Pets and "normal wear"

[jacquiland]

What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania

When my husband and I moved into my apartment we paid a $300 (refundable) pet deposit and $600 security deposit. My landlady agreed, as did the lease, that we were allowed our dog, a 90lb labrador. The apartment has hardwood floors that had just been refinished. Our dog, for some reason, would come in the front door and jump into the livingroom, as a result the hardwood floor in an isolated region has damage. We recognized that, and notified the landlady, who sent someone to give us a quote on refinishing the hardwood floor. He took a look at both the livingroom and kitchen floors, and said that the livingroom floor would need to be refinished, quoted at $420. My landlady was recently in the house and decided that "in the right light" the kitchen floor is scratched from the living room to the backdoor where the dog walked. She wants the floor to be refinished at an additional cost of $400. The kitchen floor is in good condition, and the floor finisher did not say that it needed to be refinished when he looked at it.

My question is: What is normal wear and tear when pets are allowed?

It seems to me that my landlady knowingly allowed a 90lb dog in the apartment, and that the damage to the kitchen floor is normal wear. We have no problem paying for the damage to the living room, which constitutes negligence on our part.

[south]

Damage by pets is not normal wear and tear

Originally Posted by jacquiland

What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania

When my husband and I moved into my apartment we paid a $300 (refundable) pet deposit and $600 security deposit. My landlady agreed, as did the lease, that we were allowed our dog, a 90lb labrador. The apartment has hardwood floors that had just been refinished. Our dog, for some reason, would come in the front door and jump into the livingroom, as a result the hardwood floor in an isolated region has damage. We recognized that, and notified the landlady, who sent someone to give us a quote on refinishing the hardwood floor. He took a look at both the livingroom and kitchen floors, and said that the livingroom floor would need to be refinished, quoted at $420. My landlady was recently in the house and decided that "in the right light" the kitchen floor is scratched from the living room to the backdoor where the dog walked. She wants the floor to be refinished at an additional cost of $400. The kitchen floor is in good condition, and the floor finisher did not say that it needed to be refinished when he looked at it.

My question is: What is normal wear and tear when pets are allowed?

It seems to me that my landlady knowingly allowed a 90lb dog in the apartment, and that the damage to the kitchen floor is normal wear. We have no problem paying for the damage to the living room, which constitutes negligence on our part.