Renting With a Dog: What Landlords Can and Can't Do
In BC a landlord can ban pets. In Ontario a no-pets clause is void. In England you can ask and the landlord must consider it. The rules, from the sources.
Written by thecanineledger
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“A provision in a tenancy agreement prohibiting the presence of animals in or about the residential complex is void.” That’s section 14 of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act (Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 17). Next door in British Columbia, the government’s tenancy page says the opposite: “Landlords do not have to allow pets”.
While advice on renting with a dog is easy to find online, much of it may not apply where you live. The rules depend entirely on where you live. This page covers three places we’ve read the law or official guidance for, and it isn’t legal advice. If you’re facing eviction, get advice from a tenant service or lawyer where you live.
1. British Columbia
From the BC government’s page, last updated 11 August 2026 (Province of British Columbia, Pets and tenancy):
| Question | BC’s answer |
|---|---|
| Can a landlord ban pets? | Yes. “Landlords are not required to change this clause if a tenant wants to get a pet.” |
| Can they set limits? | Yes. “Landlords can limit pet size, type, number of pets and set reasonable pet-related rules.” |
| Pet deposit? | “The deposit must be no more than half of one month’s rent.” Only one, however many pets. |
| Can they keep it? | Not on their own. “Landlords can’t keep pet damage deposits on their own.” They need the tenant’s written agreement or an order from the Residential Tenancy Branch. |
| Getting a dog anyway? | Getting a pet against a no-pets clause could lead to eviction. |
BC gives its own example: on rent of CAD $1,500 a month, the pet damage deposit can be no more than CAD $750. (BC’s example, read 4 November 2026.)
Get permission in writing. BC says any change to allow pets should be written down. It also notes that “If a tenant can prove that the landlord verbally agreed to allow the pet, the landlord may not be able to enforce pet restrictions or claim a breach of agreement.”
2. Ontario
No-pets clauses don’t hold. Section 14, quoted above, makes them void.
No pet deposit. Section 105 says “The only security deposit that a landlord may collect is a rent deposit”. That rent deposit can’t be more than one month’s rent, or one rent period if shorter.
Eviction over a dog is possible, but limited. Under section 76, the Landlord and Tenant Board can’t end a tenancy over an animal unless it is satisfied of one of three things:
- the animal’s past behaviour “has substantially interfered with the reasonable enjoyment of the residential complex” for the landlord or other tenants
- its presence “has caused the landlord or another tenant to suffer a serious allergic reaction”
- “the presence of an animal of that species or breed is inherently dangerous to the safety of the landlord or the other tenants”
Our note: We haven’t read Ontario’s Condominium Act or any tribunal decisions, so we make no claim about refusals before a lease is signed or about condo pet rules.
Our note: We read section 105 as ruling out a separate pet deposit in Ontario.
3. England
England’s Renters’ Rights Act changed private renting from 1 May 2026. The government’s overview for tenants says: “You can ask to keep a pet in the property. Your landlord must consider your request and should give you a reason if they refuse” (GOV.UK, Renters’ Rights Act overview for tenants).
That page applies to England only, and to private renting, not council or housing association homes.
Our note: The overview gives only one line on pets. We haven’t read the Act itself.
4. Assistance dogs are different
In BC, “Certified guide and service dogs are not considered pets and are allowed to live in rental units.” BC adds that certification is voluntary, that landlords “can’t reject someone as a tenant just because their guide or service dog isn’t certified”, and that they can’t charge a pet deposit for one. → Service Dogs, Emotional Support Animals and Therapy Dogs
Our note: This page doesn’t cover assistance-dog rights, the US, the rest of Canada, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
5. What to do before you sign
- Read the pet clause, and know which rules apply where you live.
- Get any permission in writing, including the type, size and number of pets.
- Do a move-in inspection if your landlord offers one. In BC, the landlord needs to schedule one before a pet moves in.
- Deal with complaints early. BC warns that ignoring complaints about a pet “may lead to further action from a landlord, including ending of the tenancy.”
6. What we could not verify
| Commonly said | What we found |
|---|---|
| “Landlords can’t ban pets” | True in Ontario’s tenancy agreements, false in BC. It depends where you live. |
| “A pet deposit can be any amount” | No. BC caps it at half a month’s rent. Ontario allows only a rent deposit. |
| “In England landlords must say yes” | No. They must consider the request and should give a reason if they refuse. |
| “Service dogs need a certificate to rent” | Not in BC. Certification is voluntary there. |
Sources
- Ontario: Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 17 (statute; e-Laws currency date 30 October 2026; sections 14, 76, 105 and 106 read 4 November 2026)
- Province of British Columbia: Pets and tenancy (provincial government guidance; last updated 11 August 2026; read 4 November 2026)
- GOV.UK: Renters’ Rights Act overview for tenants (UK government guidance, England only; updated 1 May 2026; read 4 November 2026)
Always confirm with your vet before acting on anything on this page.