that day. Day 1 is the next calendar day.
• Email after 5 pm: deemed served the next working day (Section 136(8)). Day 1 is the calendar day after that working day.
• Letterbox drop: add 2 working days for deemed service before the 21-day count begins.
• Post: add 4 working days.

Working days exclude Saturdays and Sundays; Waitangi Day and Anzac Day (and the following Monday when either falls on a weekend); the Sovereign's birthday, Matariki Observance Day, Labour Day, and the relevant provincial anniversary; Good Friday through the Tuesday after Easter; and each day from 24 December through 3 January.

What Counts as a Valid Response

Your response must be in writing and must do one of three things: grant consent unconditionally, grant consent with reasonable conditions under Section 42G, or refuse with specific reasonable grounds under Section 42F.

A phone call does not satisfy the requirement. Neither does a verbal "yes" at an inspection. The response needs to be a document the tenant can retain and, if necessary, produce at the Tenancy Tribunal.

If you need more information about the animal — microchip number, breed, council registration — ask promptly. Requesting additional details does not pause, reset, or extend the 21-day clock. You must still respond within the original window.

What Happens If You Miss the Deadline

Failing to respond in writing within 21 calendar days without a reasonable excuse is an unlawful act under Section 42E(5). The Tenancy Tribunal can award the tenant exemplary damages of up to $1,500.

Note that silence does not equal deemed consent. The tenant still cannot bring the pet in without your written approval. But you face the financial penalty regardless.

Similarly, a refusal delivered on time but without evidence-based grounds is a separate unlawful act under Section 42E(6) — also up to $1,500.

A Practical Approach

Log the exact date and delivery method the moment a pet request arrives. Calculate the deemed-service date, then count 21 calendar days forward. Build in a buffer — aim to respond by day 14 so you have time to check council bylaws, body corporate rules, and property suitability before your deadline.

Keep a copy of your written response and proof of how you delivered it. If the matter ever reaches the Tribunal, your dated audit trail is the evidence that protects you.

Our Pets in Rentals NZ guide includes a deadline calculator worksheet and response templates so you can process a pet request from intake to written decision without missing a step.

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