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Pets will be given residential rights under new strata bylaws in New South Wales due to come into effect next year.
Last month in state parliament, fair trading minister Anthony Roberts announced the strata bylaw will subject pets to “reasonable” approvals in strata-titled apartments and townhouses.
Pets are currently banned automatically unless there is written approval, but under the new law pets will only be banned if 75 per cent of owners vote against at a strata meeting.
LJ Hooker network performance manager for property management Amy Sanderson praised the proposed changes.
“It is long overdue and recognises that pets and their owners, regardless of whether they’re tenants or owners, shouldn’t be forced to live apart due to outdated strata laws. This move for NSW is overdue and will hopefully pave the way for other states and territories around the nation to follow," she said.
“Most pet owners make great tenants because they’re used to being responsible and caring, and they have fewer options so they never take a lease for granted.”
Mr Roberts said the NSW bylaws resulted from lengthy discussions and lobbying by several parliamentary colleagues and “would bring some fairness back to strata living for pet owners”, as well as “reflecting what the community overwhelmingly wants”.
The new law will also mean that pet owners are no longer faced with having to “choose between giving up on their new homes or having a much-loved companion given away or put to sleep”, he added.
