Pet Agreement (Rental) (Ireland)

A Pet Agreement (Rental) in Ireland sets the rent, deposit, fixed term, repairing obligations, and notice requirements for a residential let, and is shaped by the Residential Tenancies Act 2004.

The legal framework for pets in Irish rental properties has evolved significantly in recent years. The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 — the foundational legislation governing residential tenancies in Ireland — was significantly amended by the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2021, which introduced new provisions addressing the right of tenants to keep pets. Prior to the 2021 Act, landlords routinely included blanket 'no pets' clauses in tenancy agreements, effectively prohibiting all animals without any obligation to consider individual requests.

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2021 (commenced in stages from July 2021 and July 2022) changed this position. Under the amended framework, landlords may no longer include blanket prohibitions on pets in tenancy agreements without justification. Tenants have the right to request permission to keep a pet, and landlords must respond in writing, giving reasons if consent is withheld. Consent can only be refused on reasonable grounds — such as the property being unsuitable for the pet, a management company prohibition in an apartment development under the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011, or a documented health concern of another occupant.

Tenant obligations in respect of pets are also governed by section 16 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, which requires tenants not to cause damage to the property beyond fair wear and tear, and not to permit anti-social behaviour at the property. The Control of Dogs Acts 1986–1992 and the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 (S.I. No. 442 of 1998) impose further obligations on dog owners — including licensing, leashing, muzzling of certain breeds, and compliance with local authority by-laws.

The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 (S.I. No. 137 of 2019) impose minimum standards on rented residential properties that landlords must maintain, and a pet addendum should address the tenant's obligation to maintain these standards in the context of the pet's presence (for example, preventing damage to heating systems or ventilation).

The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) is the statutory body responsible for registering tenancies and resolving disputes between landlords and tenants in Ireland. Where a dispute arises between a landlord and tenant about permission to keep a pet — including a dispute about whether a landlord's refusal was reasonable under the 2021 Act amendments — either party may refer the dispute to the RTB's dispute resolution service. A pet addendum that clearly documents the terms of the landlord's consent, the conditions attached, and the consequences of breach provides a stronger evidentiary basis for any RTB proceedings. The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 also applies to pets kept in rental accommodation, imposing a duty of care on any person who has possession of an animal and creating criminal offences for animal cruelty and neglect. A tenant who keeps a pet in a rental property bears full legal responsibility for the animal's welfare, including the provision of appropriate food, water, shelter, veterinary care, and an environment that allows the animal to exhibit normal behaviour patterns.

A Pet Agreement (Rental) is needed whenever a tenant in Ireland wishes to keep a pet at a rented residential property and the landlord wishes to grant consent on specific conditions, or where a tenancy agreement is being updated to reflect the tenant's acquisition of a new pet during the tenancy.

You need a Pet Agreement when you are: a landlord who is willing to permit a tenant to keep a pet but wants to document the conditions clearly and protect the property from damage; a tenant who has found a landlord willing to accommodate your pet and wants to formalise the arrangement in writing; updating an existing tenancy agreement to add a new pet that the tenant is acquiring or adopting; or entering into a new tenancy agreement where the tenant has a pet and both parties wish to address the pet arrangement in the contract from the outset.

From the landlord's perspective, a written pet addendum is essential because it defines the scope of the consent given — specifying which pet or pets are permitted, the conditions attached to the permission, and the consequences of breach. Without a written addendum, it is difficult to enforce conditions relating to the pet or to attribute specific damage to the pet at the end of the tenancy. The addendum also provides a basis for deducting the costs of pet-related damage or additional cleaning from the tenant's deposit.

From the tenant's perspective, a written pet agreement provides certainty that the landlord has consented to the pet and cannot subsequently claim that the pet is in breach of the tenancy agreement. It also sets out clearly the conditions that must be met, so the tenant can plan accordingly — for example, by confirming the pet is vaccinated, licensed (for dogs, under the Control of Dogs Act 1986), or subject to flea treatment at the end of the tenancy.

A Pet Agreement is also useful for apartment dwellers in multi-unit developments, where management company rules may restrict the keeping of pets. In such cases, the landlord's consent is necessary but not sufficient — the tenant must also comply with the management company's rules under the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011. The addendum should address the tenant's obligation to comply with all applicable building management rules.

A Pet Agreement is also needed when a tenant acquires a pet during an existing tenancy where the original tenancy agreement contains a 'no pets' clause. Under the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2021, the tenant has the right to request the landlord's consent, and the landlord must respond in writing and cannot refuse without reasonable grounds. Where consent is granted, formalising the arrangement in a written pet addendum protects both parties — the landlord by documenting the conditions attached to consent, and the tenant by confirming that the pet is permitted and that no breach of the tenancy agreement has occurred. The addendum should cross-reference the original tenancy agreement and confirm the date from which the pet permission takes effect. Disputes about pet consent under the 2021 Act provisions may be referred to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) for adjudication if they cannot be resolved between the parties.

Under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 as amended by the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019, the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) registers all tenancies and adjudicates disputes. Section 12 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 sets landlord obligations. The Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009, Section 51, governs property transfers. The Property Registration Authority (PRA) maintains the Land Registry under the Registration of Title Act 1964.

A thorough Irish Pet Agreement (Rental) should contain several essential provisions to protect both the landlord and the tenant.

The parties and property clause identifies the landlord and tenant by full legal name and address, references the main tenancy agreement (including its date and the property address with Eircode), and confirms that the pet addendum forms part of the tenancy agreement.

The pet description clause specifies the type, breed, name, age, and weight of each pet for which consent is granted. For dogs, the breed is important because certain breeds are subject to restrictions under the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 — including the requirement to be muzzled and on a short lead in public. The clause should confirm that consent is limited to the specified pet or pets and that consent for additional pets must be sought separately.

The conditions of consent clause sets out the specific conditions attached to the permission to keep the pet. These typically include: the pet must be kept in a clean and hygienic condition; the pet must not cause nuisance, noise, or disturbance to neighbours; the pet must not be left unattended in the property for unreasonable periods; the pet must not be allowed in certain areas of the property (for example, bedrooms, if required by the landlord); the tenant must pick up after the pet in common areas and the garden; and the pet must not damage the property.

The damage liability clause specifies that the tenant is responsible for all costs of repairing or cleaning damage caused by the pet — including damage to floors, walls, carpets, furniture, fixtures, and fittings, and the cost of professional flea treatment at the end of the tenancy. The clause should confirm that these costs may be deducted from the tenant's deposit. The parties should carry out and document a property inspection at the start of the pet addendum, noting the condition of relevant areas, to provide a baseline for assessing any damage attributable to the pet at check-out.

The compliance clause requires the tenant to comply with all applicable legislation in respect of the pet — including the Control of Dogs Acts 1986–1992 (for dogs), the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, and any applicable local authority by-laws or management company rules in the case of an apartment or multi-unit development under the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011. Where the property is subject to a management company's house rules, the addendum should confirm the tenant's obligation to comply with those rules and to obtain any consents required by the management company.

The veterinary and welfare clause may require the tenant to confirm that the pet is vaccinated, licensed (where applicable under the Control of Dogs Acts), and registered on an approved microchipping database in accordance with the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015 (S.I. No. 63 of 2015). The tenant should provide copies of veterinary records or vaccination certificates on request.

The breach and termination clause specifies that breach of the conditions in the pet addendum constitutes a breach of the tenancy agreement, entitling the landlord to serve a notice to remedy breach under section 67 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, and, if the breach is not remedied, to serve a notice of termination under Part 5 of the 2004 Act.

The governing law clause confirms that the agreement is governed by the laws of Ireland and that disputes are subject to the jurisdiction of the Residential Tenancies Board (where applicable) or the Irish courts. The forms-legal.com Pet Agreement (Rental) (Ireland) template covers the mandatory elements under Residential Tenancies Act 2004.