Big dog energy
You love dogs?
I do too! I have an 8 year old English Bulldog and he’s family. He’s my big baby and he means the world to me. Here’s the harsh truth… Not everybody loves them. Weird right? I know! But it’s true. Moving into a condo or an apartment building with your furry buddy will most likely add some kind of challenge, but PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE THEM BEHIND.
Most landlords are not so welcoming with pets as they can damage the property and create extra stress and costs on them. Some will even fully refuse to rent their property to a tenant owning a pet. Can they do that? Yes… No… The answer is not so black and white. They can decide to rent to someone else without a dog, but they can NOT prohibit tenants from getting a dog in the future. Now that is a mind bender! Some landlords will add a provision in the Agreement to Lease to make sure tenants do not ever get a dog. The good news is that this clause would not be enforceable by law. If the tenant was to ever get a dog, it would be almost impossible for the landlord to evict the tenant.
What about Condo buildings?
Condos are different. Landlords themselves can not prohibit tenants from getting dogs, but the building may. Most buildings have pet restrictions, which are completely legal and enforceable. If your pet is being disruptive (barking constantly, misbehaving or aggressive) the building can proceed to evict you. Another obvious restriction is having your pet on a leash at all times while in common areas. The trickiest restriction to work with is about weight. There are a lot of condo buildings who do not allow gentle giants in, which will make your property search more complicated and your options much more limited.
Before putting an offer, make sure to inquire with the property manager of that building about pet restrictions. It’ll save you a ton of stress and time in the long run.
There are so many things to know about Real Estate. The best advice I can give you is to hire a professional to help you navigate it all. Let us do the grunt work so you can focus on what matters most, spending time with your furry buddy.
