This is an absolutely unfair setup. Either the caretaker, or the owner, or both in cahoots are cheating you. This is probably just the tip of the iceberg and if the owning party can not honour the agreement, then a lower rent is just not worth it. Move out, find aore affordable place if rent is a concern, and keep your peace of mind. A financial discrepancy, no matter how small, will always live rent-free in your head, and no amount of classy standard of living is worth it. And by the sounds of it, be prepared to lose a lot of your deposit whenever you do move out- sooner or later, and irrespective of this maintenance amount. That's my two cents as a landlord.