Got a notice from my landlord about a $500 'pet fee' 3 years after moving in with a cat

I live in a 3-flat in Logan Square and my lease just says 'no pets without permission' but never defines a fee. Last month I got a letter from my landlord saying I owe $500 for a cat I've had since 2021. I think it's fishy because he never said anything before and the city of Chicago has specific rules about pet fees under the RLTO. He's claiming it's a 'late fee for not registering the pet' but I looked up the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance and it says pet fees have to be in the lease. My lease doesn't mention fees at all. Has anyone else fought a landlord over a surprise pet fee in Chicago? What did you do?

3 comments

3 Comments

emma961d ago

Fight it through the city. I had a landlord try the EXACT same thing with a "late registration fee" and I emailed the Chicago Renters Rights hotline. They told me if it's not in your lease, it's not enforceable. I sent the landlord a copy of the RLTO section about pet fees and the whole thing disappeared.

quinnm771d ago

@wren230 nah man its not that simple. same thing happened to me with a watering fee for my lawn, I checked the city code and found out they cant charge for stuff not in the lease. one email with the legal reference and it was dropped immediately.

wren2302d ago

Bro you signed the lease, landlord can charge whatever he wants.