Vancouver Landlords May Be Forced to Accept Pets

by | Jul 1, 2013 | Rental Property Management Tips

Vancouver lawmakers are pondering whether to adopt pet policies similar to those in Ontario, which prohibit landlords from restricting pets.

According to Councillor Tim Stevenson, the low vacancy rate in Vancouver, coupled with the fact that the city supplies over one-fourth of the rental housing for the province, and that over half of Vancouver residents are renters are factors, which combined, make it difficult for pet owners to find housing in the province.

tenant screeningThe current law in B.C. gives landlords the right to prohibit pets altogether, or to restrict pets based on size, kind or number. Landlords who allow pets are entitled to collect pet deposits to offset any damage the pet causes.

In a Motion calling for debate on possible changes to the pet rules, Councillor Stevenson references Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, which renders any pet restrictions in a lease agreement void. The Ontario Act also provides that if an animal behaves badly, causes damage or other injuries, a landlord can ask to evict. Ontario landlords are not allowed to collect pet deposits.

Stevenson says that providing more pet-friendly housing would serve to support renters, one of the city’s priorities, and has asked that the Seniors Advisory Committee, the BC Apartment Owners and Managers Association, and the Renters’ Roundtable provide recommendations to Council in order to develop rules that increase the availability of pet-friendly rental properties.

This post is provided by Tenant Verification Service, Inc., helping landlords reduce the risks of renting with fraud prevention tools that include Tenant Screening, Tenant Background Checks, (U.S. and Canada), as well as Criminal Background Checks, and Eviction Reports (U.S. only).

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this post in not intended to be construed as legal advice, nor should it be considered a substitute for obtaining individual legal counsel or consulting your local, state, federal or provincial tenancy laws.

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