No Pets Clause (Rental Lease)

natalie_ca · May 28, 2013

I got my new lease a few weeks ago. I just got around to looking at it. I noticed that the "NO PETS ALLOWED" clause beneath the signature line was removed.

I read the agreement (both copies), and no where on the lease does it say that pets are NOT allowed!

Not sure if that was intentional on their part, or a mistake. But I'm sure not going to mention it!

andrya · May 28, 2013

l think it's illegal to put people out, or to refuse to rent to people who have pets (within the local bylaws).

l know it is here in Ontario, so maybe Manitoba is the same.

natalie_ca · May 28, 2013

Andrya said:
l think it's illegal to put people out, or to refuse to rent to people who have pets (within the local bylaws).

l know it is here in Ontario, so maybe Manitoba is the same.

No, not illegal here. Though some places now that do allow pets, have taken to charging 1/2 a months rent as a "pet deposit".

My building had a very strict no pets policy. But I ignored it from the beginning and I've never tried to hide my pets.

denice · Jun 1, 2013

I hadn't ever heard of no pets clauses being illegal anywhere in the U.S. It really hasn't been that long since the courts ruled that no children clauses were illegal.

andrya · Jun 1, 2013

lt's been illegal here since 2006 l believe. The only way a landlord can apply to serve notice to someone they want to evict is to show that someone else has complained about allegies, or noise, or that the pet is aggressive to other tenants.

l just Googled 'landlord tenant pets Manitoba" and found Bill 218 that was propositioned in 2010 but apparently isn't yet in place.

http://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/39-4/b218e.php

l'm guessing that if landlords are already striking the pet clause off their agreements, it's a-comin'.

Downside is they can (will) ask for a half-month pet damage deposit.

denice · Jun 1, 2013

I paid an extra $250 deposit for my two cats. It's now non-refundable but it was refundable when I moved in so I get it back unless there is damage from the cats which there isn't at least so far. I also pay an extra $40 a month for pet rent. I know that is excessive for my cats but I am sure there are pets whose owners are underpaying because their pets are nuisance pets to other tenants and create a lot of damage. I look at it as an averaging thing and gladly pay it to have my two cats.

dejolane · Jun 1, 2013

Natalie_ca said:
I got my new lease a few weeks ago. I just got around to looking at it. I noticed that the "NO PETS ALLOWED" clause beneath the signature line was removed.

I read the agreement (both copies), and no where on the lease does it say that pets are NOT allowed!

Not sure if that was intentional on their part, or a mistake. But I'm sure not going to mention it!

Pets are part of the family and we love them. I don't know what I would do if I had to get rid of my cats. I am Bipolar since 2000 and I feel Bella ( I had her first) has helped me with my depression.

luvmy4 · Jun 1, 2013

If you are renewing your lease and not moving then in my experience they have to let you keep your pet. You are grandfathered in as they did allow pets before. There are new owners to the townhouse community I live and they changed the policy to no pets but my partner had lived here before they bought the property so he is allowed to have cats.

catspaw66 · Jun 1, 2013

Andrya said:
lt's been illegal here since 2006 l believe. The only way a landlord can apply to serve notice to someone they want to evict is to show that someone else has complained about allegies, or noise, or that the pet is aggressive to other tenants.

l just Googled 'landlord tenant pets Manitoba" and found Bill 218 that was propositioned in 2010 but apparently isn't yet in place.

http://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/39-4/b218e.php

l'm guessing that if landlords are already striking the pet clause off their agreements, it's a-comin'.

Downside is they can (will) ask for a half-month pet damage deposit.

It looks to me that the 40th legislature, second session, refers to the subsection 29 coming into effect June 30, 2010.

natalie_ca · Jun 1, 2013

dejolane said:
I am Bipolar since 2000 and I feel Bella ( I had her first) has helped me with my depression.

I'm not bipolar, but I do have depression and am being treated with anti-depressive medications. I consider my cats to be "therapy pets", in that they keep me company and distract me from dark thoughts. A couple years ago I was on a medical leave for stress/depression. It was so bad that I was fixated on suicidal thoughts and even had a plan. Only a couple people other than my doctor knew what was going through my mind and how bad it was.

Had it not been for my cats who gave me a sense of purpose in that I knew I had to get up everyday to care for them, I wouldn't be here today. Essentially I stuck around for my cats and over a period of time the increase in my anti-depressant dose started to work its magic, and the cats helped me to get back on track by giving me company and unconditional love when I felt so bad about myself.

If it ever came to an agency attempting to evict me because of my cats, I would take them to court over it. So far as I know it is against the law to prohibit someone from having a therapy pet such as seeing eye or hearing ear dog, or any other animal that provides a necessary health benefit to a person. And that is what my cats do for me, on a mental/emotional level.

I just can't imagine coming home to an empty house without another living thing in it.

natalie_ca · Jun 1, 2013

Andrya said:
lt's been illegal here since 2006 l believe. The only way a landlord can apply to serve notice to someone they want to evict is to show that someone else has complained about allegies, or noise, or that the pet is aggressive to other tenants.

l just Googled 'landlord tenant pets Manitoba" and found Bill 218 that was propositioned in 2010 but apparently isn't yet in place.

http://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/39-4/b218e.php

l'm guessing that if landlords are already striking the pet clause off their agreements, it's a-comin'.

Downside is they can (will) ask for a half-month pet damage deposit.

Interesting! I didn't know that. I'm going to have to contact my MP rep and ask what is happening with that particular bill.

My neighbour across the hall from me new I had a cat years ago, but he thought I had gotten rid of it because he's never heard my cats, or smelled anything bad (other than the occasional burned food smell) coming from my apartment. And he certainly didn't know I had added 2 more to my troop.

He watched them for me a couple weeks ago for 4 days when I went away. He absolutely loved it. He loves pets, but he isn't home enough to properly care for them.

I would pay extra deposit for my cats if needed. I would fight if they asked for additional monthly rent though. I can see if it was a human being (extra water, extra electricity etc), but pets don't use that stuff, so having pets in an apartment isn't adding to the water or heat costs.

dejolane · Jun 2, 2013

Natalie_ca said:
I'm not bipolar, but I do have depression and am being treated with anti-depressive medications. I consider my cats to be "therapy pets", in that they keep me company and distract me from dark thoughts. A couple years ago I was on a medical leave for stress/depression. It was so bad that I was fixated on suicidal thoughts and even had a plan. Only a couple people other than my doctor knew what was going through my mind and how bad it was.

Had it not been for my cats who gave me a sense of purpose in that I knew I had to get up everyday to care for them, I wouldn't be here today. Essentially I stuck around for my cats and over a period of time the increase in my anti-depressant dose started to work its magic, and the cats helped me to get back on track by giving me company and unconditional love when I felt so bad about myself.

If it ever came to an agency attempting to evict me because of my cats, I would take them to court over it. So far as I know it is against the law to prohibit someone from having a therapy pet such as seeing eye or hearing ear dog, or any other animal that provides a necessary health benefit to a person. And that is what my cats do for me, on a mental/emotional level.

I just can't imagine coming home to an empty house without another living thing in it.

I know how you feel. Bella has been in our family member for about 3 years now. I got her from a family who was giving them away and was the last one to go.I really didn't want a cat then cause I had to pay on her to the landlord. So we snuck her in and they found out so I only paid 10.00 a month extra till it was paid off ( 150.00) They said it was ok cause I had lived in that apartment for 19 years and I wasn't going anywhere. Bella is my baby since my kids are grown and out on their own.

edhector · Apr 10, 2017

I live in a No Pet Seniors 55+ building in Winnipeg. I have noticed an uptick in the number of cats being allowed into the building. People are getting Doctors notes to get around the no pet policy. I would love to have a cat but I don't have an 'illness' to get a note from my doctor. I guess I will have to fake an illness. They don't even let dogs into the building for a visit.

No Pets Clause (Rental Lease)

natalie_ca

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andrya

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natalie_ca

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denice

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andrya

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denice

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dejolane

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luvmy4

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catspaw66

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natalie_ca

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