A Georgia college student senses something is ‘fishy’ about an apartment after noticing the landlord included “pet fish rent” in the cost and fees breakdown. They’re hunting for an apartment, but felt the extra payment over fish for one particular place’s rent was unreasonable. Hundreds of online users also shared the student’s frustration, while some justified the landlord’s fishy fee.
“Fish rent? You have got to be kidding me,” Reddit user Gromy_1022 wrote in their r/mildlyinfuriating post’s title. According to the screenshot they shared, the monthly rent for this Georgian apartment would increase by $25, plus a one-time “fish fee” if they signed the lease. Thousands of Redditors reacted to the post, with the top commenters putting their best foot forward with some jokes.
“My fish doesn’t have a job, he can’t pay rent,” quipped one user, while another claiming to be a landlord joked how “fish frequently cause massive damage to apartments/leases because owners don’t leash them up before leaving for work.” Jokes aside, a few complained about how “ridiculous” such an additional expense was. “It’s just fees for the sake of fees,” sighed one commenter.
Many Users Warn About the Risks of Fish Tanks Breaking to Justify the Cost of Extra Rent
On the other hand, a massive number of people pointed out that it’s not the fish that pose a risk, like dogs or cats: it’s the tanks they live in. While the amount of potential damage is dependent on the tank’s size, any spilled water can cause considerable damage to a tenant’s floor and potentially to the ceiling of anyone living a floor below, commenters claim.
The Homestar Group says that in Georgia, water damage repair and restoration costs can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. One Redditor shared a story of their upstairs neighbor whose 80-gallon fish tank broke, ruining the floor, the downstairs ceiling, and the walls. “Never heard what the cost to repair was but I know it was at least in the 10K range, it was full on crazy, so yeah I can see asking for a pet fee,” they remarked.
At a glance, the so-called “pet fish rent” the Georgian landlord wants can sound a little excessive, according to OP. But considering the water damage that many Redditors claim can occur from a large or even medium-sized tank is definitely a risk an apartment owner might consider.
