Metro Vancouver renters finding pet friendly places easier during pandemic

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It seems like finding a pet-friendly rental in Metro Vancouver is starting to get easier, with more landlords coming around to the idea during the pandemic.

Given the market in recent years, some pet owners may have been used to paying a premium on rentals that allow furry friends, or have had a difficult time securing a place.

But 38 per cent of units currently listed on liv.rent accept animals, which is up from 24 per cent this time last year, according to Paula Azevedo with the rental platform.

“Right now, we no longer see those huge price differences and people are able to secure pet-friendly places paying pretty much the same thing they do if they didn’t have a pet,” she says. “So not necessarily [landlords] are going to be displaying on their listing information that the place is pet friendly, but they’re going to be open to that and the reason for that is they want to be able to secure that renter.”

Azevedo says landlords have been trying to come up with new ideas to find renters for their units.

Related Stories: 

• Vancouver councillors want end to ‘no pets’ policy in rental agreements

• Pandemic drives up pet adoptions, animal abandonment: rescue group

Last year, the City of Vancouver passed a motion to end no pet rental rules, but ultimately it is the province that has the final say on making that change. The BC SPCA and the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association were in favour of the motion, noting that no pet policies often lead to surrendered animals.

According to B.C.’s Residential Tenancy Branch landlords have the right to prohibit pets, and the right to restrict the size, kind, and number of animals.

– With files from Miranda Fatur