Gooncave & Gardens: Moving & Apartment Living, Hunting, & Furnishing

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Gooncave & Gardens: Moving & Apartment Living, Hunting, & Furnishing

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Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

psydude posted:

I had a minor roach problem at my last place, I believe due to both the age of the house and my neighbors being slobs. Depending on the severity of the problem you might be able to get away with meticulously cleaning your kitchen once a week, immediately cleaning all dishes after using them, wiping off the countertop daily, and storing all food in resealable bags.

While this isn't a bad idea, it's worth noting that roaches can survive off of water alone for months. Roaches are generally considered a health hazard, and something that your landlord has to take care of. Check your local tenant laws, but there is frequently a strict time limit for fixing this kind of thing before you're allowed to call in a professional and deduct the costs from your rent.

# ¿ Apr 16, 2013 17:10

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# ¿ May 22, 2024 00:28

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Ashcans posted:

No one is going to make a determination based on a detailed analysis of your personal history. They are just going to take a general, safe rule and apply it to get the fastest results. Usually that means no evictions, confirmed employment, and a reasonable income to rent ratio. I mean, ok, sure you might be the guy that is really careful with his budget and can rent a place that is 60% of your income without it being an issue - but most people aren't that guy. And the landlord has no particular incentive to take a risk that you might not actually be that guy when there are very likely other people with a better ratio to pick from.

Your best bet is to look for a place that you can rent directly from a landlord and have a conversation with them; a management company is not going to budge because they don't give a poo poo, but an individual might actually listen to you and change their mind if they think you're on the level. This is basically what we did and it worked out.

Two ways to find places like this: 1) Newspaper classifieds and 2) walk around neighborhoods looking for "For Rent" signs. I know it sounds ridiculous in the age of the internet, but a lot of these places that are amazing finds are owned by old people who frequently don't own computers. It takes some serious legwork to find them, but you can sometimes stumble across a diamond in the rough.

Ham Equity fucked around with this message at 06:39 on Apr 17, 2013

# ¿ Apr 17, 2013 06:30

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Trauma Tank posted:

I suspect my garage is going to get a fair amount more full this weekend. I also need to start booking mvoers to come and see how much it's gonna cost me to move.

You might want to start stretching out your anus now.

You can request lube, but it's unlikely to be granted.

# ¿ Apr 19, 2013 17:12

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

vonnegutt posted:

The cheapest option for the best furniture is always going to be the one that takes the most effort. If you have the time and ability to do garage sale/thrift store/Craigslist type shopping, you can furnish your apartment for super cheap. Refinishing not always necessary (but a nice option).

I looked to Ikea for essential boring stuff (bookshelves, kitchen racks), did the legwork locally for anything expensive (couch, bedframe, chairs), and then used West Elm and Crate and Barrell to add some style.

While some people I know have had luck with Craigslist and such, be careful when using it for upholstered or fabric pieces of furniture if your area has any sort of a bedbug problem.

You do not want bedbugs; they are incredibly difficult to get rid of.

# ¿ Apr 22, 2013 17:03

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Silly Hippie posted:

I have read the entire lease. There's absolutely nothing about guests, much less how long someone is allowed to stay before they are considered an occupant. It doesn't even say that only one occupant is allowed, that was just conveyed to be verbally and I have obeyed it to the best of my understanding of what counts as occupancy.

The lease is only five pages long and written in pretty normal vernacular English so I don't think I've missed anything. (I am like 99% sure he just wrote this up himself). Then again, I guess there's really nothing I can do if my lease comes up next month and he decides not to rent to me again, which is probably what he'll do if I push the overnight issue.

Can you just ignore him, and have your boyfriend stay overnight without saying anything?

There is probably some sort of tenancy protection law that requires a minimum notice in order to terminate a lease in your locality. You should look it up.

# ¿ May 10, 2013 19:38

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Thoguh posted:

Are you loud or plan on breaking any rules?

The other questions you need to ask is "is the landlord super-sensitive about noise?" and "is the floor at all soundproofed?"

If he's going to be banging his broomstick against the ceiling every time you walk across your living room, that's a problem.

# ¿ May 11, 2013 01:08

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Aquatic Giraffe posted:

The lease protects both the tenant and the landlord. If the lease they sent you says you will pay $800/month, you will pay $800 a month. The landlord can't change their mind and go "oh we decided to charge $950 instead!" after you signed it. It'd be like you going up to your landlord and saying "yeah I think I'll just pay $700/month now, 'kay?"

Make sure you save those emails, there's a chance your signed lease will disappear mysteriously and they'll try to get you to sign a new lease with the new rent. If you had the foresight to make a copy before you mailed it, even better.

I don't know if you guys are students or not, but campus legal services deal with this poo poo all the time. If you're not, a real estate lawyer could straighten things out pretty quick too.

While the above is probably true (especially the part about making the lease disappear), you should consider whether or not you want to rent from people pulling this kind of poo poo.

If you've got time, you may want to just ask for all of your deposits/fees back and find someplace else.

You should also find tenant resources for the area you're living in, find out what you can do about people pulling a bait-and-switch with regards to jacking up the rent from the advertised rate. It may very well (and should be) considered some form of fraud.

Ham Equity fucked around with this message at 17:59 on May 20, 2013

# ¿ May 20, 2013 17:52

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Handsome Rob posted:

One more question. They currently have our signed copy of the lease, and there's no way I can get proof that it's been shredded or whatever. How do we protect ourselves against their turning around and signing it (say, if they don't find another renter), and holding us responsible? I just spoke to the agent on the phone and told her we will not rent from them, and I'm about to send an email saying the same thing. Do I try to get it in writing from them that the lease is void? What motivation do they have to actually give that to me in writing?

Ask them to send it to you. If they won't and try to claim later that you did, it will probably end in a court fight.

I assume you have emails from them talking about the increased rent and such, though? An acknowledgement that they've received it? A court fight will be a pain in the rear end, but with something like that, one you're not likely to lose.

# ¿ May 20, 2013 18:33

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

john mayer posted:

It costs money to go to court. I would either keep looking for a place or take the higher rent if its still a good price. You don't want to be living somewhere where everyone else involved resents you, and you don't want to waste your money and time on court for shits and giggles.

This is 100% true. Going to court is a pain in the rear end.

On the flip side, if you've got the time and resources to do it, there's something to be said for not letting people get away with this sort of poo poo. The money is almost certainly going to be more trouble than it's worth, but if you're in it for the principle (as opposed to the principal :rimshot:

), then more power to you.

# ¿ May 20, 2013 18:53

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Ashcans posted:

You could probably get a free or cheap consultation with a lawyer through your local bar association, so I guess look at that. 99% they will tell you it isn't worth it and there is nothing you can do and to walk away feeling bad about it.

Just so you know: while you can absolutely consult with a lawyer (and most lawyers will give you a free consultation), small claims court is relatively inexpensive, and doesn't require one.

I'm in a dispute with an old landlord right now, so looked into it for Seattle: in King County, it costs $36.09 to file a case in small claims court. And that cost includes a session with a mediator (mediators are incredibly loving expensive, normally). Also, depending on your locality, there may be laws which give the prevailing party legal fees (I know there are here).

# ¿ May 20, 2013 19:21

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Ashcans posted:

While that is true, the main advantage of consulting an attorney is to determine if you have any case. Like here, he might talk to an attorney who will tell him that they haven't actually done anything they can be held liable for, and spare him the time in court. Or they might tell him there is actually a city ordinance against this sort of thing that comes with a statutory penalty. Unless you make a habit of suing people, a consultation is a valuable way to help you evaluate whether you actually want to pursue the matter, and what you might expect as a result.

To clarify, I wasn't saying "you shouldn't talk to a lawyer." I was saying "even if it's only over a few hundred dollars, don't let the cost of hiring a lawyer put you off of pursuing this, since it's entirely possible to do without one."

Consulting a lawyer on legal issues is pretty much always a good idea.

# ¿ May 20, 2013 20:08

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Jet Set Jettison posted:

I have now been beat out for an apartment three times. I think I learned a lot from these apartment hunts, but mostly I learned that you gotta be fast and you gotta always be looking.

Well I'm gonna keep trying... Any tips on looking like a good tenant? I have no rental history so I think I need any help I can get.

The best tip I can give you is to find a roommate with a good rental history. Also, a lot of places will accept a nonexistent rental history, then just charge you an extra deposit (usually last month's rent or something).

Apartment hunting is all about constantly looking, calling everyone that looks good, and jumping on anything you can find. Show up ten minutes early for open houses and such.

# ¿ May 20, 2013 20:51

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Eggplant Wizard posted:

How obnoxious is it to drive a moving truck? I'm thinking a Budget 10' truck. The trip is about 240 miles. I've never driven anything bigger than a pickup, and that only once.

It's really not that bad, unless there's inclement weather. There's a reason you don't need a commercial license for them.

# ¿ May 24, 2013 19:09

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Also, make sure you know the height of the truck, and don't go under anything too low for it.

# ¿ May 24, 2013 19:35

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

bitchymcjones posted:

You're not as tall as an 18 wheeler, so you'll be find on the interstate.

Yeah, it's mostly the frontage roads, surface streets, and parking garages you need to be concerned about.

# ¿ May 24, 2013 21:00

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Blast Fantasto posted:

Tell him to strike that line from the lease you sign. If it really isn't a big deal, he'll do it.

In most places, you could cross out the word "no," initial it, and have him initial on the same space, and that would be considered binding.

# ¿ May 28, 2013 19:32

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Aquatic Giraffe posted:

Nature's Miracle is specially formulated for getting pet smells out of things. I think they sell it at Walmart, but you can for sure get it at any pet store. If it wasn't your cats you should complain, it's unreasonable for your landlord to rent you a place that smells of cat pee.

I'm moving Friday, and I'm trying to figure out what all I need to change my address on. So far I have:

Post office
Work
Driver's license
Renter's insurance
Bank/credit cards

Am I missing anything obvious?

Billing addresses on frequently-used websites (like Amazon).

Blood Bank/Bone Marrow Registry.

# ¿ Jun 3, 2013 08:04

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

deadwing posted:

Apartment hunting right now and in a bit of a conundrum. Apartments in my area are generally poo poo. There's honestly only five or so complexes that I want to live in, and they're all above 800 dollars. My girlfriend and I are currently at 30 grand combined income, so that's already a little more than I'd like. One choice is 820 for rent, in a worse area, with a 500 nonrefundable pet fee and 800 dollar deposit. The other is in a nicer area, newer building, better amenities, 100 less square footage for 890. The pet fee there is just 300, and they also knock 300 bucks off your first month rent for a 12 month lease. Deposit is 200 refundable, 200 non refundable. I'm really leaning towards the second one, but sticker shock is getting in the way. We pay 670 for a shared house right now, but have to strike out on our own this time.

Our only transportation costs are gas (car insurance and maintenance is covered by my family until I get a better job, her family because she does errands for them), work is 5 miles away, and I've got a couple grand of emergency cash in the bank right now. I also just graduated college last month and am hitting the job market pretty hard, so I'm hopeful that income should be closer to 50-60k by the end of the year.

We've lived in cheaper apartments (650 for a single) around the area and have had nightmares. Oh god, the roaches. There's one pretty nice complex in the area for 600, but you're locked into Comcast as an ISP and required to subscribe to cable which is a complete deal killer. I've crunched my budget and it's not going to kill me at all to cut 150 a month, but going above 30% of income on rent is kinda scary.

Why is Comcast a deal-killer? What's the total cost if you factor in Comcast as part of the rent?

# ¿ Jun 4, 2013 16:36

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

The Sock posted:

I'm moving into a new apartment on Friday and I got a call from them today saying they broke the shower/tub in the master bedroom somehow. They offered to let us move into a different apartment, however, that one is facing a school that is under construction, while the first one was in a more secluded area. They were not sure how long it would take to order a new tub and they would need someone to come in and install it after we move in.

We asked for a discount on the first month's rent, but they didn't go for it because they "used a contractor, so its not really our fault" and their manager was not there to discuss it. Its not a deal breaker, but it is inconvenient/annoying. Is it worth pursuing further with the manager, or just drop it??

I would tell them "that's fine, then you can get the contractor to pay for the discount you're giving us on the first month's rent. It's not really our fault."

# ¿ Jun 5, 2013 05:50

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Occams taser posted:

Yeah I called them (it's cox -____-) the deal they offered was both of them half price for 6 months. which is kind of an ok deal...but i'm not sold yet.

I'm up in the air, I like sports, and I would love to be able to watch sports if possible, but most of my friends live on campus and if there are any major games (any games including bruins, celtics, yankees, patriots or red sox) i could definitely watch it there.

But I just don't know if netflix would be enough!

Do they put those games on broadcast channels? If so, you can probably pick them up using an antenna. And the HDTV antennas they have these days give you a great picture for hella cheap.

I picked mine up off of Amazon for $10; it works great. This may not apply if you're not in/near a major city, but it sounds like you are.

# ¿ Jun 7, 2013 18:12

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Occams taser posted:

I'm about half an hour from providence, not sure what constitutes as near, but thanks a lot, I had no idea they even made those!

Oh, I should have mentioned that you can check here to see what stations you're likely to get.

I actually get significantly more than that map indicates.

# ¿ Jun 7, 2013 20:56

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Ciaphas posted:

It's just shy of three weeks to my move and I haven't even started packing anything yet out of an irrational fear of needing stuff I pack again later. I'm so doomed

I did all of my packing in three weeks, and I was pretty lazy about it, honestly. While I didn't have a ton of stuff, I had more than enough (about enough to fill a 12-foot U-Haul; we did it in two trips just because it was a hella short move, and it was easier). And this was by myself; I had help for the actual move, but when my buddies showed up, *everything* was boxed up and ready to go; no last-minute stuff.

If it helps, start by going through clothing, getting rid of stuff you don't want, and packing up all the off-season stuff. Once you get the ball rolling, things get a lot easier.

Pro-tip: don't pack the first aid kit/medical supplies until the very end. It is hella easy to cut yourself and feel like an idiot for not having easy access to a band-aid.

# ¿ Jun 10, 2013 18:21

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Was maintaining rental insurance, like, a condition of your lease or something?

# ¿ Jun 15, 2013 06:40

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:

The penalty would generally be lease termination. And that takes time. So it's doubtful he could do anything about it prior to you vacating, unless there is some other remedy spelled out in the lease. They probably received notice because they're listed as an additional insured or an interested party on the certificate of insurance.

As far as carriers, the only one I would advise staying away from is USAA. In my experience, they never want to pay, and often put their insured in a tough spot. Nationwide and State Farm have always been great.

This is going to greatly vary from agent to agent, but the insurance company I would advise going to, even if you have to pay a little more, is USAA. I've had nothing but good experiences with them, and you're actually the first person I've ever heard say they had a bad experience with them.

Avoid Allstate, though.

# ¿ Jun 15, 2013 20:24

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Leal posted:

I may be moving, complete lack of jobs where I live and I've been given an offer to move in with some family. What is the best way to move an expensive PC from California to Utah? I'll be taking out the HDD and carry it on my person, but how should I prepare everything else? Would UPS even be willing to compensate me if they damage a 1,200 dollar PC during shipping?

You must pack it correctly, but you can absolutely buy $1200 in insurance on it. It's $0.85 per $100 of declared value over $100. So, it'll cost you about $10.00.

I don't suppose you saved the box for the case, with the nice styrofoam pieces that hold it perfectly?

# ¿ Jun 18, 2013 23:47

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Xandu posted:

Might be better off taking it to a UPS store and letting them pack it for you if you go that route.

When I did this, it was very expensive. It may have changed since then, though.

# ¿ Jun 18, 2013 23:57

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Anne Whateley posted:

Those are probably actual listings to see if anyone's dumb enough to take the bait, but no, that is not how normal people live. There are plenty of options that are bigger, cheaper, and all-around saner. I have a 400(ish) sqft studio (separate kitchen, bathroom, hallways with closets, tons of perks like hardwood floors, elevators, prewar) near midtown for $1150. I had to look for it, but it wasn't unattainable. Even when I was paying $575 for one bedroom in a 2br, it wasn't like that.

Yeah, it doesn't really matter where you live, the rental market isn't like other economies. There are huge inefficiencies in the market. The fact that the NYC area is one of the most expensive areas in the country means that the outliers on the high side will look crazy compared to other places in the country. You could equally take pictures of crazy-good deals in the city, but they wouldn't stick around for very long.

# ¿ Jun 25, 2013 17:10

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

ExtraFox posted:

We own a knockoff TempurPedic and I have slept on a real TempurPedic a few times, and I personally don't like them at all. I prefer a firmer mattress and I want it to have some give/pushback. I wake up with back and neck pain a lot, and the only reason we sleep on it is because my boyfriend already owned it before we moved in together and we're saving up to buy a nice traditional mattress soon. He doesn't mind the mattress at all, but he will also be the first to tell you that to him, a mattress is a mattress is a mattress and he just doesn't care that much.

You should also know that sex on a TempurPedic is not nearly as fun/bouncy as on a traditional mattress. Imagine sinking into the bed while you're in certain positions.

Yeah, this is going to vary a ton from person to person. My roommate bought a new bed that he loves; I laid down in it one time and felt like I was drowning. It's super soft, and to me, incredibly uncomfortable. My mattress, on the flip side, is incredibly firm, and he says that it's like laying down on a concrete slab. I like the support it provides.

Also, those sorts of foam mattresses are known to breathe very poorly. This is fine if you're someone who sleeps cold; if you sleep hot, however, I've heard it's incredibly uncomfortable, and not something you realize when you're trying one out in the store.

# ¿ Jun 26, 2013 23:35

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Jerome Louis posted:

Am I going to die?

http://imgur.com/a/bbmjc

Moving into this place sight unseen and relying on a broker was the worst decision ever.

While I can't make any guarantees, you're probably going to be okay. Most molds are mostly harmless to most people.

You're not immuno-compromised, right? No Lupus, AIDS, or organ transplants?

# ¿ Jun 28, 2013 00:24

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

caberham posted:

Any goons here have tips on organization and being neat? I'm a typical proto goon and my room/house is a mess

Shelves=Good.

The IKEA EXPEDIT series is great if you're a bachelor and don't want poo poo you care about too much; affordable, and looks decent. Has a ton of room.

# ¿ Jul 3, 2013 05:26

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

CaptainJuan posted:

Speaking of credit checks, if i'm getting an apartment with a friend and there's a chance one of us wouldn't pass the credit check, is there any way to have only the one of us be on the contract and the other be a sublet or something?

In most jurisdictions, tenants are considered "joint and severally liable" for their rent, which is to say that the landlord can go after any one of you for the rent. Having additional people on the lease just gives them bonus people to go after.

# ¿ Jul 4, 2013 21:33

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Aberlien posted:

Is this a good place to ask questions about moving out?

I having a difficult time with my past complex trying to charge me for around $650 for repaint and recarpet. We lived in the apartment for three years, there was no more damage to the carpet beyond basic wear and tear (and a few coffee stains). As for the repaint I insisted on doing it myself but they assured me my deposit would cover the cost. On the billing statement it is not shown where my deposit was applied to these cost. On top of that the management refused to do any sort of walk through with me despite the fact I went to them in person and made a request. I live in Texas and as far as my research shows I have the right to take care of any repairs myself that I feel I could have done cheaper so do I may be able to dispute these bills. I know the carpet thing is a real shady trick a lot of complexes use to get extra money. Anyone have any experience with this or any advice if indeed it has to go to civil court?

If this isn't the right place for this please just ignore me and carry on.

You're going to want to check both your local (i.e. city, county) and state landlord/tenant laws.

I'm going through something similar, but in Seattle, so what will work for me may be completely different from what would work for you.

# ¿ Jul 9, 2013 20:08

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

RabbitMage posted:

Speaking of energy usage (I'm pretending that's what we were talking about, anyway), I just got off the phone with PG&E about what the new place will cost us. They only give a high and a low monthly cost based on the past 12 months. The lowest month was $70, which was about what I was expecting, but the highest month was $250 which seems...high. But I've never had to pay utilities before.

It's a single story house, probably around 1300 sq feet, not terribly big. It's year-round cool so there's no need for any cooling in the summer. In the winter the lows are generally in the low 40s. Unfortunately I don't remember any specifics about the appliances, and of course we have no way of knowing what the current tenant is doing...for all we know she's keeping it at a steamy 82 degrees in there all winter.

Is it reasonable to think that three conscientious renters could keep the power bill consistently closer to that $70 figure?

Climate control is going to be by far the largest component of your utility bill. So, what you can get away with will depend upon your house's collective temperature tolerance. With my first roommate, we kept our electric bill ridiculously low simply by sticking the thermostat at 55 all winter (basically so the pipes wouldn't freeze if it ever got that cold), and just putting on a sweater if we were cold.

Not so much with my second roommate; our bill literally quadrupled (well, from "ridiculously loving low" to "about what you're talking about paying in a cheap month"). Also keep in mind that what people say they're willing to tolerate and what they're willing to tolerate in practice are frequently two completely different things.

# ¿ Jul 17, 2013 20:12

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Keep in mind that electric rates go up with increased usage.

Which is to say that the first kilowatt hour you use is usually much, much cheaper than the last kilowatt hour you use. So, if you double your usage (entirely possible during a heat wave if you're running the AC a lot), you can easily triple or quadruple your bill. Some power companies also adjust rates based on time of usage (i.e. electricity used during the hottest part of the day costs more than electricity used in the middle of the night).

# ¿ Jul 19, 2013 17:10

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

DUNCAN DONUTS posted:

I was going to post this in Biz/Fin, but I thought this might be a better place to start.

My lease at my current apartment complex was supposed to end on August 22nd, with the stipulation that I was to give them 60 days notice about whether I was going to renew my lease or move out. Instead, I spent a little bit more time looking for apartments and a roommate and ended up giving them 45 days' notice that I will move out. The bad news is that this comes with a mandatory lease extension through September 7th. I will pay for the full month of August at my current rent price, and through September 7th at a higher rate. The good news is that I found a 2-bedroom for rent and a roommate, which means my rent and living expenses will be significantly cheaper. I will definitely come out ahead in the long run. I'll be moving into the new complex on September 1st.

The interesting part is, renter's insurance is mandatory at my current complex, and when I filled out the paperwork saying I wasn't renewing my lease I was told that I'm still liable for renter's insurance. Since my insurance ALSO expires on August 22nd, that's 15 days without renter's insurance. Is it even possible for me to buy renter's insurance for 15 days? What sort of consequences might I risk if I choose to ignore my current complex's mandatory insurance policy? Has anyone else ever dealt with this sort of situation?

Any penalties they can apply for something like that would have to be specified in the lease. What does the lease say is the penalty for not complying with the Renters Insurance portion of the policy?

Ask your current company for a fifteen-day extension of your current policy, see how much they say it will cost you.

# ¿ Jul 29, 2013 22:00

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

DUNCAN DONUTS posted:

Thanks for the advice! I called the insurer, and it looks like it should be pretty cheap to extend the insurance policy by a few days. I'm really new to this type of thing, so I probably should have know that. Even if they end up ballooning the price for those 15 days, it will be worth it to not get in poo poo with my current landlord.

Yeah, this is what I figured; renters insurance is generally very cheap.

Additionally, though I'm not super-experienced in renters insurance, I would guess that the two times claims are most common are moving in and moving out, so it's good to have the additional protection.

# ¿ Jul 29, 2013 22:50

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Randomity posted:

Yeah we got robbed a couple months ago and while the amount the insurance company ended up giving us was nowhere near the actual value of the stuff that was taken, it's still more than we ever paid into the policy. It's like a hundred bucks a year. Absolutely 100% worth it.

While we are talking about this take some advice from someone who has just had to deal with a buncha bullshit: everybody get your serial numbers on all of your electronics, and get pictures of any smaller valuables (like jewelry). Save your list of serial numbers and photographs somewhere online where you can access it when/if your computers/phones/lockbox etc get stolen (like in an email or a Dropbox folder). Biggest regret is not doing that. Not only will it make filling out the insurance paperwork so much easier, but at least in Arkansas the pawn shops are all connected with the police departments via a database. The pawn shop owners are required to enter the serial numbers of all the electronics they receive into this database. You'll have a much better chance of recovering your stolen property if you have serial numbers saved.

This is a good idea. Some other things I would strongly recommend doing:

*Save your receipts. Sounds difficult, really isn't, especially for things you order online. If you're running GMail, just create a "Receipts" tag, archive them all. Alternatively, print to PDF (Chrome does this really well) and save the PDF to your Google Drive or Amazon Cloud or Dropbox or other cloud storage of choice.

*Once every six months or so, walk through your home and take a video of all the relatively expensive stuff you own. That way, even if you don't have a saved receipt, you have some sort of proof of ownership.

*Do you own a lot of tools? Document them extra-well, especially if you're paying cash for them. And if you're using them for commercial purposes, insure them with a commercial policy. Insurance companies hate paying out on unsubstantiated tool claims.

# ¿ Jul 30, 2013 17:30

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

You can also find some private landlords by just driving around neighborhoods you like looking for "for rent" signs. Some of the older landlords don't know about this whole "internet" thing, so just hang up signs and hope people call.

# ¿ Aug 3, 2013 01:18

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Ashcans posted:

UPACK charged us, I think, $1500 to move two pods from Atlanta to Boston. I guess you are going from MI to CA? That is considerably further, but the rate still seems high to me. I would check UPACK - in addition, you might want to drop by a post office and pick up their 'Change of Address' packet. The last time I checked, it came with a bunch of coupons that included one for UPACK. So that might help.

How much stuff are you actually moving? You can ship an 18" cube weighing 30lbs using USPS for $35.

Something else to think about is that if you are flying, you can check luggage for $20-$40, and those can be pretty big bags. Some airlines let you check a lot of bags (Delta will take 10 if they have space for it!) and so you could actually bring a shitload of stuff with you that way.

I would guess the reason it's so expensive is that he's moving from Detroit (someplace lots and lots of people are moving away from) to San Francisco (someplace lots of people are moving to). If it were reversed, it would probably be much cheaper.

# ¿ Aug 7, 2013 17:33

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# ¿ May 22, 2024 00:28

Ham Equity: Apr 16, 2013; The first thing we do, let's kill all the cars.; Grimey Drawer

Toshimo posted:

Lots of stuff.

So, I think some of this stuff is being fairly nitpicky (the silly string, the dryer receptacle, the missing screw from the one plate; the plate just left on the ground is super sloppy and unprofessional).

Also, I don't think I've ever seen GFCIs in kitchen outlets; maybe that's just me, though. And personally, I think you have to suck up the food loss, there, since you were the one who wanted the GFCIs installed in the first place.

Do you live in an unusually hot area that going without A/C for a few days in mid-May is a big deal? If not, I could see not prioritizing that. Though, having to come in three times is bullshit.

It sounds like some of the stuff you've been dealing with has been fairly urgent, so the lack of warning can be understandable (especially the flood damage and electrical stuff). The lack of documentation or any sort of notification that someone was in your apartment and who it was, though, is also bullshit.

As far as the exterminators go, that's not really the landlord/management's fault, and it sounds like they were doing what they were supposed to do (calling in an exterminator to take care of the problem in a timely manner, with plenty of lead time for you to get your poo poo together). Same with the washer repair.

I think your big issues here are the complete lack of documentation, the sloppiness of the maintenance people's work, and the having to do without hot water for days at a time.

Whether or not this constitutes grounds to break your lease will depend upon your lease and your local laws and ordinances. Reading your lease is a great first step, and talking to a lawyer or tenant's association is a good second step. You should also check on both what your local rules are and what your lease says regarding notice of maintenance and documentation of work done. If nothing else, though, you should definitely point this poo poo out to the management, and request a rent reduction or credit to your account due to having to put up with this bullshit. I would probably request notice/documentation for any maintenance via certified letter, so you have proof that it was sent and received (obviously, also save a copy of the letter).

# ¿ Aug 20, 2013 17:44

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Gooncave & Gardens: Moving & Apartment Living, Hunting, & Furnishing

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