No Pets Policy in Corporate Apartment (VA)

[Contounder]

What is the name of your state? Virginia

Due to a temporary work assignment, I stayed in Northern Virginia (Crystal City) from 10/09/07 through 12/29/07.

While staying at this corporate apartment, I noticed several people ferrying in/out their pets. For example, people would take their dogs out to walk, etc. The building, named the Concord, was a pet friendly building.

Well, I had a friend visit with her cat, and since I had seen many pets, I thought I was in the clear to bring the cat into the apartment. Well, the cleaning service came on the day my friend visited, saw the cat in my apartment, and alerted the management of the leasing company. Apparently Pets were allowed in the building but the leasing company had a seperate 'no pets allowed' policy that I had no idea about! The management contacted me and asked me to remove the cat and I did so immediately, I definitely was not trying to break the rules.

Anyway, after I apologized, that was that. I never heard anything about the issue until today.

Today, I recieved an email from the corporate apartment folks with a bill for $160! They told me that the next person that moved into the apartment has a cat allergy and requested that the room be professionally cleaned. when I called, the lady told me that they were going to charge my credit card $160 because I broke their rules and brought a pet into their premises.

My question to you folks is, am I liable for this cleaning? Do I have to pay this bill? The apartment was not damaged in any way. Also, if they expected a cleaning of the premises, shouldn't they have requested that and billed me when I was there? Are they even allowed to bill me now, three months after the cat was in their premises and a month after I moved out?

Thanks for the help!!!

 

[tranquility]

Does your rental agreement/lease say anything about pets? If so, please quote it exactly.

 

[Contounder]

Does your rental agreement/lease say anything about pets? If so, please quote it exactly.

I actually had no lease as it was a "hotel like" arrangement. I am assuming its better for me in this situation as I didn't sign any lease/agreement to their conditions/rules.

 

[Ozark_Sophist]

I actually had no lease as it was a "hotel like" arrangement. I am assuming its better for me in this situation as I didn't sign any lease/agreement to their conditions/rules.

Your work place would then be responsible for the bill. Don't minimalize allergies. The cleaning fee you describe is actually fair.

 

[Hot Topic]

As you said, you were on a temporary work assignment. You shouldn't have assumed that it was alright for you to have a pet there simply because you saw others going in and out with theirs. Simply put, you should have checked.

You should pay the bill and not try to pass the cost on to your company. They're not responsible because of your poor judgement.

 

[Alaska landlord]

Three months or 1 year later, if no one cleans out the pet hairs a person with allergies will feel the effects. If you want to continue working for your company or be called back next time the same worksite needs you, pay up!

 

[Contounder]

I appreciate the help. I can understand if the fee was levied directly after the event happened but what prevents these folks from charging me again in another few months for 'follow-on' cleanup? It's just odd that I have been charged now, a month after leaving and three months after the event happened.

 

[Cvillecpm]

You owe the fee - the fact that YOU did not notice the cat hair or react to the pet does not mean it did not happen.

Your BAD - pay the $160. I suggest this bill will probably appear on your credit report as landlord now have this capability

 

[mwbarton]

Let me get this straight...there were regularly scheduled cleaning services provided by the management company yet they did not clean the apartment to the next tenant's standards? Seems to me that the management company needs to go after their regular cleaning service for not doing their job.

How long was the cat in the apt?

 

[Cvillecpm]

Apples and Oranges * Cleaning service = housekeeping service.....corp apts are often refurbished annually and the CLEANING service is actually a housekeeping/hotel type service and not a thorough cleaning.

The fact that no pets were allowed in THAT apt makes the OP liable for the offending cat dander, etc.

 

[mwbarton]

Vacuuming carpets and furniture, changing linens, etc. should take care of pet dander from a short pet visit. My experience with corporate apartments is that the carpets and all bedding are cleaned between tenants.

 

[LeeHarveyBlotto]

If there's no written agreement covering pets, tell 'em to pound sand.

 

[VeronicaLodge]

the problem with that is her employer probably had a written agreement with the company and will be held liable and she could be fired. does she want to lose her job over 126 bucks when she does know she broke a rule? i wouldnt risk my job for that.

 

[xylene]

At first my reaction was, pay the bill.

However, after reviewing some more info, I find that this bill is unjustified.

The bill was not to remove damage caused by the cat, but because the cat had introduced allergens which allegedly caused another guest to have a reaction.

That sounds so fishy to me.

How did this guest know the cat had been there? Where they told? Hysterical psychosomatics me thinks.

The guest was not obligated to maintain a histamine free room.

The cat was taken into the room, the cat was expelled.

The hotel's time for remedy would have been at that time, not months later.

Lets put it this way, if the offense were peanut butter and not a cat? Unless he had damaged the room with the PB, same thing with the cat.

Rendering the room hypo-allergenic is beyond any expectation, and certainly not in pervue of a non-contract room rental.

Unless you really want to argue the peanut butter...

 

[VeronicaLodge]

im sure the lease did not say "no peanut butter"