Does the Model Tenancy Act ban pets in rented homes?

No. The Model Tenancy Act, 2021 does not mention pets or animals at all. It requires a written agreement, caps a residential deposit at two months' rent and makes the tenant answer for damage beyond normal wear and tear.

Can a landlord charge a higher deposit for a pet?

Under the Model Tenancy Act a residential security deposit cannot exceed two months' rent, pet or no pet. Not every state has adopted the Model Act, though, so check the rent law in force in your state and what your agreement says.

Do AWBI's housing society guidelines apply to my landlord?

No. AWBI's guidelines of 26 February 2015 are addressed to residents' welfare and apartment owners' associations, and say they cannot ban pets. They do not address a landlord letting their own flat, which is governed by the rent agreement.

Do I need my landlord's permission for a dog licence?

In some cities. Pune Municipal Corporation's dog licence form asks a tenant for the landlord's NOC, and Ahmedabad's January 2025 form asked for the rent agreement. Delhi's and Mumbai's lists ask for address proof instead.

Can a pet sitter stay in my rented flat while I travel?

Rent law does not deal with it, so check your agreement. A sitter staying a few nights is a guest, not a sub-tenant, but telling your landlord, and noting it in the agreement where you can, avoids misunderstandings.

Pet rules 9 min read

Pets in rented homes: what Indian law says and does not say

Updated October 2026By PetymFacts checked against official sources on 21 October 2026

Quick answer

No Indian law gives a tenant the right to keep a pet, and none forbids a landlord from refusing one. The Model Tenancy Act, 2021 never mentions pets or animals, so it comes down to your written rent agreement. AWBI's housing guidelines bind societies, not landlords (checked 21 October 2026).

What the law does say still matters for a tenant with a pet: the Model Tenancy Act caps a residential deposit at two months' rent and makes the tenant pay for damage beyond normal wear and tear. Some city dog licences also ask a tenant for the landlord's consent.

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Does Indian rental law mention pets?

Pets and renting at a glance
What	The rule	Source
Model Tenancy Act, 2021	A model law the Union Cabinet approved on 2 June 2021 for states to adopt or adapt. Its text never mentions pets or animals.	Prime Minister's Office
Written agreement	Under the Model Act, no premises may be let "except by an agreement in writing" reported to the Rent Authority (section 4).	Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Security deposit	Not more than two months' rent for a home (section 11).	Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Damage	The tenant must not "intentionally or negligently damage the premises" (section 16), and keeps it as it was "except for normal wear and tear" (section 15).	Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
AWBI's housing guidelines	Addressed to residents' welfare and apartment owners' associations, not to landlords.	Animal Welfare Board of India
City licences that ask about renting	Pune's PMC dog licence form asks a tenant for the landlord's NOC; Ahmedabad's January 2025 form asks for the rent agreement.	Pune Municipal Corporation

What does the Model Tenancy Act say a tenant must do?

It has no pet clause, but its rule on looking after the premises is the one a landlord will rely on.

Word for word

During the subsistence of tenancy, the tenant shall: (a) not intentionally or negligently damage the premises or permit such damage; (b) inform in writing the landlord of any damage; (c) take reasonable care of the premises and its contents including fitting and fixtures and keep it reasonably habitable having regard to its condition at the commencement of tenancy and the normal incidence of living.

Model Tenancy Act, 2021, section 16 (Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, archived English text) Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Scratched doors, chewed fittings or stained floors from a pet are damage under this section, and section 15 lets the landlord repair them and deduct the cost from the deposit if the tenant does not. The Act also lists "misuse of premises", including use that "causes public nuisance or causes damage to the property", as a ground on which a Rent Court may order eviction after notice (section 21(2)(d)).

Can a landlord refuse a tenant with a pet?

Yes: Petym found no Indian law that stops a landlord from saying no before the lease is signed.

Renting is a private contract. The Model Tenancy Act sets how the agreement is made, how much deposit can be taken and how disputes are heard, but it does not tell a landlord whom to rent to or on what terms about animals. A landlord who does not want pets can say so in the agreement, and a tenant who signs that agreement is bound by it.

The AWBI guidelines that protect pet owners in housing societies are a different thing. They are addressed to residents' welfare and apartment owners' associations, and they say an association cannot ban pets by vote or bye-law. They do not speak to a landlord letting a flat they own, so the society's rules and the landlord's terms can point in different directions.

Not every state has adopted the Model Act. It is a model circulated to states "for adaptation by way of enacting fresh legislation or amending existing rental laws", so the rent law in force where you live may be an older state Act. None of the rent law Petym read gives a tenant a statutory right to keep a pet.

Which parts of a rent agreement matter for a pet?

These are the Model Tenancy Act's own terms, and how each one bears on a tenant with a dog or cat.

Tenancy agreement (section 4): Must be in writing. If your landlord agrees to a pet, this is where it belongs: the species, the number, and any conditions. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Security deposit (section 11): At most two months' rent for a home. Pet damage is deducted from it, so a landlord cannot ask for more than this cap under the Model Act on account of a pet. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Normal wear and tear (section 15): Ordinary ageing of a flat is not the tenant's cost. Damage a pet causes beyond that is. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Tenant's repairs (Second Schedule, Part B): The tenant's list includes replacing knobs, locks, fly-nets and glass panels, all things a dog can break. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Misuse of premises (section 21): Use that causes public nuisance or damage. A landlord must give notice before seeking eviction on this ground. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Entry by landlord (section 17): With at least 24 hours' written or electronic notice, for repairs and inspections. Tell your sitter if a visit is due during a trip. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

What should a pet clause in a rent agreement say?

Petym’s working from the official rules, no government publishes a total.

Petym's suggestion of what to put in writing, built from the Model Act's terms. It is not a legal template.

The landlord's written consent to keep the pet, naming the species, breed or type, and number
Who pays for pet damage beyond normal wear and tear, and that it comes from the deposit first Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
That the deposit stays within the two-month cap the Model Act sets for homes Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Deep cleaning or pest treatment at the end of the tenancy, if the landlord asks for it
A landlord's NOC for the municipal dog licence, if your city asks for one (Pune does) Pune Municipal Corporation
That the tenant follows the housing society's pet rules and AWBI's guidelines on leashing and clean-ups Animal Welfare Board of India
Whether a pet sitter may stay in the flat while the tenant travels, so a sitter is not mistaken for a sub-tenant

What if a landlord tells you to get rid of your pet?

The answer depends on what the agreement says, but one line is fixed by law: the pet cannot be abandoned.

If your agreement allows the pet and the landlord changes their mind mid-lease
The written agreement governs. Under the Model Act a tenant is not evicted during the tenancy except as the Act allows, and the landlord would need a ground such as misuse after notice. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
If your agreement says nothing about pets
Ask for written consent now and add it to the agreement. Keep the pet well behaved and the flat undamaged, so there is no misuse or nuisance to point to. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
If your agreement forbids pets
You agreed to that term. Talk to the landlord about an addendum, or plan a move; never leave the pet behind. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
If you are pressured to leave the pet on the street
Abandoning an animal without reasonable cause where it is likely to suffer from hunger or thirst is cruelty under section 11(1)(i) of the PCA Act. Rehome it responsibly instead. Animal Welfare Board of India
If the society, not the landlord, is objecting
AWBI's 2015 guidelines say associations cannot ban pets. Show the committee the text and your landlord's written consent. Animal Welfare Board of India

What it means for owners

Get consent in writing before you move in, protect the deposit, and keep the city licence in order.

Raise the pet before you sign, not after. A clause naming your dog or cat, signed by both sides, is worth more than any verbal yes, and the Model Act requires the agreement to be in writing anyway.

Photograph the flat on moving-in day: floors, doors, fly-nets and fittings. If there is a dispute at the end, normal wear and tear is not yours to pay, and photos are the easiest way to show what was already there.

Check what your city's licence asks of a tenant. In Pune the PMC form asks for the landlord's NOC; in Ahmedabad the 2025 form asked for the rent agreement. Getting these at the start saves a second conversation with the landlord later.

What it means for sitters

A sitter staying in a rented flat should know the landlord has agreed to the pet and to the sitter being there.

When a Petym sitter stays overnight in a client's rented home, the sitter is a guest of the tenant, not a sub-tenant. It still helps to confirm at the meet and greet that the landlord knows about the pet, and to note any landlord visit due during the trip, since the Model Act lets a landlord enter with 24 hours' notice.

Treat the flat as the tenant must. Under section 16 the tenant answers for damage, so a sitter keeps the dog off furniture the owner has said to protect, reports any breakage the same day with a photo, and follows the house plan the owner leaves.

A sitter who hosts pets in their own rented home needs their own landlord's consent as well as the society's permission. Petym's checks for hosting sitters include the society's permission for paid pet sitting and a pet limit for the home.

Going away soon? Tell us your dates.

A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.

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A photo every day
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Questions owners ask

Can a landlord in India refuse to rent to someone with a pet?: Yes. Petym found no Indian law that stops a landlord from refusing a tenant with a pet. The Model Tenancy Act, 2021 never mentions pets or animals, so the written rent agreement decides whether a pet is allowed in a rented home.
Does the Model Tenancy Act ban pets in rented homes?: No. The Model Tenancy Act, 2021 does not mention pets or animals at all. It requires a written agreement, caps a residential deposit at two months' rent and makes the tenant answer for damage beyond normal wear and tear.
Can a landlord charge a higher deposit for a pet?: Under the Model Tenancy Act a residential security deposit cannot exceed two months' rent, pet or no pet. Not every state has adopted the Model Act, though, so check the rent law in force in your state and what your agreement says.
Do AWBI's housing society guidelines apply to my landlord?: No. AWBI's guidelines of 26 February 2015 are addressed to residents' welfare and apartment owners' associations, and say they cannot ban pets. They do not address a landlord letting their own flat, which is governed by the rent agreement.
Do I need my landlord's permission for a dog licence?: In some cities. Pune Municipal Corporation's dog licence form asks a tenant for the landlord's NOC, and Ahmedabad's January 2025 form asked for the rent agreement. Delhi's and Mumbai's lists ask for address proof instead.
Can a pet sitter stay in my rented flat while I travel?: Rent law does not deal with it, so check your agreement. A sitter staying a few nights is a guest, not a sub-tenant, but telling your landlord, and noting it in the agreement where you can, avoids misunderstandings.

Keep reading

Pets in housing societiesWhat AWBI's guidelines say a society cannot do.
Pet registration in IndiaWhich cities require a dog licence.
Animal cruelty law in IndiaAbandonment and the duty of care.
Pet boarding and sitting licenceWhat a sitter who hosts pets needs.
Moving city with a petYour licence and the move itself.
Pune dog licencePMC form, documents and the landlord's NOC.

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Sources

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