Pet deposit : ezLandlordForms

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Dee M

started a topic over 13 years ago

Are there Iowa state guidelines governing how much can be charged for pet deposit and if you can charge an additional monthly fee. What are the usual rates for this?

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Scott H

said over 4 years ago

Instead of a deposit I prefer to charge an extra $25-$50 (depends on the type/size) a month for a pet fee. That way I get an extra $300-$600 a year that I keep and they are still responsible for damages with their regular deposit. And I still do not allow aggressive breeds.

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Scott H

said over 4 years ago

Hello Anthony & Roni, Unfortunately you can only keep the amount of deposit that you used for repairs that were beyond normal wear and tear. This is also one of the reasons I charge the monthly pet fee. If I had a tenant that had an unauthorized pet I can show that I normally charge that pet fee and would keep fee out of their deposit. If they want to sue me for the money we can let a Judge determine if that is fare.

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Linda M

said over 4 years ago

I have done it both ways. In the beginning of my landlordship, I charged a pet deposit of maybe $150.00. That's nothing if the pet does any damage (pee on carpet, chewing, digging) at all. So, I started charging $50.00 monthly per pet, non-refundable. Much better.

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John P

said over 4 years ago

Newer versions of the EZ landlord lease (at least for Illinois) charge $500 for an unauthorized pet. But if the lease doesn't state that, Scott H is correct.