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I recently signed a year lease with a major complex landlord. The "Cost of Moving" worksheet they gave me states a $400 pet deposit, $200 of which is non-refundable. On the actual lease however, under "Pet Deposit" they left the amount as $0.00, they also left the "Pet Fee" as $0.00 (the fee is the non-refundable $200).
From my limited understanding of the Landlord/Tenant Law in Colorado, or anywhere else for that matter, I understand that the "Cost of Moving" worksheet is not a legally binding document, only the signed lease is. I made a verbal arrangement with them to pay the $400 over the first four months in addition to the rent, nowhere in the lease does it say that.
In my previous renting experience in Colorado, I have been told by landlords that the "Pet Fee", as stated in the Lease, is not for cleaning or damage costs, but for the convenience and privilege of having my pet live with me, on top of the $25/mo pet rent; and as such cannot be applied to any subsequent move out costs.
My question is this, would I be better off asking for the $100 back that I have already paid, and sticking to what the lease says, or would I be better off negotiating with them an addendum to the lease that stipulates that the $200 non-refundable fee be expressly applied to any subsequent cleaning and damage costs, before the refundable deposit? If I chose the latter, would that not alleviate any potential stress from the Landlord-Tenant relationship, and possibly lessen any burden I may have to bear later on?
And for the record, I am a very responsible pet owner. My dog is now 2, very housebroken, but does shed quite a bit due to the dry conditions here. And no matter how responsible a pet owner is, sometimes animals do get sick and are unable to control their BM's. It happens, it's part of why we pet owners pay additional deposits. My dog however is NOT destructive at all. He doesn't chew holes in walls or doors, does not tear up the carpet, does not dig holes outside, or any other general mischief you can think of. His only issue is taking mail off the counter and trying to eat it, but hey, who am I to complain if he eats a bill or two?
Did all the money you paid for deposit get noted? You gave deposit, pet deposit, and pet fee. Is the total of all that money given as the sum on the line for the deposit? They didn't take any deposit money of any kind and not show that you paid it?
Unless money disappeared, I suggest that you leave it like it is. They might take the pet fee when you move, they might not. Either way, you would have no business complaining about it, because you agreed to it up front.
Maybe there was a change in local law and they haven't yet changed all their handouts. In Oregon, I've changed the way I do deposits because of changes in the law, so maybe that has happened in your location also.
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