questions & answers

Question: I signed a move in paper with all the cost it would take to move in. They forgot to include Pet deposit in the paper and now the day of move in are asking for an extra$300 for pet deposit. Can they legally do that since both of us already signed with no pet deposit?

Answer: If an actual rental agreement was signed by both parties – the landlord and the tenant – then an argument could be made that neither party may change the terms of that arrangement until either (a) both parties agree or (b) the agreement expires. The landlord’s ability to request an additional deposit will depend on a number of factors, including whether a legally enforceable rental agreement was created and whether the agreement’s failure to address a pet deposit was an oversight or a mistake (and whether one or both of the parties were aware of the oversight or mistake).