Can a landlord just out of the blue start charging a pet deposit and adding it up from the time that you moved?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can a landlord just out of the blue start charging a pet deposit and adding it up from the time that you moved?
There was not a pet deposit in effect when I moved in then he put on into effect a month or so after I moved in for new tenants.He knew I had a cat but never charged me a pet deposit then out of nowhere he told me I was $75 behind becasue he added up the pet deposit from the time I moved in until now.
Asked on April 16, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Georgia
Answers:
Terri Brown / Terri L. Brown, LLC
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
The basic answer is, it depends. If your lease contract allows for him to assess additional fees for pets, then yes. If you didn't tell him about a pet or got a pet after you moved in, and then didn't pay the pet deposit, and he later discovered that you did have one, the court would probably say that either the circumstances changed or you were not completely honest. If the contract does not include the possibility of a pet deposit, then no, he cannot. Your contract will dictate what you are required to pay as long as it is in effect.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.