Halfway through a periodic tenancy the tenant's only pet, an elderly cat, dies. The tenant asks the property manager whether the pet bond must stay lodged until the tenancy ends. What is the correct answer?
Correct Answer
C) No; the tenant may apply for the pet bond during the tenancy once no pet is kept.
Section 22BA, inserted from 1 December 2025, lets a tenant apply for payment of a pet bond at any time during a tenancy if the tenant is no longer keeping a pet. The application follows the ordinary bond refund processes in ss 22 to 22B. If the tenant later gets consent for a new pet, a pet bond may be required again.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Section 22BA allows a mid-tenancy pet bond application when the tenant no longer keeps a pet.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: Yes; all bonds stay with Tenancy Services until the tenancy has been terminated.
Section 22BA specifically allows a pet bond application at any time during the tenancy if no pet is kept.
Option B: No; the landlord must repay the pet bond personally within 14 days of hearing about the death.
Bonds are held by the chief executive and paid out through a bond application, not repaid by the landlord.
Option D: Yes; it converts into extra general bond for the rest of the tenancy.
There is no conversion rule; the pet bond relates only to pet obligations and can be refunded.
Background Knowledge for Property Management
Source: https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/whole.html
Exam Tip for Property Management
The pet bond can come back before the tenancy ends; the general bond normally cannot.
Common Mistakes to Avoid on Property Management Questions
- •Assuming every bond is locked in until the tenancy ends.
More Property Management Questions
How long does a landlord have to lodge a bond with Tenancy Services after receiving it from a tenant?
Which of the following is a mandatory requirement for all rental properties under the Healthy Homes standards?
A periodic tenancy began 8 months ago and the rent has never been raised. If the landlord gives written notice today, when is the earliest a rent increase can take effect?
A property manager discovers a tenant has been subletting rooms without permission for 6 months, generating significant income. The head tenant is otherwise compliant and rent is current. What factors would most influence the Tenancy Tribunal's decision on termination?
Under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, what is the most a landlord can charge as a general bond (not counting any separate pet bond)?
- → Which of the following is NOT a mandatory requirement for tenancy agreements under the Residential Tenancies Act?
- → How much notice must a landlord give a tenant before conducting a routine property inspection?
- → A tenant has given 21 days' notice to terminate a periodic tenancy but wants to leave 5 days early. What must happen for this to be legally acceptable?
- → A tenant claims bond refund for $1,200 but the landlord disputes $400 for carpet cleaning. The tenant disagrees and applies to the Tenancy Tribunal. What happens to the bond during this dispute?
- → How often may a landlord carry out routine inspections during a tenancy?
- → A landlord wants to increase rent for a periodic tenancy. What is the minimum notice period they must give?
- → During a property inspection, a property manager discovers the tenant has installed a spa pool without permission. What is the most appropriate first step?
- → By what date did all private rental properties in New Zealand have to comply with the healthy homes standards?
- → A property manager conducts an inspection and finds the tenant has installed a heat pump without permission. The tenancy agreement prohibits alterations without consent. What can the landlord legally require?
- → During a property inspection, a landlord notices the tenant has changed the locks. Under what circumstances is this legally permitted?
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