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My granddaughter who lives in Nashville saved a litter of 6 kittens when the mother was killed. She found homes for all but one. Unfortunately they will be moving in April and they cannot find an apartment that doesn't charge a $600 pet deposit and then $30 to $40 a month "rent" for the pet. They can't afford this and we can't take in another cat at this time. It's an orange male about 6 months old. Can you believe this? Landlords are forcing people to be pet-less, to give up their pets. Or they can have their pets, if they can afford the extra costs. The greedy anti-pet landlords make a lot of extra money doing this. The other alternative seems to be to live in an unsafe low-income neighborhood where no one cares what you do or have. She's afraid to live in those low income places. I think this is disgusting.
It forces people to get rid of pets they really want to keep. It's creating pet free zones all over the city. This seems un-American to me. It just doesn't seem right. Especially where cats are concerned since they don't bark which annoys neighbors. They don't screech like parrots. This kitty may loose his life if she can't find it a home before April 1st.
Yes. Pet ownership is becoming a socioeconomic status symbol. I had this when I was looking for a place. One would think Jasper is a pit bull or something. I paid $250 non refundable pet deposit and $35 a month pet rent! He is worth it though. I love having a cat.
Nobody loves their pets more than me- especially my cats- or maybe especially my dogs. I am also a landlord and i have to defend the landlords that are even willing to allow pets at any extra cost. I do not after having been burned several times when I made an exception.
I had one tenant who took in 3 strays but she never had them fixed as promised and eventually they had several litters each. Had another tenant who sneaked in a dog who ruined my beautiful hardwood floors. you cannot have only a partial space of hardwood floor refinished. You have to do the whole space (or level of the house) as it is so hard to match stain. He promised to pay for this but of course ran off without doing so and even left the dog to run loose in the neighborhood.
and another tenant who had 2 indoor only cats but she must have never cleaned their litter because the place reeked of urine odor and kitchen floor was ruined. And these are graduate students mind you.
Then another tenant who signed a 2 year lease with initials by no pets clause then 3 months later begged to get a dog. i said no. Then my manager found out she had already taken the dog, lied on the application to the shelter and gave them her friends's name as management to OK pets. She threatened to move if she could not keep her dog which she got after knowing pets were not allowed. I held her to her lease and told her I would pursue it legally if she tried to break her lease. But I did let her keep her dog at my house until she made arrangements with the shelter to take the dog back. Three months later she dropped out of school with failing grades and moved overseas. What would have happened to that dog then.
Try to look at it from the point of view of somebody who has made sacrifices to purchase and run income producing property. Most landlords love animals as much or more than the next person and are not doing it to be mean.
Also if the no pet policy in some places forces people to think hard and long before undertaking the responsibility of pets it might save themselves, landlords and especially pets a great deal of hardship and instability. I didn't get a pet until I was in a position to properly pay for its care and till I could afford a place where pets were allowed even if it meant paying extra.
I do agree that a $600 deposit and an extra $40/month for a cat is a little on the high side. However it does make sense for rentals to ask for a deposit and maybe a small charge per month since there are a lot of irresponsible pet owners out there (and even if you are responsible things can happen). The landlords do need to be able to easily recoup some of their costs if there is damage.
FYI - I just looked online at apartments in that area (looks like nice ones too) and I only see where they are charging between $250-$400 and a $10-$25/month fee for small pets. This to me is reasonable (my daughter paid $300 for her kitten deposit).
Maybe several family members can pitch in and give her some extra money for Christmas to cover the deposit. Or maybe your granddaughter can work some extra hours somewhere over the holidays to cover this.
Yes. Pet ownership is becoming a socioeconomic status symbol. I had this when I was looking for a place. One would think Jasper is a pit bull or something. I paid $250 non refundable pet deposit and $35 a month pet rent! He is worth it though. I love having a cat.
I understand. I feel $600 and $700 is way out of line. These are college students working as many hours as possible and can't afford it when you add cat food, litter and other things for the cat. Apartments that allow pets are getting scarce and then add these extra charges.... it makes me sick. I just can't see how we can manage with another cat since we camp and travel and snow-bird.
I do agree that a $600 deposit and an extra $40/month for a cat is a little on the high side. However it does make sense for rentals to ask for a deposit and maybe a small charge per month since there are a lot of irresponsible pet owners out there (and even if you are responsible things can happen). The landlords do need to be able to easily recoup some of their costs if there is damage.
But why charge an endless monthly fee for the cat? Get a deposit to cover damages and be done with it. I believe the endless fees are to discourage pet ownership and make more profit - and little more.
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FYI - I just looked online at apartments in that area (looks like nice ones too) and I only see where they are charging between $250-$400 and a $10-$25/month fee for small pets. This to me is reasonable (my daughter paid $300 for her kitten deposit).
PLEASE let me know where this is in Nashville and I will pass the information on to her. Hopefully it's not too far from the college and their jobs. Nashville is a large city.
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Maybe several family members can pitch in and give her some extra money for Christmas to cover the deposit. Or maybe your granddaughter can work some extra hours somewhere over the holidays to cover this.
I'm the only one who cares so any expenses would fall on us...
This place gets more and more like the Soviet Union every day.
It does. At one time pets were welcome almost everywhere and people did have to pay deposits when they rented. No one seemed to mind. If the animal did any damages, they didn't get their deposit back. But now, many places have non-refundable deposits so even if there is no damage, you're out the deposit.
Millions of homes across the country are lost to cats and dogs because of these no-pet and high deposit requirements. But I can understand landlords getting tired of being taken advantage of by students and low-life adults. When my mother was alive she had a Real Estate agent handle her rentals for a certain percentage. I don't remember what she paid him but she claimed it was worth it to avoid property damage and aggravation. The RE agent made sure to check references and they would not take young students. They almost always found older couples that were childless as children do a lot of damage also. More so than pets. I'm here to tell you I know that for a fact. I understand students can be a real problem. Not just with pets that do damage and are often abandoned, but they themselves often do damage to the place with spilled food and drink and just plain grunge and dirt.
Also if the no pet policy in some places forces people to think hard and long before undertaking the responsibility of pets it might save themselves, landlords and especially pets a great deal of hardship and instability. I didn't get a pet until I was in a position to properly pay for its care and till I could afford a place where pets were allowed even if it meant paying extra.
I don't have the time right now to cover everything you addressed but my mother avoided such problems by insisting on only upper income professional adults, preferably without children, rent her two places. After once being burned with a young couple with a few children, she hired an Real Estate agent and had no more problems. See my reply below....
after cleaning apartments that had been occupied by irresponsible pet woners (dogs that chewed through walls, cats that marked everything and anything, ect) I can complelty understand pet deposits and even monthly fees...
I cant say I completely agree with how expensive/restrictive it is....
BUT I can say I understand it...when you live in an aparetment building and you have to hear barking every day, or smell cat urine from your neighbors...a one time safety deposit doesnt nessicarily cover it...
now a security deposit...and wave the monthly fee if the owner provides proof of spay, or proof of training classes/cgc ect...then I think that would be a great idea to encourage pet owners to be more responsible, reward those who realy try to make the effort to keep their pets happy healthy and controlled.
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Or they can have their pets, if they can afford the extra costs. The greedy anti-pet landlords make a lot of extra money doing this. The other alternative seems to be to live in an unsafe low-income neighborhood where no one cares what you do or have. She's afraid to live in those low income places. I think this is disgusting. 
I just can't see how we can manage with another cat since we camp and travel and snow-bird.
