Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am relocating to the Raleigh area from an apartment in Michigan and while perusing ApartmentGuide.com and also individual property sites, I noticed that most/all apartments in the Raleigh area are charging a 'Non-refundable' Pet Fee that ranges anywhere from $125-$350!!!
Now I can understand from a landlord's perspective the need to recover costs associated to property damage caused by all these pets with their separation anxiety issues and impulse control disorders - the scratching, the chewing, the pooing, the peeing - I understand it adds up ...also dog urine can ruin the common grounds/landscaping, throw in lazy pet owners/unretrieved tootsie roll turds and then the community's property begins to devalue. I get it... but what I don't get is, why can't they hold those fees as a separate deposit???
Here's my thing... I have a 3 year old kitty that weighs 9lbs and that has never felt grass on her feet -so Public pooing/peeing is out, she's also declawed -which means no scratching. So why are cat owners included in this 'Non-refundable' Pet Fee? Has anyone gotten their leasing office to waive this ‘Fee’? I can see property’s asking for a separate Pet Deposit…but seriously, this is ridiculous –no to mention highway robbery!!!
My other concern is that because I'm relocating without secured employment I could very well move into an apartment that ends up being 'geographically undesirable' (aka 'crappy commute') in relation to the location of employment I obtain -and I move out a year later -this means I will again have to fork over another 'Non-refundable' Pet Fee...
Somebody tell me I'm missing something here...cuz this can't be right.
I do have a solution to this and that is allowing pet owners the option of providing a 'Pet Reference' ...It would be a document that could be created to contain information from the Vet -such as the pet's vaccination records and a professional assessment of the pet's temperment, along with any obdience training. Also a letter from a prior landlord stating the property formerly rented was left in acceptable condition and there wasn't any damage caused by the pet, nor any complaints about the pet (like excessive barking) from other tenants during the rental period.
Seriously, $125.00 - $350.00 non-refundable.... what the $#@&!!!
It's because of the odors associated with so many animals, and all the carpeting in apartments. There are also so many people with pet allergies, they have to do more steam cleaning, etc.
I think that basically they know you have to pay it since you aren't going to leave your pets behind, so they charge it.
If you are renting from an individual (a house for example), I have heard of people who say "no pets" in their ads but are willing to have a pet with a refundable deposit. A friend of mine has done this twice by nicely approaching the person renting and putting down a sizable security for the pet, but it was fully refundable at the end.
I am relocating to the Raleigh area from an apartment in Michigan and while perusing ApartmentGuide.com and also individual property sites, I noticed that most/all apartments in the Raleigh area are charging a 'Non-refundable' Pet Fee that ranges anywhere from $125-$350!!!
Now I can understand from a landlord's perspective the need to recover costs associated to property damage caused by all these pets with their separation anxiety issues and impulse control disorders - the scratching, the chewing, the pooing, the peeing - I understand it adds up ...also dog urine can ruin the common grounds/landscaping, throw in lazy pet owners/unretrieved tootsie roll turds and then the community's property begins to devalue. I get it... but what I don't get is, why can't they hold those fees as a separate deposit???
Here's my thing... I have a 3 year old kitty that weighs 9lbs and that has never felt grass on her feet -so Public pooing/peeing is out, she's also declawed -which means no scratching. So why are cat owners included in this 'Non-refundable' Pet Fee? Has anyone gotten their leasing office to waive this ‘Fee’? I can see property’s asking for a separate Pet Deposit…but seriously, this is ridiculous –no to mention highway robbery!!!
My other concern is that because I'm relocating without secured employment I could very well move into an apartment that ends up being 'geographically undesirable' (aka 'crappy commute') in relation to the location of employment I obtain -and I move out a year later -this means I will again have to fork over another 'Non-refundable' Pet Fee...
Somebody tell me I'm missing something here...cuz this can't be right.
I do have a solution to this and that is allowing pet owners the option of providing a 'Pet Reference' ...It would be a document that could be created to contain information from the Vet -such as the pet's vaccination records and a professional assessment of the pet's temperment, along with any obdience training. Also a letter from a prior landlord stating the property formerly rented was left in acceptable condition and there wasn't any damage caused by the pet, nor any complaints about the pet (like excessive barking) from other tenants during the rental period.
Seriously, $125.00 - $350.00 non-refundable.... what the $#@&!!!
I always thought those fees were pretty standard. Heck, when we rent a beach house for a week we pay that as a non-refundeable. It seems like a bargin as a one time payment.
My issue is that the $125-$350 is an actual 'Fee' as opposed to a Deposit - I would be fine with it being a deposit. I understand pet owners should be held accountable, but imposing this Fee assumes every pet will cause damage/odor. As far as I'm aware, apartments clean the carpets after each tenant moves out -so this isn't an added expense.
My other thought is pet owners are being taken advantage of by the emotional connections they have with their pets, and would pretty much pay whatever the fee is than give up their "baby/best friend".
Also I'm single and after the expense of relocating, I don't have that kind of money to just hand over a 2nd (or god forbid, a 3rd) time should the 1st apartment community I relocate to not work out due to geographic proximity to my job or if it ends up having community "issues".
You're basically paying a fee because other pet owners are irresponsible and skip out on damages. Is it fair? No, but it's the price of having a pet.
Yeah it definitely is unfair. What makes me mad is even though I'm paying this pet fee and pet rent, people in my complex do not clean up after their dog in the common dog walk area (and we are supposed to). So I pay a pet fee, pet rent, and still step on other dogs' ****!
edited because the board is strange and won't let me say p.o.o.
Autumn, my friends and I have noticed this change over the last few years, too. I have a friend who is looking for a new apartment in the Dallas area and one community had a $1000 non-refundable pet fee! That's no typo, kids. One thousand dollars!!! Non-refundable!!! Now that is insane! As you can imagine, she has decided to keep looking.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
