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Ashcans posted:Incidentally, not only is that really sketchy, it is straight up illegal in every state I have ever rented. Usually if a landlord cannot provide individually metered utilities, they have to simply account for it in the rent. So check on that. It's incredibly common in California. I've been looking at a move to the San Francisco area and I see it all the time. Lots of apartments there have shared water bills. Haven't seen any with shared gas, though.
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Jul 5, 2012 04:57
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I've honestly never seen that before and it is totally baffling to me. Are there any sort of regulations or limitations on this? If there is some dick in the building that just leaves all his taps running, do you just get stuck paying a huge water bill? If I had to deal with something like that, I would ask the landlord for the charges for the last year, and get a limitation put on the lease for something above that to prevent getting screwed.
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Jul 5, 2012 21:37
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Generally, the landlord has to spell out how it is calculated (per occupant, per bedroom, based on sq footage, etc) and can't charge more than he is billed. There may also be a requirement for common area deduction. In the places my company has implemented it, overall water usage dropped 10-15 percent. Places that we've submetered have seen usage drop by 15-20 percent.
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Jul 5, 2012 21:46
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That sounds like it would suck. I had enough issues in college with splitting bills after someone's girlfriend basically moved in but wasn't paying for it. And at least then the other roommates and I had some control and could easily confront the couple directly.
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Jul 5, 2012 23:45
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Oh man it's been a month and I still haven't seen my security deposit or anything that even looks like a statement of charges. Calls to the management get me answers from "the check is in the mail" to "your file is at corporate so there is no way we could know anything about it!". At least get your stories straight guys. Time to go figure out how to send a certified letter - shame on them for underestimating the amount of free time I have.
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Jul 6, 2012 00:14
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Stanley Goodspeed posted:Time to go figure out how to send a certified letter - shame on them for underestimating the amount of free time I have. Took me a moment to read this as you intended it, but once I did, I laughed. Thanks.  As for my question: What's the best way to go about just telling my landlord I know I'll have to get the carpet replaced? My lease won't be up until next March, but I already know the carpet is ruined (cat with claws and separation anxiety) and will only get worse. When my lease is up, I want to get a bigger unit with my boyfriend, hopefully in the same building. What's the best way to be like "Hey, yeah, I know you're going to own my deposit and then some, but I still want to live in your building. That okay?" For the record, I rent from a property management firm with buildings all over my city.
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Jul 6, 2012 00:52
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ExtraFox posted:Took me a moment to read this as you intended it, but once I did, I laughed. Thanks. Tell them sooner rather than later, and offer to pay for the carpet before you do the paperwork for the next lease/apartment. Show them you're good for the damages, and you should be set.
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Jul 6, 2012 00:54
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Moving into a studio this weekend and I've got question about smells: the previous tenants just moved out and I literally moved in right after them. However, the room still smells (a bit like old people) and I'm not sure how to get rid of it. The window's been open for a week, but it's still there. Would burning a scented candle or something work? Or would fans work? I'll be getting a fan anyway, since the room doesn't have AC.
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Jul 6, 2012 04:42
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Splash Attack posted:Moving into a studio this weekend and I've got question about smells: the previous tenants just moved out and I literally moved in right after them. However, the room still smells (a bit like old people) and I'm not sure how to get rid of it. The window's been open for a week, but it's still there. Would burning a scented candle or something work? Or would fans work? I'll be getting a fan anyway, since the room doesn't have AC. Smells only exist because something exists that stinks. Remove the source. Wash the walls, replace the filter in the A/C, and most importantly, make sure the carpet is thoroughly cleaned.
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Jul 6, 2012 05:22
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ConfusedUs posted:Smells only exist because something exists that stinks. Remove the source. Old People is pretty hard to get out, dude. Painting the walls might be another option.
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Jul 6, 2012 13:50
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ConfusedUs posted:Smells only exist because something exists that stinks. Remove the source. Vacuum in/around the vents as well. Also, check areas that older folks are liable to miss: on top of cabinets, behind the oven and fridge, anything high up or hard to get to. The Bad Air Sponge is also supposedly good at removing old odors (not covering them up, like air fresheners). Also, if possible in this heat, open your windows up and let it air out.
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Jul 6, 2012 13:52
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I've literally just moved into my new place and there are a few things that are pissing me off that the landlord refuses to do anything about. First off is the front door- the main lock on it is really dodgy. It's easy to lock but a complete pain to unlock, I have literally tugged and jiggled at that thing for 10 minutes on occasion to get it to open. We had to get another set of keys cut because the landlord never left us the second set like he was supposed to, and it's a complete crapshoot as to whether the second set will work on any given attempt to gain entry. I currently have both sets of keys because my flatmate hasn't moved in yet. Other things are- there is a knob missing from the hob so I can only use 3 hotplates, the extractor fan is broken, and the cleaning lady (who supposedly came to clean after we complained that the flat had been left dirty) stole £30 worth of cleaning supplies/toilet paper. We emailed the landlord, and I've spoken to him on the phone but he is impossible to deal with. He won't listen at all, he just talks over the top of you and ignores everything you say. At one point the key we had cut jammed in the lock and I had to go out and buy a wrench and some WD-40 to try and get into the flat. He was completely unsympathetic and was insistent that there was no problem with the lock and that the last tenant had never complained. What should my next course of action be? I don't want to be a whingy tenant who's always bothering him but at the same time I don't want to get locked out of my flat or have to carry a can of WD-40 with me at all times!
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Jul 6, 2012 13:54
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Where did you go to get your copies of the key? I had the same problem when I moved in to my current place because the keys they gave me were cut at a hardware store that does lock work not an actual locksmith. I went to a locksmith and had new copies made using an original key as the template and then sent the bill to the landlord because he gave me lovely non working keys in the first place.
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Jul 6, 2012 14:08
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How long does it take on average for a landlord to get back to you about a rental application? I found this wonderful apartment and I sent in the app an hour after the viewing, but I wasn't sure how long I should wait. It's only been a few days and obviously, I'm searching for other places while I wait, but I did really like this apartment. My dad says I should email the guy again and ask about the status of the apartment, but I just went and saw it on Tuesday; I don't want to be pushy! I don't want to be a dick but I also don't want my impatience to get the best of me and settle on somewhere I don't like just because I didn't wait on this one. 
Hanky Church fucked around with this message at 16:37 on Jul 6, 2012 |
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Jul 6, 2012 15:19
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Hanky Church posted:How long does it take on average for a landlord to get back to you about a rental application? I found this wonderful apartment and I sent in the app an hour after the viewing, but I wasn't sure how long I should wait. It's only been a few days and obviously, I'm searching for other places while I wait, but I did really like this apartment. My dad says I should email the guy again and ask about the status of the apartment, but I just went and saw it on Tuesday; I don't want to be pushy! It depends. If it's a private owner, they're usually not that great about getting back to you. I went back and forth for 2 weeks with my current landlord wondering if we would get the house we're in now. Even then, she said we didn't get it at first because there was another couple she offered to. Eventually they backed out and we got it - after we had already signed another lease. If it's a property management firm, they're eager to get places rented out quickly and tend to be far more responsive. If, like me, you prefer to rent from private owners, I would recommend patience. In any good city there are going to be decent professionally managed properties that you can snag up at the last minute if you run out of options. Those will always be there. Good private landlords and properties are harder to find.
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Jul 6, 2012 17:25
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glompix posted:It depends. If it's a private owner, they're usually not that great about getting back to you. I went back and forth for 2 weeks with my current landlord wondering if we would get the house we're in now. Even then, she said we didn't get it at first because there was another couple she offered to. Eventually they backed out and we got it - after we had already signed another lease. If it's a property management firm, they're eager to get places rented out quickly and tend to be far more responsive. I believe all of this, but it doesn't mesh up with the way I've rented places. My experience has always been:
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Jul 6, 2012 17:49
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This apartment is privately owned, if I'm not mistaken; that is, I didn't see anything that said they were associated with a firm. Drunk Tomato, your experience sounds similar to mine, so at least I feel a little less like I'm doing this totally wrong. I've known for months that I'm bolting the moment my lease is up (July 31st) as the walls are filled with mold and I've developed chronic sinusitis from it. I've been looking for months but couldn't really commit until I got a full-time job a few weeks ago (just graduated). Basically, I really need to move somewhere else soon but I'm afraid of getting into another bad situation. I may try dropping the guy a line today, just to make sure he got my rental app. I won't ask, like, every two days, but I figure it wouldn't hurt to just doublecheck. The landlord seems really nice and the place is perfect for me size/price/location-wise, not to mention it fits my style, so I'm really really hoping this works out so I can get the hell out of my shithole apt. Thanks for the perspectives, though! Definitely helps to hear something positive. Hanky Church fucked around with this message at 17:55 on Jul 6, 2012 |
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Jul 6, 2012 17:52
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Went over to the old apartment today to argue about my deposit - they magically have my paperwork now and of course the damages all added up to my security deposit amount. They charged more than double the initial assessment for painting and cleaning the apartment, despite it being left in good condition (didn't even hang pictures up!). California law states that deductions from the security deposit can only be made to clean and repair damages outside of normal wear and tear - that is a very nebulous term that I see causing a lot of grief in the near future. Has anyone successfully argued their deductions down or could give me a brief primer on what wear and tear can be legally defined as? I was kind of a neat freak when I lived there and didn't damage anything and kept everything as clean as possible, but they're insistent that I ruined all the cabinets and so on. Does it just come down to the before and after photographs or how does all this work? Is small claims court a huge pain in the rear end or is it worth it for something like this?
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Jul 6, 2012 20:56
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A quick review of some paid box options I've been working through, if you don't want to deal with scrounging behind the liquor store. 1) Rubbermaid totes from Target. $8. Reusable forever. Can hold a lot of poo poo but that's a problem when it's heavy poo poo. So useless for books unless you like moving 100+ lb boxes. 2) Shipping boxes from Job Lot (discount store). 18x14x12. $1.75 each. Have to be taped. Smaller than the totes but still hold a lot. Can hold around 40 lbs of books. No handles. 3) Bankers Box model 703 from Staples. 12x15x10. $2 each, sold as 10 for $20. These are normally for file storage in offices. No tape w/ double layer bottom, and have handles and tops. Good size for book packing since the height matches hardcovers and a full box is reasonable weight. I really like these. There are also these boxes from the same company that are made for moving. May check those out next, though they are $3 each. http://www.amazon.com/Bankers-SmoothMove-Moving-Storage-0062701/dp/B0027CTFBO
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Jul 6, 2012 21:21
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Drunk Tomato posted:I believe all of this, but it doesn't mesh up with the way I've rented places. My experience has always been: I'm in my third privately owned house/apt, and rented from two complexes before that. I think the reason why our experiences don't mesh is because I tend to want to arrange rentals far in advance (two months is when I started walkthroughs this last time) of moving. The problem with that is nearly all ads on CL want someone to move in immediately, and the ones that don't have competition/waffling. I'm thinking next time I move I need to relax a little and look closer to my move-in/out date. Then again, if you want a specific complex, going a few months in advance is a good idea because they often have waiting lists if it's a good one.
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Jul 6, 2012 21:56
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Stanley Goodspeed posted:Went over to the old apartment today to argue about my deposit - they magically have my paperwork now and of course the damages all added up to my security deposit amount. They charged more than double the initial assessment for painting and cleaning the apartment, despite it being left in good condition (didn't even hang pictures up!). Spend the $20 on the fees for small claims court and show up in person with the summons (also send one via certified mail). Tell them you're willing to settle out of court for a fair amount OR you'll take them to court where the judge will probably be very sympathetic to your case.
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Jul 7, 2012 01:17
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Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:Tell them sooner rather than later, and offer to pay for the carpet before you do the paperwork for the next lease/apartment. Show them you're good for the damages, and you should be set. Thanks for that! Would it be out of line to ask what carpet company they use so I can get an estimate? I'd like to put money away for that since it's just an inevitability.
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Jul 8, 2012 01:38
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Are there any moving truck companies that rent small (16' is ideal) trucks with seating for three people? The only place I can find advertising it is UHaul, but their 14' truck is $125 more than a 22' truck from Penske, which seems ridiculous.
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Jul 8, 2012 21:02
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Handsome Rob posted:Are there any moving truck companies that rent small (16' is ideal) trucks with seating for three people? The only place I can find advertising it is UHaul, but their 14' truck is $125 more than a 22' truck from Penske, which seems ridiculous. How long are you trying to rent for? I rented U-Haul's biggest truck and it was around $100 for 2 days.
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Jul 9, 2012 17:02
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TECHNICAL Thug posted:How long are you trying to rent for? I rented U-Haul's biggest truck and it was around $100 for 2 days. It's long distance, Texas to Pennsylvania. Technically I need it for three days but every company rounds that up to a full week. Penske is quoting $675 for a 22' with a car dolly, UHaul says $800 for a 14' with dolly.
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Jul 9, 2012 18:19
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Interestingly, Penske in-town is more expensive than U-haul. Remember that U-haul trucks sit low so it's easier to load/unload. I ran into a problem with that though--as my driveway is so steep I can't even get my suburban up it without dragging the trailer hitch on the ground for a second, so I had to park the U-haul in the street and cart everything up the steep driveway. Fun times.
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Jul 9, 2012 19:50
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Good to know! For what it's worth, the guy I spoke to at Budget (not the corporate line, one of the locations) said they have a very limited number of three-seater 16' trucks, but the middle seat is a jump seat that's exceedingly uncomfortable. Penske has none, but some reports say that U-Haul might match their prices. We ended up rearranging our plans to avoid the problem entirely, but in case anyone else has the same question.
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Jul 10, 2012 01:53
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I hope this is a good place to ask this, as it is related. I've been attending a vocational school for the past six months, and working on the weekends at a coffee shop. I was being paid under the table at the coffee shop. Now that I'm done with the vocational program and getting offered work that I need to relocate for, I'm having trouble finding an apartment that will lease to me without proof of income. I'd much prefer to have my own place rather than rent from someone in their house or apartment, if it comes to that then I'll deal but I was hoping someone might have an idea for me to get my own place?
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Jul 12, 2012 01:13
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JD posted:I hope this is a good place to ask this, as it is related. Why not bring a bank statement with proof of your deposits and average balance?
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Jul 12, 2012 01:16
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If you have absolutely no proof (i.e. bank statements showing regular deposits, and even thats a big maybe as far as 'proof of income' goes), then the only other option I can think of is paying your lease in full if they will consider doing that.
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Jul 12, 2012 01:17
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Yeah forgot to mention that I don't have bank statements. Big mistake in retrospect. Would it be a horrible idea to mock up some pay stubs with the permission of the owner at the coffee shop? And there's no way I could pay a lease in full right now. I was also thinking of asking the company I'm going to be working for, for a letter from their HR or something.
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Jul 12, 2012 01:34
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JD posted:Yeah forgot to mention that I don't have bank statements. Big mistake in retrospect. Would it be a horrible idea to mock up some pay stubs with the permission of the owner at the coffee shop? quote:And there's no way I could pay a lease in full right now. I was also thinking of asking the company I'm going to be working for, for a letter from their HR or something.
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Jul 12, 2012 02:16
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I have ok credit and some money saved but not likely enough for a first, last and deposit. My apartment in Phoenix only asked for p.o.i. and a deposit to move in, so I'm hoping to find a similar place.
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Jul 12, 2012 02:34
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JD posted:I hope this is a good place to ask this, as it is related. Me and my room-mates were in a similar situation. we're all tipped based and made enough to cover the rent but not enough on paper. The leasing office actually had a thing that our managers all filled out, and all 3 of the managers we had to deal with it were cool with filling out this paper and faxing it back. It might be different for you since you're completely under the table but it can't hurt to investigate that?
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Jul 12, 2012 05:55
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Blooshoo posted:Me and my room-mates were in a similar situation. we're all tipped based and made enough to cover the rent but not enough on paper. The leasing office actually had a thing that our managers all filled out, and all 3 of the managers we had to deal with it were cool with filling out this paper and faxing it back. It might be different for you since you're completely under the table but it can't hurt to investigate that? Awesome idea, I will definitely look into it.
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Jul 12, 2012 07:09
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JD posted:And there's no way I could pay a lease in full right now. I was also thinking of asking the company I'm going to be working for, for a letter from their HR or something. If you have an actual job offer, you should have a hard copy of that offer that says how much you're going to make per month. I was also relocating for a job and every complex I looked at had no problem taking my job offer as proof of income. I had no stable or steady income beforehand. If you don't have a physical job offer in hand, then you're screwed in more ways than one.
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Jul 12, 2012 12:56
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I guess this sort of fits the "no proof of income" issue: Myself and three other people are planning to move into a 3 bedroom apartment about 30 minutes north of where we live now. By our estimated move-in time the three of them will all have jobs (only one lacks a job at the moment). However, my "job" is driving them back and forth to their jobs and assisting the third in finding a job. I'm the car owner and the only one with a license, so I became the default driver (bought the car three months after I moved here, been here roughly 6?). I haven't been able to find work that would leave my schedule open enough to ensure their ability to get to work on time (2 of them work half an hour away, one way, and there is no form of public transportation in this piece of poo poo city. Also with no set schedules). All of the apartments we have looked at so far have required all tenants to have a job. I guess my options are: 1) Find a job near the area we are looking to live in that fits our weird schedule, but comes with a really long commute for me over the course of the day. 2) Not sign the lease and just live in my car until I can find employment in the area, then sign on and move-in after two pay periods (i.e. live in the apartment not quite legally until everything falls into place). 3) Somehow secure a job offer up there around the time of moving and convince the rental company to accept that as proof of income (which isn't under their listed approved proof). Unfortunately we don't have a choice about moving into the apartments we looked at. They are the only apartments remotely close to the majority of the boys' jobs and even then they are about a 15 minute drive away (+more time because of season traffic). We have a potential lead on a mobile home for rent around the same area. Also there's a college town close to both areas, so rentals are kind of hectic at the moment. I'm not even that happy with where we want to move (they weren't able to show us a model of our bedroom layout, but rather a heavily renovated two bedroom setup that doesn't match their designated floorplans), but everyone feels comfortable going forward from here as quickly as possible. Is there anything I can do about the no job issue besides finding a job (much rather move then find one because it will free me from being the taxi)? Is it common to require every tenant to have a job when renting to larger groups like us? Two people alone meet rent x 3 which most places around here use as their income requirement. Primpin and Pimpin fucked around with this message at 02:40 on Jul 14, 2012 |
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Jul 14, 2012 02:26
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I was in a marginally similar not quite as extreme situation as you (I had a job, boyfriend didn't, looking to move in together), but most places said that if some combination of tenants make enough money to cover rent then they'll approve you. They won't care if three people have a job and one doesn't, as long as the three can cover rent. If the three combined can't cover rent, then you have a problem. There's also the option of just the three of them signing the lease and just listing you as a resident. [E/N] Why don't the other three drive? There's a point where you have to say "sorry sucks to be you" and stop holding back your own life just because other people can't/won't drive. [/E/N]
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Jul 14, 2012 03:31
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:I was in a marginally similar not quite as extreme situation as you (I had a job, boyfriend didn't, looking to move in together), but most places said that if some combination of tenants make enough money to cover rent then they'll approve you. They won't care if three people have a job and one doesn't, as long as the three can cover rent. If the three combined can't cover rent, then you have a problem. There's also the option of just the three of them signing the lease and just listing you as a resident. Yeah I am hoping the place will work with us in terms of that; their rules seem rather stringent but I'm sure if we show them that rent is more than covered by three people it will get the ball rolling in our favor. Going to call on Monday and ask about that and a few other questions I forgot to ask during the visit. Hopefully they can give us a time frame for when a 3 bedroom will become available as well. As for the E/N stuff: Yeah. I owe them though, so I'll keep doing it until we're all in a better place. Boyfriend should be getting his license before August as well.. that should help.
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Jul 14, 2012 21:14
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So here's a furnishing question to liven things up. I hope this is an appropriate thread to ask and if not I'll be glad to take it out. I'm moving into a relatively new apartment for my senior year in a few weeks. It's already basically furnished and there's the couch/tables etc, but not really anything in my room suitable enough to use as a computer table and for doing homework. I'm looking for something as compact as possible (I don't have exact measurments but the room is kind of small) yet with a couple racks or cabinets for putting cd cases/books, something like a combo desk/shelf or something and about $200-300 tops as I'm on a bit of a budget. Ikea gave me a couple good ideas but I'm wondering if goons had any input. Would something like the Micke be a good choice? Thanks guys
HOTLANTA MAN fucked around with this message at 10:07 on Jul 15, 2012 |
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Jul 15, 2012 09:56
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