No-Pets Allowed -.- WHY?

[FalseImpression]

I'm looking for a new place to live, and decided to settle on a basement apartment. Every place in my budget says no- pets allowed!
What's wrong with people? Are there no animals lovers on this planets?
I finally understand why so many dogs are being re-homed because of owners having to move. It's super frustrating!

Giving away my animals is NOT an opinion. I guess I'll have to just keep on searching...

Not sure how any of you could help; I just needed a place to blow off steam.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Well, many of us are in Ontario. We may have advice to share. But since you make threads and then stop participating in them, you may not get advice from people who could help.

 

[milos_mommy]

The problem is so many people irresponsibly get dogs, leave them alone all day, think crating is "cruel", etc. And end up with loud, destructive, or disruptive pets. A lot of people who have bad experienced with loud, untrained, obnoxious, smelly, etc. dogs in apartments desire "no pets" buildings.

If your pets have any kind of training, like CGI or obedience class certificate, you can try to get the landlord to make an exception, by allowing them to meet your well-behaved, trained, certified dogs, especially if you have a reference from a current landlord saying there hasn't been any trouble.

 

[Dekka]

I get Maf's frustration. Why ask us questions and then not stay for the discsussion. Its weird and kind of rude. BUT in Ontario

PETS AND "NO PETS CLAUSES":
Q6: The landlord says I must either move out or get rid of my pet; Do I?

A6: Only if the pet is dangerous, causes allergic reactions or causes problems for other tenants or the landlord, must you get rid of your pet or consider moving elsewhere as per Landlord application to terminate tenancy based on animals.

Even if you signed a lease with a "no pets" clause, if the pet is not a problem for anybody they can not enforce it; such no pets clauses are invalid under the law.

You do not have to move or get rid of the pet unless the Board issues a written order to do so.

 

[Fran101]

I would start with only searching "pet friendly" buildings. Many rental sites (rent.com) etc.. have a button to click to enable this feature
Really, there is no use torturing yourself at first with buildings that don't accept pets lol it just hurts. I did this when I was looking for an apartment

Now, if you've already looked and found a few non pet friendly places you love, I would still call and give it a shot. Real estate sucks these days, and with well behaved, healthy pets (and most likely a very swollen security deposit) some will make an exception

It does suck! Pet policies are annoying, I certainly understand them but it still BLOWS when you are a responsible pet owner.

I finally broke down with the self search and found a real estate agent to help. Paying their fee sucked but I'm SO GLAD I DID, they know the listings, the buildings willing to make exceptions, and places not yet listed.
I ended up finding a perfect place with a great policy I never would've found on my own

 

[JessLough]

What Dekka said. They are not legally allowed to say No Pets Allowed in Ontario

ETA: Well, they can say it, but if your pet is not causing a problem, they are not allowed to enforce it

 

[Dekka]

Yes, if anyone googles 'renting, pets, ontario' you will find much on the fact that legally they can't kick you out or not rent to you if you have a pet.

It does require you to lie often. They can say no pets, and if you say you have them they can choose someone over you. But once you are renting there is nothing they can do unless your dog is a problem. I know MANY people who have done this. Esp college/university students. Its not ethical, having to lie, but much better than dumping a pet.

 

[FalseImpression]

Well, many of us are in Ontario. We may have advice to share. But since you make threads and then stop participating in them, you may not get advice from people who could help.

Really? I never receive any notifications from my threads or posts. But, I believe I finally figured out how to change the settings.

The problem is so many people irresponsibly get dogs, leave them alone all day, think crating is "cruel", etc. And end up with loud, destructive, or disruptive pets. A lot of people who have bad experienced with loud, untrained, obnoxious, smelly, etc. dogs in apartments desire "no pets" buildings.

If your pets have any kind of training, like CGI or obedience class certificate, you can try to get the landlord to make an exception, by allowing them to meet your well-behaved, trained, certified dogs, especially if you have a reference from a current landlord saying there hasn't been any trouble.

Thanks! My dogs get crated at night, don't bark, are completely house trained and I work from home so there really shouldn't be a problem there.
I don't have a landlord where I'm living now, so unfortunately I can't get any references.
The problem seems to be, that most people I've talked to are terrified of dogs. Actually almost everyone in my area are afraid of dogs (except, of course, the ones that own dogs!). Apparently they're "un-pure and should never be touched"

 

[FalseImpression]

What Dekka said. They are not legally allowed to say No Pets Allowed in Ontario

ETA: Well, they can say it, but if your pet is not causing a problem, they are not allowed to enforce it

HAHA That's exactly what my father said, but he always comes up with some great 'ideas' so I can never figure out whether they're true or not.

I don't know whether I'd be able to lie. I can't imagine lying to someone who's completely terrified of dogs, just to get an apartment I like. They'll probably move out or spend months trying to 'purify' the place.

Thanks everyone

 

[Dekka]

If they are terrified of dogs that is only a problem if they are a roomate. If you have your own apt then they don't have to worry about it.

 

[sillysally]

Good luck in your apartment search-it can be frustrating with animals. That having been said, we have a goal of having rental properties in the far future, and while I will allow dogs and certain other small pets I doubt I will allow cats. Cat pee odor is VERY difficult to get rid of in carpets (short of replacing the carpeting), especially if the spot is not caught and dealt with promptly.

 

[Fran101]

Good luck in your apartment search-it can be frustrating with animals. That having been said, we have a goal of having rental properties in the far future, and while I will allow dogs and certain other small pets I doubt I will allow cats. Cat pee odor is VERY difficult to get rid of in carpets (short of replacing the carpeting), especially if the spot is not caught and dealt with promptly.

I say just don't make rentals with carpets. Carpets are gross anyway! lol
In my apartment search, "pets allowed" was right there with "no carpets"

 

[smkie]

I have lived in some real pits because here no one cares. EVen so the deposits are heavy and non returnable. When I see the situation like where my son lives, poop everywhere, right up to the front door i shake my head for they are the very reason that ruins it for everyone else. Cats that soak carpet in urine, dogs left unattended...if I had a nice place to rent I wouldn't want to allow them either but if someone could show me, I had a landlord come over to where I had been living for 5 years, that their dog was indeed a good citizen, then I would change my mind.

 

[Fran101]

The landlord of my next building requires a meet & greet with the dogs and owner of the prospective residents before you are allowed to rent in the building.

I think it's a nice compromise

 

[FalseImpression]

Yeah! I just found a place (that allows pets) with an amazing fenced-backyard that backs off onto the trails where I ride my horses and it's right by the lake. Sounds like the perfect place, only it's a 1 bedroom and I'm looking for 3+. I don't mind sleeping on a futon :S

 

[Grab]

I've always had luck renting from private owners, rather than a company. I've rented some quite nice places with large dogs. Even the dreaded Chow.

 

[CaliTerp07]

Yeah, private owners are much better. I've always contacted them with a note saying that I was willing to pay a pet deposit, could offer references from former landlords that my dog did not cause any issues, and showed proof my dog had completed obedience and was trained.

I also have had to be willing to pay an extra $1-200 a month over a non-pet place.

 

[FalseImpression]

I also have had to be willing to pay an extra $1-200 a month over a non-pet place.

HAAA would you like to give me that extra $200/month?

 

[CaliTerp07]

HAAA would you like to give me that extra $200/month?

Yeah, it kind of sucks...but when rent for a 1 br apartment is $1600, the extra $100 doesn't seem as huge. If you're talking to a private landlord, you may be able to offer a really large security deposit instead (if you have the savings). That would be refundable at the end, so you wouldnt lose money, but it would provide the landlord peace of mind.

What we actually did was set our budget, and what we wanted for it ($xxxx per month, wanted 2 brs and a small yard). Then we moved further out from the city until it was reasonable. Then we moved just a little further until it was reasonable with pets. We compromised on our commutes to work and our social lives, which sucks, but we found a rental house in our price range.

 

[FalseImpression]

Yeah, it kind of sucks...but when rent for a 1 br apartment is $1600, the extra $100 doesn't seem as huge. If you're talking to a private landlord, you may be able to offer a really large security deposit instead (if you have the savings). That would be refundable at the end, so you wouldnt lose money, but it would provide the landlord peace of mind.

What we actually did was set our budget, and what we wanted for it ($xxxx per month, wanted 2 brs and a small yard). Then we moved further out from the city until it was reasonable. Then we moved just a little further until it was reasonable with pets. We compromised on our commutes to work and our social lives, which sucks, but we found a rental house in our price range.

1 br apartment at $1600? SNAP! You might as well buy a place of your own and pay a mortgage. That's about average in the city, but luckily, I don't want or need to live around Toronto.

That 1 bedroom basement apartment I was talking about ended up being 2 bedrooms (apparently it was a typo in the description). It's a newly renovated (2010) semi-above ground basement with large windows and a 4 1/2 acre backyard for $600/month. Keeping in mind it's a 1 hour 1/2 from Toronto. I'm going to go see it tomorrow, hopefully it's as nice as it is in the pictures.