My building doesn’t allow pets. Is this legal?
My partner is thinking of moving in, and they've got a cat.
Noah
In a rental apartment, this is legal. Under the Residential Tenancy Act, landlords can restrict tenants from having pets. If they do allow pets, make sure to include that in writing in your tenancy agreement. And in case you were also wondering: yes, they can ask for a pet deposit of up to one half month’s rent.
For property owners living in a condo, your strata bylaws may restrict keeping pets (yes, that’s legal too). But they’ll typically only restrict certain kinds or numbers of pets. And, if they make any changes to the bylaws after you got your pet, then your pet would be grandfathered in (meaning, you can keep it even if it’s against the new rules).
All that being said, if you have a certified guide dog, you are allowed to have it even in a building that restricts pets.
