Heres the deal.
First some background. Our apartment complex allows pets, but you must pay a $300 non-refundable pet fee. I checked the lease, and all it says regarding pets is that if you are found with a pet (and havent paid the fee) you have 1 week to pay the pet fee or the human society will take your pet away. Thats all it says for pets. I do not own a pet.
Get home yesterday to my apartment, and theres a little paper in the door. It says that the apartment complex has decided to crack down on the number of illegal pets around the complex, so they are going to be doing random searches of apartments for pets this week. Furthermore, they state on their little flyer that if they find a pet and you dont pay the fee within a week, you are subject to severe penalties including fines and eviction.
Can anyone tell me the legality of this? I dont see how a landlord can just search apartments just to check and make sure that you dont have an unpaid pet. Sure this situation doesnt apply to me, but frankly i dont want anyone just coming in my apartment when i am not there so they can "check around".
Also, how they hell can they legally change the terms of the lease with just some little flyer? The lease also says that if changes occur to the lease you will be notified and then subsequently given the option to walk away from your lease for free (30 days notice).
Checked into the florida laws, and what it saysis that they can only enter your apartment FOR REPAIRS OR MAITENENCE (with a 12-hr notice to you). Didnt come across aynthing allowing them to randomly search an apartment for infractions. Hell, the damn cops cant search my apartment for illegal firearms/drugs etc, so why can my landlord.
Any lawyers on here who could help out?