Can a landlord prohibit pets in a rental unit?
Short Answer
Yes. In Newfoundland and Labrador a no-pets clause in the rental agreement is allowed and binds the tenant, but it does not apply to a service animal. The Residential Tenancies Act itself says nothing about pets.
Yes. A landlord may include a no-pet clause in the rental agreement, and if the lease prohibits pets the tenant must comply with that term. A no-pet clause does not apply to a service animal owned or used by a person with a disability (Service Animal Act s.5(2)), and no fee may be charged for one (s.6).
Note that the Act itself is silent on pets: none of the statutory conditions in section 10 addresses them, so this rests on the terms of the agreement rather than on a section of the Act.
- Agreement term, not addressed by the Act; service animals: Service Animal Act s.5(2), Residential Tenancies Act, 2018 (Newfoundland and Labrador)