[US-NY] Why do I pay a cat fee?

Fine. Have some imagination. Pretend it’s not a kid. Pretend you just got married and your spouse moved in. There will be tons of extra wear and tear from a second person. But you’re not required to pay a monthly “spouse fee.”

I understand that from an administrative point of view, it makes more sense to be all or nothing, rather than charge on a case by case basis. And yet, I still feel salty that I’m being preemptively charged for messes that my dog will never make. I would HAPPILY pay for any damage my dog actually causes when I end my lease - or even pay a larger, refundable security deposit at the beginning of the lease just in case I don’t follow through. The only reason I feel that I’m being screwed over is that I’m being punished for a “crime” that probably will never happen, and I will never be refunded my money, even if the apartment shows zero signs of pet wear and tear.

/r/legaladvice Thread Parent