Lease Terms for Late Fee & Dog Deposit

[Matt Said]

Helping a friend finalize a lease in northern Atlanta burbs.  Assuming that GA has a standard boiler plate lease, what would normal market terms be for:

1) When is rent due, when is rent late & what is the penalty for late rent?  $'s per day, a fine or both?

2) Small dog.  One time non-refundable fee?  Higher rent per month?

Thanks in advance!

[Todd Ortscheid]

You'll find that it varies quite a bit from company to company. Here's what we do:

1. Rent is due on the 1st, late if not paid by the end of the day on the 2nd, and late fee is 10% of the rent amount. Daily fees can be problematic with some judges, so we stick to just one late fee charged all at once.

2. We charge a $100 one-time fee and a monthly pet fee that varies based upon our screening of the dog. That fees varies anywhere from $25-$75/mo.