Can a Landlord Charge a Pet Bond in the ACT?
No Pet Bonds in the ACT — Full Stop
Section 20 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 caps the bond at four weeks' rent and Section 21 limits each tenancy to one bond. There's no carve-out for pets. A pet bond, pet deposit, pet security, or any other additional amount — regardless of what you call it — is an illegal premium under the RTA.
This catches some landlords off guard, particularly those who've managed property in other states where pet deposits are (or were) permitted. In the ACT, the rule is absolute: one bond, four weeks' maximum, no supplements.
What About Pet Damage?
The standard bond covers pet damage the same way it covers any other tenant-caused damage. If a dog destroys the carpet or a cat scratches through the floorboards, those are legitimate deductions from the existing bond at the end of the tenancy — provided the damage exceeds fair wear and tear and you have documented evidence (condition report photos, repair invoices, depreciation calculations).
The key is the condition report. A thorough entry inspection with detailed photographs gives you the baseline to prove damage occurred during the tenancy. Without it, proving that the scratches or stains came from the tenant's pet rather than pre-existing wear becomes very difficult.
Can You Refuse Pets?
Landlords in the ACT can include reasonable pet clauses in the tenancy agreement — for example, requiring written consent before a tenant brings a pet into the property. But you cannot charge a separate financial penalty for granting that consent.
If a tenant keeps a pet without consent (where the agreement requires it), that's a breach of the tenancy terms — a matter for the standard dispute process, not an additional deposit.
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Protect Yourself Through Documentation, Not Deposits
Since you can't charge a pet bond, your protection comes from the same place it always does: a thorough condition report, dated photographs at entry and exit, and invoices that itemise repair costs with depreciation. Our ACT Rental Bond Guide includes a Bond Deduction Worksheet with depreciation calculations built in, so your claim holds up if pet damage occurs.
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