‘Pet rent’ and apartments

Sir, – Landlords are now charging an additional rent to their tenants for cat co-occupiers ("Man says he was asked to pay €75 monthly 'pet rent' at Dublin apartment", News, October 20th). A good way to circumvent rent increases in rent pressure zones.

Why not charge a weight tax? Surely the more corpulent tenants cause a higher level of wear and tear of the carpets and furnishings. It could be levied on a graduated scale. And it could have the unintended beneficial consequence of weight loss. – Yours, etc,

JIM LONG,

Bandon,

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Co Cork.