Pet Inspection and Condition Reports NZ: The Landlord's Evidence Checklist

Why a Pet Consent Changes the Inspection Stakes

When you consent to a pet under Section 42G of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, pet damage liability shifts in your favour — Section 49B makes the tenant liable for the actual cost of pet damage with no cap. But the Tenancy Tribunal only awards what you can prove. No dated photographs, no condition report at entry, no payout.

The routine inspection rules haven't changed. Section 48 still limits you to one inspection every four weeks with at least 48 hours' written notice. What changes with a pet on the property is how much each inspection matters. A scratched door frame photographed three months in is worth far less than a baseline photo taken before the animal moved in.

The Baseline: Inspect Before the Pet Arrives

Your strongest evidence starts before Day 1 of pet occupancy. After you consent to the pet but before the animal actually moves in, do a documented walk-through:

Photograph every surface the pet will contact. Floors (especially carpet and timber), door frames, skirting boards, garden beds, fencing, and any outdoor areas. Shoot wide and close-up. Your phone timestamps the photos automatically — make sure the date and time settings are correct.

Use a written condition report. Tenancy Services' property inspection template works, or use your own. The point is a room-by-room record both parties sign. If the tenant is present during the walk-through, ask them to sign it on the spot. If not, provide a copy and give them a reasonable time to add comments.

Note existing wear. Small scratches on timber floors, minor carpet stains, scuff marks on walls. If you don't record pre-existing wear, the tenant will argue at the Tribunal that the damage predates the pet — and you'll struggle to prove otherwise.

This baseline report supplements your routine cycle; it does not create an extra inspection right. Section 48's once-every-four-weeks limit still applies, so schedule a walk-through only within that limit.

Routine Inspections: What to Document

During the tenancy, your regular inspections should include a pet-specific checklist:

• Flooring — scratches, stains, carpet pulling or fraying
• Doors and frames — claw marks, gnaw damage, scuffing at dog height
• Walls and skirting — rubbing marks, scratches, urine staining
• Garden and fencing — digging, weakened fence posts, damaged plants
• Odour — noticeable pet smell in carpets or soft furnishings (note it in writing; you can't photograph a smell, but a contemporaneous written note carries weight)
• Flea or pest evidence — particularly if your consent conditions require regular flea treatment

Photograph anything new since the last inspection. Compare against your baseline photos — the Tribunal wants to see the before-and-after, not just the damage.

Section 48 Limits Still Apply

You cannot inspect more often than once every four weeks, even with a pet on the property. Imposing invasive inspection schedules that exceed the statutory limit would undermine your position if you needed to bring a claim. Stick to the rules: one inspection per four weeks, 48 hours' written notice, during reasonable hours.

If the tenant's consent conditions include keeping a dog restrained during inspections, confirm that in writing when you give notice of the inspection.

The Exit Inspection: Closing the Loop

When the tenancy ends, your exit inspection should mirror the baseline:

Same angles, same rooms. Photograph every surface you documented at entry, from approximately the same position. Side-by-side comparison images are powerful at the Tribunal.

Bring the baseline report. Walk through with the tenant if possible, pointing out changes. A signed joint condition report at exit — even one that notes disagreements — is far stronger than a unilateral assessment.

Get a cleaning or repair quote promptly. If you're claiming pet damage against the pet bond under Section 18AA, you need evidence of the cost. A quote from a carpet cleaner, floor sander, or painter dated within a few days of the exit inspection connects the damage to the tenancy rather than leaving a gap for the tenant to argue it happened after they left.

What the Tenancy Tribunal Accepts

The Tribunal expects contemporaneous records — documents created at the time, not assembled weeks later for the hearing. Your evidence package for a pet damage claim should include:

1. The signed baseline condition report (pre-pet)
2. Dated entry photographs
3. Routine inspection notes with dated photographs showing progressive damage
4. The signed exit condition report
5. Dated exit photographs
6. Repair or cleaning quotes tied to specific damage

Without the baseline, you're left arguing what the property looked like months or years earlier. The Tribunal adjudicator wasn't there — they rely on what you documented.

The Practical System

A landlord managing one or two properties doesn't need software. A folder on your phone labelled with the property address, subfolders by date, and a printed condition report template you fill in at each inspection is enough. The discipline is doing it every time, starting with the baseline before the pet moves in.

For the complete pet consent workflow — including the 21-day response deadline, lawful refusal grounds, pet bond rules, and the condition report templates — the Pets in Rentals NZ guide walks through each step with the document templates ready to use.

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