Pet Fee Payments Not Being Made

I was dumb enough to accept payment arrangements for pet fees for new move ins. I offered to let new tenants pay $25 per month beginning their first full month until paid.

I just sent invoices to 8 households (100%) that have not made a single payment. The pet fee is $200 for one plus $100 for 2 or 3 pets (weight limit 20 lbs.)

I got a call from a tenant after she received her invoice for $200 saying she didn't know she had to pay it. That I didn't collect it when she moved in so I shouldn't come back and ask for it now.

She said she doesn't have the money and will just get rid of the cat she has. She said it was my fault that I didn't get it from her when she moved in, even though the amount is listed on the lease, addendum, brochure and move-in cost estimate. She also said I didn't offer payment arrangements to her.

Really?!!

She moved in the first week of December, 2013. She said I could evict her, but she wasn't going to pay it. I don't want a homeless cat, but I expect her to pay $200 like everyone else.

If I don't charge her and let her keep the cat, I'm risking violating Fair Housing.

What would you do?

Well, what's done is done. Depending on how long ago people your residents moved in, you can mention to them that this fee is still on their account and you are expecting payment. Treat it as an oversight to start, then get more businesslike if they continue to ignore it. The $25.00 should be on their monthly statement if they get one. Otherwise, keep e-mailing them to let them know that they have a balance on their account, and that if a certain amount of time goes by without payment, late fees will accrue.

If your jurisdiction allows you to return insufficient payments, return the rent checks to the residents if they do not include the fee.

As for the resident who is talking about getting rid of her cat, call her bluff and tell her to do so. Say that she has thirty days (or whatever) to pay the full $200 or get rid of the cat. If she does neither, she would be violating the pet agreement one way or the other. People will always claim "You never told me that!" after they've moved in, so don't let it sway you.

From now on, if you are still willing to do payment plans of any kind, create an addendum that should be signed along with the lease stating that they are expected to pay the fee on a monthly basis of $25 per month, and if they ever miss a payment, the payment plan is null and they will owe the full remainder.

The fee should apply whether she gets rid of the cat or not. She moved in with a cat; damage could have already occurred, and she owes the fee.

I would post & mail a charge notice giving her until the end of the month to pay, then if she does not pay, she gets a termination notice that givse two weeks to pay or 30 days to move out. Then she can decide if she has the money to pay you, or if she would rather pay to move and then be sent to collections for the debt.