earachefl@comca
Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Florida
I have moved out of a rental home, and the landlords claim that the carpet in one bedroom has to be replaced because of cat urine. In addition to my security deposit, I also paid a $600 non-refundable pet deposit. The wording in the lease is:
5. PET DEPOSIT
Tenant agrees to pay the sum of $300 non-refundable pet deposit per cat. There are two cats so the unrefundable pet deposit totals $600. No other pets are allowed other than the two cats which are already spayed or neutered.
Instead of deducting the cost ($456.91) from the pet deposit, the landlords are deducting the cost from the security deposit. In their words, "Your $300 non refundable per-cat pet deposit is non-refundable ($600 total, since two cats). You agreed to this in the lease. There was no agreement to credit this toward damage to the carpet."
Question - are they abusing the intent of the pet deposit, or are they within their legal rights? I am not looking for a refund, rather, my assumption is that the pet deposit money was meant to cover damages caused by the pets. If that is correct, am I not correct in thinking that the damages should be deducted from that pet deposit, rather than the security deposit? Otherwise, what is the purpose of the pet deposit - simply a gift to them for the privilege of allowing me to board my cats?
I have moved out of a rental home, and the landlords claim that the carpet in one bedroom has to be replaced because of cat urine. In addition to my security deposit, I also paid a $600 non-refundable pet deposit. The wording in the lease is:
5. PET DEPOSIT
Tenant agrees to pay the sum of $300 non-refundable pet deposit per cat. There are two cats so the unrefundable pet deposit totals $600. No other pets are allowed other than the two cats which are already spayed or neutered.
Instead of deducting the cost ($456.91) from the pet deposit, the landlords are deducting the cost from the security deposit. In their words, "Your $300 non refundable per-cat pet deposit is non-refundable ($600 total, since two cats). You agreed to this in the lease. There was no agreement to credit this toward damage to the carpet."
Question - are they abusing the intent of the pet deposit, or are they within their legal rights? I am not looking for a refund, rather, my assumption is that the pet deposit money was meant to cover damages caused by the pets. If that is correct, am I not correct in thinking that the damages should be deducted from that pet deposit, rather than the security deposit? Otherwise, what is the purpose of the pet deposit - simply a gift to them for the privilege of allowing me to board my cats?