Find out if the building can restrict pets

Most rental buildings cannot stop tenants from having pets. But for some types of buildings, there are different rules.

Condominiums

Condominiums can be any type of housing from a high-rise tower to a townhouse. If you are not sure if your building is a condominium, ask the building's management or superintendent.

Condominiums can make their own rules about pets. This can include:

• if pets are allowed at all
• the number of pets
• the type of animal
• the size of the animal
• if visiting pets are allowed

If a condominium has a pet policy, the condominium corporation is supposed to enforce the rules fairly and quickly. They must use the rules the same way for all tenants and unit owners.

A condominium can change their policy about pets. However, if the policy becomes more restrictive, the condominium cannot remove the pets that were living in the building before the policy was changed.

For example, if a condominium used to allow two dogs and now only allows one, any tenants who already live in the building and have two dogs can keep their dogs. But new tenants will only be allowed to have one dog.

Tenants must follow the rules whether they are renting from an owner or renting from the building management. Find out the condominium's pet policy before moving in.

Homes where you share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner

If you have to share a bathroom or kitchen with the property owner or their close family and they live in the same building as you, you are not protected by the Residential Tenancies Act at all.

That means your landlord can make and enforce any rules they want. It also means they can evict you just by giving you reasonable notice. They do not have to apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for an eviction order, and they do not need a reason.

If you are living in a place like that, it is up to you to negotiate about your pets with your landlord. The law does not give you any rights except what is in your rental agreement.