Below are examples of the sort of fraudulent ads you may come across when searching for rentals
The 'We Know It's Illegal, so we changed the wording' ad
Since a non-refundable deposit of any kind is illegal, these clever folks decided that by exchanging "pet deposit" with "pet charge" that prospective tenants would happily hand over and bid adieu to their $200.
What exactly is this mysterious "pet charge", anyway? Are they buying the tenants a pet valued at less than but not greater than $200? Is the pet to be run through a credit card machine like a Visa or Discover?
Sorry landlords, but employing semantics does not justify illegal activity.
What exactly is this mysterious "pet charge", anyway? Are they buying the tenants a pet valued at less than but not greater than $200? Is the pet to be run through a credit card machine like a Visa or Discover?
Sorry landlords, but employing semantics does not justify illegal activity.
The Old 'Deposit? What deposit? No,This is just a cleaning fee' scam
This listing from a management company states that this $6000 tower of terror requires a 25% security deposit (fair enough) due at the leasing signing, as well as a $200 non-refundable cleaning fee.
This means that before you even move in, you're already out $200 for making what can only be called a hypothetical mess. While you're at it, why not pay $1200 in advance for that hypothetical plumbing explosion caused by your hypothetical flushing of horseshoes and dynamite?
If a renter fails to clean their unit upon move out, then an itemized cleaning charge can be taken from their deposit, but it cannot simply be pocketed in advance no matter what. Nice try.
This means that before you even move in, you're already out $200 for making what can only be called a hypothetical mess. While you're at it, why not pay $1200 in advance for that hypothetical plumbing explosion caused by your hypothetical flushing of horseshoes and dynamite?
If a renter fails to clean their unit upon move out, then an itemized cleaning charge can be taken from their deposit, but it cannot simply be pocketed in advance no matter what. Nice try.