Not Important, I'm Just Interested

[MathFanatic09]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? LA

Again, I'm just looking for views on this. It bears no importance whatsoever...

The lease for my apartment states one must deposit $300 for a pet and goes on to list pets for which the deposit must be made. A snippet of it is "...rodents, fish dogs, ...". Of course, the opportunist in me immediately jumped on the missing comma and questioned whether I had the right to have either dogs or fish as pets and not have to pay the deposit. It would also relieve me of having to notify my landlord about the pet (doing so would cause the lease to be changed and I would have to abide by the changes).

So, a few questions: Do I have the legal right to bring in a dog or fish without notifying my landlord? Can, in such a situation, the landlord claim I should understand what was meant? If so, wouldn't that void the entire premise on which this contract was brought up - to establish, concretely, what rights both the landlord and I have?

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? LA

Again, I'm just looking for views on this. It bears no importance whatsoever...

The lease for my apartment states one must deposit $300 for a pet and goes on to list pets for which the deposit must be made. A snippet of it is "...rodents, fish dogs, ...". Of course, the opportunist in me immediately jumped on the missing comma and questioned whether I had the right to have either dogs or fish as pets and not have to pay the deposit. It would also relieve me of having to notify my landlord about the pet (doing so would cause the lease to be changed and I would have to abide by the changes).

So, a few questions: Do I have the legal right to bring in a dog or fish without notifying my landlord? Can, in such a situation, the landlord claim I should understand what was meant? If so, wouldn't that void the entire premise on which this contract was brought up - to establish, concretely, what rights both the landlord and I have?

Thanks for your thoughts!

Nope - not even close.

 

[MathFanatic09]

Nope - not even close.

To what extent is the author of a contract allowed to retract what is stated, especially if their error hurts them?

 

[JETX]

Again, I'm just looking for views on this. It bears no importance whatsoever...

Sorry, but this forum doesn't do 'what if' or 'gee, I wonder' posts.

 

[MathFanatic09]

Sorry, but this forum doesn't do 'what if' or 'gee, I wonder' posts.

Fair enough. My sincerest apologies.

 

[Baranov]

I don't think a legal career is in your cards.

 

[MathFanatic09]

I don't think a legal career is in your cards.

Certainly not! I'm a bit too pragmatic to practice law. Plus we know all lawyers end up going to hell

 

[Baranov]

Certainly not! I'm a bit too pragmatic to practice law. Plus we know all lawyers end up going to hell

But you see, a pragmatist would have accepted that a 300 deposit for a pet does not need “pet” to be defined. A pragmatist would have determined that a fee would be required for any pet regardless of the landlord attempt to include the most common anticipated species. A pragmatist would have also determined that fish dog was just a typo.

If you expect to be able to allowed to stay in your apartment or home for the duration of your lease, then I suggest you stop playing games.

 

[MathFanatic09]

But you see, a pragmatist would have accepted that a 300 deposit for a pet does not need “pet” to be defined. A pragmatist would have determined that a fee would be required for any pet regardless of the landlord attempt to include the most common anticipated species. A pragmatist would have also determined that fish dog was just a typo.

If you expect to be able to allowed to stay in your apartment or home for the duration of your lease, then I suggest you stop playing games.

In the context of my lease, it is necessary. For instance, arachnids are pets, and (as I have verified with my landlord) I may posses a spider if I would like. I also shall be exempt from the deposit.

The question is not what I should have determined. The question is on what legal grounds am I wrong should I carry through with such a foolish action. In fact, a more generalized answer geared towards a party's ability to void a contract based on their grammatical error would be even better!

Can you, Baranov, define what games you speak of? To the best of knowledge, I have not played any as of yet.