In 20 years, half of NSW’s population will live in apartments or townhouses. The good news is that state government by-laws announced in November 2013 will, for the first time, allow pets by default, rather than banning them.
However, By-laws can be changed to be either for or against pets, so you will need to ensure your pet is well behaved.
Your pet has to have a positive effect on the quality of life of the residents in the apartment building.
Tips for purchasing an apartment with pets
- Check the by-laws – before purchasing an apartment with pets, check the by-laws which apply to the apartment building and gain approval for your pet prior to moving in. You may wish to seek advice from your solicitor
- Pet policy – introduce a pet policy to address resident and management concerns. It should outline the responsibilities of the pet owner such as limitation of the number of pets, assessment of a pet on its individual merits (not on the weight of the dog), dogs and cats must be desexed; and cats to be kept indoors
- Pet committee – Set up a pet committee to help ensure pet owners follow the pet policy guidelines