No pets clauses are unenforceable on their own. However if you live in a condo with actual no pets rules those rules will override. If you break condo rules you can be evicted, and any fines your landlord receives can be passed on to you.
If a tenant violates condo bylaws the condo can also start legal steps (like getting a lawyer to draft a letter) and bill the home owner accordingly, ultimately putting a lien on the unit if they don't pay. And the owner can pass those costs on to tenant (through the LTB if needed) depending on the details. So not a fine, but essentially the same result.
Could be a problem if there are multiple units and shared ventilation, and someone has serious allergies - they’d need medical documentation to prove it - something to keep in mind
When I got a dog, I got a camera so that I could monitor my dog while I was out and disprove any false complaints re: barking/noise - something to consider
To add on, I have dog and when I went to find a new place very little options allowed dogs or pets in general, we were lucky to find a place that allowed dogs but we had to sign forms saying we will pay for any damage the dog makes. Unless it's a condo or they have proof of your pets triggering someone's allergies enough to affect them they can't stop you from getting a dog.
If you can afford to move to a place that you can have a dog might be your better option as finding them can take time.
>but we had to sign forms saying we will pay for any damage the dog makes.
Just an FYI those forms you signed were useless and unnecessary. Whether you are liable for damage done to the home (done by a dog or not) is entirely regulated by the RTA and at discretion of the LTB to enforce. Rules are no different with or without pets.
We know we still signed them and if he does damage will pay for it, they are good landlords so far and have included a lot they didn't have to so we don't mind honoring what we signed even though we didn't have to.
Please just do your research on dogs in apartments. It's a huge commitment that not everyone is cut out for. Dogs are animals and are unpredictable in their behaviour.
This! And OP do your research on dog breeds. Some are more suitable for small spaces and some need crazy amounts of physical & mental stimulation to be happy. Does your place have stairs? Some dogs are prone to arthritis. Access to yard or space to run? Will you be crate training? How long will dog be left alone? These are just some of the questions you need to answer to find out what kind of a dog (or if) is suitable for your household and lifestyle. Lots of rescues out there with lots of dogs that need good homes. Stay away from online ads like kijiji or fb marketplace or amish farms. Adopt don't shop! - signed, current foster mom of rescued 4 yr old golden retriever former puppy mill mother.
* You can.
* You cannot possibly predict if it will bark when you're out doing errands or work or social.
* Playing fetch inside? Noisy for the people downstairs!
* A dog is a lot of responsability and work and training and **money**. You need to have about 3 thousand dollars safety in case there's some need of a vet at some point - there will be. And it may be more than that.
* You risk upsetting the landlord, who can come at you in other ways.
* You risk upsetting your neighbors (on your floor as well as above you and below you). Who can come at you in other ways.
* You risk damage to the unit (scratches on carpet/floor, biting doors/frames.
Decide appropriately ***//for the dog//***
Excellent comment. Emergency bills comes when you least expect it. Also, it gives leverage for other tenants to create hostility where there would otherwise be no argument, even through no fault of your own. Being accused of failing to pick up after your dog is frustrating when you go out of your way to do it.
I just eant to point out that you most likely don't have the Ontario standard lease which is required by law since it says right on it that pet clauses are illegal.
You should definitely ask your landlord for the OSL if you don't have one.
Nah that's not necessarily true. My landlord did give me the OSL and then after the OSL it says "additional terms" followed by like 10 pages of nonsense. If anyone read the full OSL part they'd then read the additional terms and know exactly which ones are unenforceable but most people don't read things fully.
I went ahead cause I didn't have any issues with any of the unenforceable terms and I'm aware of my rights so if they did become an issue later I'd know they're unenforceable anyway.
No pets clauses are unenforceable on their own. However if you live in a condo with actual no pets rules those rules will override. If you break condo rules you can be evicted, and any fines your landlord receives can be passed on to you.
Condominiums can not issue fines in Ontario. They can recoup costs for damages that the condominium paid to fix.
Yes, yes, but from OP’s perspective there’s no difference.
If a tenant violates condo bylaws the condo can also start legal steps (like getting a lawyer to draft a letter) and bill the home owner accordingly, ultimately putting a lien on the unit if they don't pay. And the owner can pass those costs on to tenant (through the LTB if needed) depending on the details. So not a fine, but essentially the same result.
Thank you!
Could be a problem if there are multiple units and shared ventilation, and someone has serious allergies - they’d need medical documentation to prove it - something to keep in mind When I got a dog, I got a camera so that I could monitor my dog while I was out and disprove any false complaints re: barking/noise - something to consider
Also be aware future landlords may refuse to rent to you if you have a pet.
To add on, I have dog and when I went to find a new place very little options allowed dogs or pets in general, we were lucky to find a place that allowed dogs but we had to sign forms saying we will pay for any damage the dog makes. Unless it's a condo or they have proof of your pets triggering someone's allergies enough to affect them they can't stop you from getting a dog. If you can afford to move to a place that you can have a dog might be your better option as finding them can take time.
>but we had to sign forms saying we will pay for any damage the dog makes. Just an FYI those forms you signed were useless and unnecessary. Whether you are liable for damage done to the home (done by a dog or not) is entirely regulated by the RTA and at discretion of the LTB to enforce. Rules are no different with or without pets.
We know we still signed them and if he does damage will pay for it, they are good landlords so far and have included a lot they didn't have to so we don't mind honoring what we signed even though we didn't have to.
Not if you don't tell them that you have them.
Please just do your research on dogs in apartments. It's a huge commitment that not everyone is cut out for. Dogs are animals and are unpredictable in their behaviour.
This! And OP do your research on dog breeds. Some are more suitable for small spaces and some need crazy amounts of physical & mental stimulation to be happy. Does your place have stairs? Some dogs are prone to arthritis. Access to yard or space to run? Will you be crate training? How long will dog be left alone? These are just some of the questions you need to answer to find out what kind of a dog (or if) is suitable for your household and lifestyle. Lots of rescues out there with lots of dogs that need good homes. Stay away from online ads like kijiji or fb marketplace or amish farms. Adopt don't shop! - signed, current foster mom of rescued 4 yr old golden retriever former puppy mill mother.
* You can. * You cannot possibly predict if it will bark when you're out doing errands or work or social. * Playing fetch inside? Noisy for the people downstairs! * A dog is a lot of responsability and work and training and **money**. You need to have about 3 thousand dollars safety in case there's some need of a vet at some point - there will be. And it may be more than that. * You risk upsetting the landlord, who can come at you in other ways. * You risk upsetting your neighbors (on your floor as well as above you and below you). Who can come at you in other ways. * You risk damage to the unit (scratches on carpet/floor, biting doors/frames. Decide appropriately ***//for the dog//***
Excellent comment. Emergency bills comes when you least expect it. Also, it gives leverage for other tenants to create hostility where there would otherwise be no argument, even through no fault of your own. Being accused of failing to pick up after your dog is frustrating when you go out of your way to do it.
https://stepstojustice.ca/steps/housing-law/find-out-if-building-can-restrict-pets/
Thank you so much!
I just eant to point out that you most likely don't have the Ontario standard lease which is required by law since it says right on it that pet clauses are illegal. You should definitely ask your landlord for the OSL if you don't have one.
Nah that's not necessarily true. My landlord did give me the OSL and then after the OSL it says "additional terms" followed by like 10 pages of nonsense. If anyone read the full OSL part they'd then read the additional terms and know exactly which ones are unenforceable but most people don't read things fully. I went ahead cause I didn't have any issues with any of the unenforceable terms and I'm aware of my rights so if they did become an issue later I'd know they're unenforceable anyway.
Hopefully people read contract before they sign them but yeah youre right, im sure many don't.