Pet Deposit vs. Pet Fee vs. Pet Rent – What’s the Difference?

Though the terms might all look the same, there’s actually a big difference between a pet deposit, a pet fee and pet rent, and it’s important that you understand what you’re paying for prior to moving in.

Pet Deposit

For starters, a pet deposit is just that: a deposit. This means paying a one-time deposit that can then be used toward damages caused by the pet (just as a security deposit is money used to hold and apply toward damages to the unit).

Like security deposits, pet deposits are refundable, as long as no damages are present upon move-out. That being said, it’s always recommended that you complete a final walk through with your apartment community manager to ensure damages are documented appropriately. 

Pet Fee, Pet Rent

A pet fee is charged once, either at move-in or when you bring a new pet into your home. Pet rent is a monthly charge. Both of these help defray the cost of the extra amenities in the community that relate to pets, such as the pet park, waste stations and bags and the pet spa. Neither are applied toward any damage in the apartment and are not refundable. Should you have additional damages that are beyond normal wear and tear, you will be charged for those as well.

A lot of other apartment communities choose not to accept pets, simply because of the added wear and tear pets bring and the extra damages that can be challenging to recover after somebody moves out. For example, ruined carpets and fleas are two of the most common types of damage, along with scratched/chewed woodwork, floors, doors, torn screens, torn up yards, uncleaned waste from the yard, pets smells, pet accidents…the list could go on and on.

At Springs, we offer an extremely pet-friendly community, including pet playgrounds, pet spas, walking areas and dog stations throughout the community, and the pet rent we collect helps cover the costs to keep up these areas for you and your pets to enjoy. We don’t charge these fees to deter pets, but rather to help recoup the cost from allowing pets in our communities. We want to ensure that all residents, whether they have a pet or not, are satisfied with their apartment home and community.

To learn more about each of our locations' community pet policies, please click on the “Amenities” tab on each location’s homepage, and then scroll to the bottom of the page.