Florida Laws Regarding Pet Ownership and "Pet Rent"

Florida

I cannot locate the specific law that states an apartment complex or landlord can legally charge "Pet Rent". To me, this goes against the way the current laws regards pets as 'personal property'. You may as well charge me monthly rent for a having a TV in my apartment. I can understand a 'pet deposit' and MAYBE the fact that it's nonrefundable, but this monthly rent thing is perplexing me. Landlords are already allowed the nonrefundable part, even if there is no damage!

Is this a state or Federal law? And could someone point me to either?

[sunlover]

Can you explain better? Are you being charged extra rent for having a pet? Example rent is $650.00 but since you have a pet your beign charged $655.00

That's pretty much the case. My rent is $650 and I pay $10 extra a month for one animal (cat). I pay the 'pet rent' but I really don't understand why, except I love my cat and won't live without her. Florida is not the only state that does this but I can't locate any laws, state or federal, that states that a landlord (of any type) has a reasonable reason to do this.

[sunlover]

You might find some answers at link below

Florida Landlord/Tenant Law Division of Consumer Services, DOACS

Thanks for the URL, I didn't find anything there. It may have to do with the fact that there are no laws regulating charges attached to rentals. The only thing I found was Landlord / Tenant Rights under State Laws. And those only relate to maintenance and who is responsible for what, not what charges a landlord can levy against a tenant. Those type of fees, "Pet Rent" is only covered in states that have 'Rent Control" Laws and Florida does not have any. So at this point, it looks like they can charge what they want.

You signed the lease that included pet rent. If you didn't want to pay it why sign the lease, lease elsewhere. Pet deposits even though they are nonrefundable are not enough to cover the damage and wear/and tear on a property. Especially if the tenant stays over a year, the "wear" continues but the deposit is one time. Pet rent is a way that the owner doesn't have more losses. By the way $10 is cheap, I have heard $30 or more at times.