Pet rent and pet deposits are a scam (Denver: renters, houses)

[Good Red Road]

Originally Posted by caverunner17

E: What goes on inside a tenant's house should not be of concern to a landlord

Sorry but that's just absurd. Everything that happens in the house, and on the property, is both a financial and legal concern for your landlord.

[carnelian]

You don't know a scam when you see one. Some of you must be naive. If you don't like scam, say ripoff.
I hit a nerve with all the building managers on this site. I am NOT saying they are crooks or like that, just very unfair.
Admittedly, some pet owners are irresponsible and some pets do bad damage, agreed and that is wrong. I still say that
most cats and dogs do not do this sort of damage, or if they do it is because they are not housetrained.
I worked as a volunteer with animals and I know. Dumb responses include: no sympathy or grow up or....

All pet owners should not be penalized because of the actions of a minority.
The landlords should be refunding all the pet rent and all the deposits if no damage or trouble is caused
by the pets. Or they should charge less pet rent and refund all the deposit. They collect money ahead of
time, assuming that the resident will be guilty of messing up the apartment.
The fact that landlords do NOT refund pet rent (when no damage is done) which could be thousands of dollars per resident over years shows it is a very unfair way of doing business, and it makes a big bundle of money for them.
To say this is capitalism is a very irrelevant remark. Capitalism can be fair and equitable.

[caverunner17]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Let me just explain that $650 is nothing. If I have call a carpet company out to replace a small corner of your carpet it's going to be about that. As to going to court, why would I set myself up for a legal battle with a tenant who may or may not skip town or not have any money. No thanks. Being a landlord isn't all roses.

Then raise the deposit. The $25-35 month isn't much either if $650 is nothing. I'm all for a $1000+ deposit or something. But it's absurd that I need to pay extra for a "just in case" and not be able to get that $$ back if my pet doesn't damage anything. Some renter's insurance companies also have a "pet damage" policy that I think was $5-10/month extra and covered $2,000 or so.

Originally Posted by Good Red Road

Sorry but that's just absurd. Everything that happens in the house, and on the property, is both a financial and legal concern for your landlord.

I don't see how it is.

As a tenant, as long as I am not violating laws, creating a health or fire hazard or causing damage to the property, it is none of your business what I do in there. I can keep the place empty, work from home, have 6 couches or bright pink curtains, walk around naked, bring home a new girl every night, etc.

[SQL]

Originally Posted by caverunner17

Then raise the deposit. The $25-35 month isn't much either if $650 is nothing. I'm all for a $1000+ deposit or something. But it's absurd that I need to pay extra for a "just in case" and not be able to get that $$ back if my pet doesn't damage anything. Some renter's insurance companies also have a "pet damage" policy that I think was $5-10/month extra and covered $2,000 or so.

I don't understand. You do pay an extra deposit if you have a pet at most rentals. If you don't have a pet, you don't pay a deposit. How is that not fair?

I do agree about the monthly pet rent. I think that is simply a money grab.

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by carnelian

You don't know a scam when you see one. Some of you must be naive. If you don't like scam, say ripoff.
I hit a nerve with all the building managers on this site. I am NOT saying they are crooks or like that, just very unfair.
Admittedly, some pet owners are irresponsible and some pets do bad damage, agreed and that is wrong. I still say that
most cats and dogs do not do this sort of damage, or if they do it is because they are not housetrained.
I worked as a volunteer with animals and I know. Dumb responses include: no sympathy or grow up or....

All pet owners should not be penalized because of the actions of a minority.
The landlords should be refunding all the pet rent and all the deposits if no damage or trouble is caused
by the pets. Or they should charge less pet rent and refund all the deposit. They collect money ahead of
time, assuming that the resident will be guilty of messing up the apartment.
The fact that landlords do NOT refund pet rent (when no damage is done) which could be thousands of dollars per resident over years shows it is a very unfair way of doing business, and it makes a big bundle of money for them.
To say this is capitalism is a very irrelevant remark. Capitalism can be fair and equitable.

You didn't hit a nerve at all and it isn't an issue with a minority of rentals. You are just completely clueless when it comes to being a landlord.

[caverunner17]

Originally Posted by SQL

I don't understand. You do pay an extra deposit if you have a pet at most rentals. If you don't have a pet, you don't pay a deposit. How is that not fair?

I do agree about the monthly pet rent. I think that is simply a money grab.

Most places we looked at had a pet fee in addition to the pet rent. The fee is non-refundable.

[MN_Ski]

Just remember, as a renter, you have the benefit of being able to shop around and choose from tons of different rentals. As a landlord, you don't have the same rights or freedom to shop around for tenants.

[SQL]

Originally Posted by caverunner17

Most places we looked at had a pet fee in addition to the pet rent. The fee is non-refundable.

Yeah, I agree that it should ideally end with a refundable deposit. The pet rent is done simply "because we can".

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by caverunner17

Most places we looked at had a pet fee in addition to the pet rent. The fee is non-refundable.

I just do a pet deposit. I'm just saying that you only had a $650 deposit. That's peanuts. My deposits are more than three times that.

[headingtoDenver]

Originally Posted by carnelian

All pet owners should not be penalized because of the actions of a minority.

How do you know they are the minority? Have you met every pet owner out there who rented? Have you interviewed every landlord out there who rented to people with pets? It very well could be that people with pets who cause damage are the majority.