Fees for pets

[ChilliScallops]

I’ve asked my landlord whether we could get a cat for our house. She has said yes but will charge us £500 at the end of tenancy for additional cleaning. I’m not sure how I feel about this, have gone from no way to maybe to how does she justify £500.

A bit of background, 4 bed detached house, all quite old wooden floors except one part of stairs is carpeted. We’re paying a good rent, on a 3 year contract.

The house was not cleaned when we moved in which we noted in the inventory and she signed - things like bugs in the glass lampshades, dirty oven and job, general grubbiness.

Just trying to gauge opinions?

Maybe it's to do with a deep clean in case some with an allergy wants to rent. Cat dander can hang around for years.

She’s taking the piss. My cat’s cleaner than a lot of people.

As an ex-landlord I think you're bloody lucky to get away with only £500 & if you really want a cat I'd bite your landlord's hand off. Cats cause a fuckton of damage in my experience. I'd never ever allow pets again.

I was thinking that damage would come out of the (very large) deposit and so in my mind, was just trying to justify the cleaning fee. We obviously need to leave the house as we found it and make good any damage.

@BillyBusStop - I've been met houses / flats with two cats for about 15 years and never had an issue with damage. I own now and also have never found any damage caused by my 3kg cat. What sort of damage do you have experience of?

OP - i would agree to £500 but only as an extra to deposit - I'd want proof that the cat has caused £500 worth of mess / damage or whatever they claim it's meant to cover.

I charge £125 extra at the end of tenancy to get it deep cleaned with a steam cleaner. That's it.
Any damage comes out of the deposit.

Shredded carpets, newel posts/table legs & sofa arms used as scratching posts, whole house chemical foggers for fleas. A landlord can just say no & most do. If you're landlord is willing to consider it you're very lucky.

& a gazillion poos all over the garden I had to remove when they moved.

Just for context, the rental is unfurnished.

Cat hairs all over curtains, pulled curtains, pulled carpets, cat pee on wooden floor not cleaned up properly, cat poo in garden,discarded cat litter in garden, plastic carry boxes thrown away in garden.
I love cats, unfortunately the tenant that had the cat has managed to put my husband off ever renting to people with animals.
Nothing that a deep clean would not move but just the blatant disregard for the house. We left it pristine. Freshly painted throughout, tenant left and it needed doing again. Not just because of the cat but that was the tipping point for hubby.