Apartment help!

[Rose21]

I'm looking to move into a 2 bedroom apartment with a friend next spring, between next Jan-March.

 

The only thing is, I'm confused. Of course I will be having a pet, but it will be a parrot IN a cage weighing no more than 1 lb.

 

This is what is listed on an apt:

Deposit: $300-$300

Pet Fee: $150-$350

Extra Rent: $0

Pet Limit: 2

Weight Limit: 50

Breed Restrictions: Yes

Pet Interview: No

Notes:

 

Obviously you have to put down a deposit for the apt, I know that. But why does it say pet fee 150-350? Do they honestly want you to pay that extra a month? the price of an upgraded or other apartment, wouldn't that fall under extra rent? The extra rent is 0, some I have looked at is $5-20. Shouldn't that be extra what you pay? So what does the pet fee mean? If your pet does something to the place? I'm confused!

 

Can someone PLEASE fill me in!

 

Also, the place will be no more than $700 a month and it will be split between a roomate, also I have $5000 from a dorm plan that I can cancel and use for the apt. Could that cover nearly a year with splitting the rent and spending wisely you think??

[renaissancewoman101]

I think the pet fee is like a "pet deposit". I have never heard of a place charging that much extra a month for "pet fee". I have guinea pigs. When I first moved into my place, I had to pay $250 as a one time pet fee/deposit

[karvala]

If that's the total information for the apartment (apart from the rent, which is notably absent), then my guess is that the pet fee is a one-off non-refundable payment, rather than extra each month which would be the Extra Rent part mentioned. That's only a guess, though, and the only definitive answer can be given by the landlord/letting agent.

 

As to $5000 covering a year, I'm not sure what you're referring to. Rent? Living expenses? Everything? Any other income?

[Rose21]

Pretty much everything, I'll also be working though. I just want to see if I will basically nearly be covered for a year on living expenses.

 

I know it seems more preferable to be $5-20 a month for pets IF there is a pet fee.

 

But why does it say Pet fee?

[Rose21]

I mean, why does it say Deposit AND Pet fee under "Pet" and listed as 2 separate things?

 

Even though the deposit is under Pet, does that mean the deposit for the apt?

 

Look at this, this is under the apartment fees:

Min Lease Term: 6 months

Bedrooms: 1 Bedroom-2 Bedroom

Rent: $409-$689

Deposit: $150-$250

Application Fee: $40

Administrative Fee: $75

Built/Renovated: 1983 2006

Management Co: Milestone Management

Parking: Reserved Spaces, Covered Parking

 

It says deposit is $150-250

 

Buut under PET it says for the "deposit" to be $300 and the fee $150-350. So which one am I paying?? I'm so confused!

[renaissancewoman101]

Deposit is "deposit for the apartment".

 

Pet fee refers to the "pet deposit" you will have to pay for having a pet.

 

Most apartments you move into will require you to pay some sort of "deposit".

[karvala]

Deposit in the main section is the usual deposit. Deposit under pet fee is an extra deposit if you have a pet. Both of those are refundable. Pet fee is an extra fee if you have a pet, which is not refundable. You have to pay all three, but the first two you will get back if you leave the apartment as you found it. That would be my guess, but as I say, only the landlord or agency know for certain what they meant, so you'll have to ask them.

[sophie274]

I think it will be hard for 5000 dollars to cover all your living expenses. Rent would already be over 4000, plus the various fees you have to pay when you move in, deposits (still count as expenses as they will be unavailable to you while you live there) will probably make it almost 5000 dollars right there.

 

Then you have your various bills, gas/insurance for your car, groceries, toiletries, health insurance, food/care for your bird, and then entertainment.

 

So you'll definitely have to work or take out a loan as well.

 

I agree with Ren and karvala about the various fees/deposits.

[Rose21]

Than why would it say under apartment deposit=$150-300 and under pet, deposit like $250?

[sophie274]

Than why would it say under apartment deposit=$150-300 and under pet, deposit like $250?

 

Everyone pays the apartment deposit, people with pets pay the pet deposit. Not sure what the question is. The pet deposit would be high because pets can do a TON of damage to apartments. For example, with cats, the smell of urine that can be left behind can mean replacing all the carpeting, potentially re-painting, etc...

 

Apartment deposit sounds like it varies based on the size of the apartment (since the rent also has a range).

[Rose21]

Well it really doesn't make sense.

 

Lets just say that you pay $250 for the apartment deposit okay? Than you have a pet, so you have a one time, lets say $200 pet deposit.

 

Are you saying not only do you have to pay $250 for the apartment deposit but also the $200 pet deposit (what I was expecting) PLUS $150 or so for a pet fee??

 

This makes absoluly no sense. Why on earth would you pay around $500 for the first month for a pet!!

[Rose21]

plus, its a BIRD. Stays in cage, does not do anything. Seriously...

[renaissancewoman101]

Rose, talk to the apartment people. Sometimes they give exceptions for small caged animals (which a bird is).

 

For my first apartment with my guinea pigs, I told the landlady that I had guinea pigs. She was ok with them (even though the apt building had a no pet policy).

 

The place I live now, accepts pets but you have to put a "pet deposit" down and pay monthly "pet rent" of $30 in addition to your regular rent. I talked to the leasing manager when I was looking around and, since they were guinea pigs, all I had to do was pay the "pet deposit" (which IS refundable when I move out) and he waived the monthly pet fee for me.

[sophie274]

Well, the rules are the rules.

 

You can always negotiate with the landlord to reduce the fee or deposit, if you can convince him that your pet is significantly less likely to cause "damage".

 

But yeah, move in costs are always high for an apartment. Deposits, first and last months rent, application fee etc ...

 

And pets are expensive too! You can shop around for apartments that only ask for a deposit, no fee, but at first glance what they're asking for doesn't seem excessive or unreasonable to me.

[BriarRose]

That's a cheap total deposit. In Fla, you would pay 1st, last, security (equal to one months rent) and a $350 non-refundable pet deposit. That is standard for most apts here.

[sunshine1]

Well it really doesn't make sense.

 

Lets just say that you pay $250 for the apartment deposit okay? Than you have a pet, so you have a one time, lets say $200 pet deposit.

 

Are you saying not only do you have to pay $250 for the apartment deposit but also the $200 pet deposit (what I was expecting) PLUS $150 or so for a pet fee??

 

This makes absoluly no sense. Why on earth would you pay around $500 for the first month for a pet!!

 

 

No there shouldnt be a pet fee and a pet deposit. I think its just ONE one time amount.

[Rose21]

Well I just really have never heard of paying a pet deposit AND a pet fee.

 

I've heard of paying like $200-400 for a pet for the first month, and than like $10-30 on top of your rent for pet fees, but on some of the places I looked at it went like this:

 

Pets: Deposit: $300-$300

Pet Fee: $150-$300

Extra Rent: $15

Pet Limit: 2

Weight Limit: 80

Breed Restrictions: Yes

Pet Interview: No

Notes:

 

Okay so they have the Pet deposit AND fee. Thats $300 for the deposit AND $150 for the fee? When it says extra rent per month, it's just $15. Do you have to do $300+150+15?

[BriarRose]

No there shouldnt be a pet fee and a pet deposit. I think its just ONE one time amount.

 

I agree. I"ve never heard of such a thing as having both.

[Rose21]

I think its just worded oddly to where I'm too stupid to understand=/

[renaissancewoman101]

In my apartment building we have BOTH a pet deposit AND a pet fee. It states it in our lease. I don't pay a pet fee because I worked it out with the original leasing manager that all I had to pay was the pet deposit.

[sunshine1]

I think its just worded oddly to where I'm too stupid to understand=/

 

The best thing to do is just call and ask. They will explain it so you can understand and like someone else said, since its just a bird they may make exceptions for you.

[Rose21]

Yes some places have that, I know. But that is like no more than $50 extra month.

 

These places are saying that sometimes they have Deposit, Fees, AND extra rent. Wouldn't the "fees" be included in the extra rent?

[thejigsup]

In some places you will pay up to $100 extra a month for a pet. I think this is ridiculous, but I have heard of it before. I didn't pay any sort of fee of any kind for my pets where I live, and I have two cats and a rabbit!