Pets can be a tricky part of living in USF apartments. While there are plenty of places that will not allow dogs or cats, there are equally a lot of great complexes that encourage people to bring their animals with them.
The reasons for why animals are allowed in some places and not others isn't a personal one, but one involving money. To compensate for the financial loss, some USF apartments choose to allow pets, but shift the burden onto the owners. Basically, if an owner wants to bring an animal into the unit, they are responsible for its actions.
To ensure that pet owners do not bail on their responsibilities, USF apartments will enforce either a pet fee or pet deposit for owners to pay during their stay. The difference between these two is that a pet fee is a one-time payment that you will not get back, while a pet deposit has the possibility of being returned.
When you pay a pet fee, USF apartments are asking you to pay for the right to bring your animal into the unit, and accept the responsibility of the wear and tear it will cause. Even if your pet is well behaved, an animal's presence will still effect the unit, especially if there is carpet. With a pet fee, USF apartments are at ease at allowing people to bring their pets, because they have eliminated the potential risk.
A pet deposit is a little riskier for USF apartments. With a pet deposit, the apartment complex is saying that if your animal causes no actual big damage, you can have your money back. The hope of an apartment that offers this option, is to entice people who do not want to pay a pet fee. In return, they hope that the effect of bringing in more residents will offset the cost of having to heavily clean their units.
USF apartment with a pet deposit do get to offset the risk of having a large amount of damage, which still helps to eliminate some risk. It is all about trade-offs when it comes to which method USF apartments choose to use, and which has worked for them in the past.
Understand that you do not get to choose which of these forms of payment to use, USF apartments will either do one or the other. No apartments that allow pets will let you have them in your unit for free, it is just too much of a risk, so do not expect it. If you are interested in an apartment, just check to see if they use pet fees or pet deposit, and make your decision based off which one works best for you.
If you need any help sorting through all the different apartments near USF, make sure to utilize our search engine right here at RentTampaBay. Let us help you find the best new home possible for you.