Renting With Pets in Ontario: Your Rights

Few rental questions cause more confusion than pets. Many Ontario leases include a "no pets" clause — but here's the surprise: those clauses are generally void and unenforceable under provincial law. That said, there are real limits and exceptions every renter should understand. Here are your rights when renting with pets in Ontario.

Key takeaways

• "No pets" clauses in a lease are generally void and unenforceable in Ontario.
• A landlord usually cannot refuse to rent to you, or evict you, simply for having a pet.
• Condo rules, true allergy/safety issues and certain exemptions can still apply.
• You can't be charged a pet deposit — damage deposits aren't allowed in Ontario at all.
• A pet that causes real damage or disturbance can still create grounds for eviction.

"No pets" clauses are generally void

Under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), a "no pets" provision in a lease is generally void — meaning it has no legal effect, even if you signed it. A landlord typically cannot evict you just for having a pet, and the standard provincial lease reflects this. This is one of the strongest, and most misunderstood, protections Ontario tenants have.

Signing it doesn't make it enforceable

Even if a lease you signed says "no pets," that clause is generally unenforceable. A void term can't be enforced simply because it's written down.

Where it can still be an issue

The protection is broad but not absolute. There are real situations where pets can create problems or genuine restrictions:

• Condominium rules — a condo corporation's declaration can restrict or ban pets, and those rules can bind tenants in that building.
• Before you sign — a landlord can choose not to rent to a pet owner in the first place when selecting a tenant; the strongest protection applies once you're in the unit.
• Allergies and safety — serious allergies of others in the building, or a genuinely dangerous animal, can be grounds for action.
• Damage or disturbance — a pet that causes real property damage or substantially disturbs others can lead to eviction proceedings.

Be a great pet-owning tenant

The best way to avoid disputes is to keep your pet from causing damage or disturbing neighbours. A well-behaved pet and a tidy unit make any complaint far harder to sustain.

No pet deposits or pet fees

You cannot be charged a pet deposit or pet damage fee in Ontario — for the simple reason that damage and security deposits are not allowed at all. The only deposit a landlord can collect is a rent deposit equal to one rental period (usually last month's rent), and it can't be inflated because you have a pet.

Know the full set of protections

Your pet rights are part of a larger framework. The RTA governs your tenancy, the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) resolves disputes, and other rules — like rent rising only once every 12 months with 90 days' notice on Form N1 (the 2026 guideline is 2.1% for most pre-November-15-2018 units) — round out your protections. Read the complete picture in our pillar guide to tenant rights in Ontario, and learn how the standard lease handles pets in the Ontario Standard Lease, explained.

Looking for a pet-friendly home of your own

Owning means never worrying about a landlord's pet rules again. If you're weighing the move, our guide on renting vs buying in Canada lays out the trade-offs.

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