Thought this article might be interesting for those seeking an apartment and workers in the property management industry. Understand that the cost of rent is in your control. Seek apartment housing that you can afford. In other words, live within your means.
Looking for an affordable rental market? Study says you're out of luck - MSN Real Estate
Wednesday
Barking Dogs and Nuisance Cats: Pet Owners Beware!
Sometimes when apartment shoppers are seeking a new place to stay, the last thing they think about are the neighbors. But if you are an allergy sufferer, particular about a quiet atmosphere and can't stand pet odors, you may want to take special care to check out who is living around you.
Years ago I had the opportunity to manage a stinking situation involving a renter's two pet cats. Two neighbors were irate because after repeated warnings and promises to clean up behind her cats, the stubborn and/or lazy cat lover just didn't want to comply. Finally, after a confrontation and a company's request to do a trial cleaning of the apartment unit with a new device, we all agreed that was what would be best for now or otherwise the cat lover was going to face eviction.
If you are a pet owner, please be advised that your neighbors will not be very understanding when your pet is a repeated offender of policies. Some pet lovers forget what the problems might be when keeping pets in rented units. So let's go over some.
If a pet runs out of the unit, that's a problem.
Stinks up your place as well as the hallway, that's a problem.
Makes a lot of noise, that's a problem.
Scares neighbors, that is definitely a problem! Don't be surprised if suddenly the dog, cat or other animal suddenly disappears.
Most property management companies charge a pet deposit. Basically, this is like a security deposit. It is used to cover damages that your pet may cause while he or she resides with you. Depending on the animal, determines how much the pet deposit might be. The bigger the animal the larger the pet deposit.
When people seek a new place to stay, they do not want to inherit any new problems especially from those who love their pets. So pet owners must understand that not everyone loves animals like they do. There are still many establishments that consider animals unclean no matter how many baths, medicines, and visits to the vet. Pet issues usually are mild in most complexes because renters typically follow the rules.
Wouldn't it be a perfect world if all people would just follow the rules?
Nicholl McGuire
Years ago I had the opportunity to manage a stinking situation involving a renter's two pet cats. Two neighbors were irate because after repeated warnings and promises to clean up behind her cats, the stubborn and/or lazy cat lover just didn't want to comply. Finally, after a confrontation and a company's request to do a trial cleaning of the apartment unit with a new device, we all agreed that was what would be best for now or otherwise the cat lover was going to face eviction.
If you are a pet owner, please be advised that your neighbors will not be very understanding when your pet is a repeated offender of policies. Some pet lovers forget what the problems might be when keeping pets in rented units. So let's go over some.
If a pet runs out of the unit, that's a problem.
Stinks up your place as well as the hallway, that's a problem.
Makes a lot of noise, that's a problem.
Scares neighbors, that is definitely a problem! Don't be surprised if suddenly the dog, cat or other animal suddenly disappears.
Most property management companies charge a pet deposit. Basically, this is like a security deposit. It is used to cover damages that your pet may cause while he or she resides with you. Depending on the animal, determines how much the pet deposit might be. The bigger the animal the larger the pet deposit.
When people seek a new place to stay, they do not want to inherit any new problems especially from those who love their pets. So pet owners must understand that not everyone loves animals like they do. There are still many establishments that consider animals unclean no matter how many baths, medicines, and visits to the vet. Pet issues usually are mild in most complexes because renters typically follow the rules.
Wouldn't it be a perfect world if all people would just follow the rules?
Nicholl McGuire
Monday
Be Sure You Want Your Girlfriend or Boyfriend on Your Lease
There will be those times when couples feel like moving in together is the best thing for the relationship. However, sooner or later, they realize it was worst thing they could have done. Now they are stuck living together, bound by a contract. One is trying to get the other to move out, but this person isn't budging. "You won't be moving your new girlfriend in after I leave!" the girlfriend shouts. "I don't want anyone else living here, I just want you gone!" the boyfriend says. These hurtful exchanges may end up with a police officer taking someone away in handcuffs or worse death.
When you know the relationship is rocky, don't put someone on the contract as a leaseholder. Rather, put this person down as an occupant especially when you are the one with the job and he or she can't keep a job or don't work. Couples ruin their credit when they prematurely move in with one another, not to mention, how they leave the condition of the apartment when they often fight--ugh!
I have seen my share of holes walls and doors due to angry fists, disgusting carpet stains because someone through something, even blood in places I rather not say. There is an ugliness left behind in these suites after couples have spent much time arguing and fighting. If you are sensitive to energies, you may feel some when you tour vacant suites. One time, I was told about a ghost in one vacant apartment by one of my maintenance staff. At first, I didn't believe him, so I checked it out. What he thought was a ghost, was a dark spirit, an ugly black one that I saw in another dimension. Now I don't know if the previous residents brought it with them when they moved in, but they sure left something behind for the next residents. I was so nervous that I practically fell trying to get out of the suite. I did get spiritual about this situation, I prayed and had hoped that the spirit would leave before the suite was shown to the next apartment shoppers.
When you are looking for an apartment, be sure you are going to get one with someone you plan on committing to long-term. This means a person who you have planned a wedding date with and have at least met their family and friends. By doing this, you may save yourself some future stress with apartment management, police, and your neighbors.
Nicholl McGuire
When you know the relationship is rocky, don't put someone on the contract as a leaseholder. Rather, put this person down as an occupant especially when you are the one with the job and he or she can't keep a job or don't work. Couples ruin their credit when they prematurely move in with one another, not to mention, how they leave the condition of the apartment when they often fight--ugh!
I have seen my share of holes walls and doors due to angry fists, disgusting carpet stains because someone through something, even blood in places I rather not say. There is an ugliness left behind in these suites after couples have spent much time arguing and fighting. If you are sensitive to energies, you may feel some when you tour vacant suites. One time, I was told about a ghost in one vacant apartment by one of my maintenance staff. At first, I didn't believe him, so I checked it out. What he thought was a ghost, was a dark spirit, an ugly black one that I saw in another dimension. Now I don't know if the previous residents brought it with them when they moved in, but they sure left something behind for the next residents. I was so nervous that I practically fell trying to get out of the suite. I did get spiritual about this situation, I prayed and had hoped that the spirit would leave before the suite was shown to the next apartment shoppers.
When you are looking for an apartment, be sure you are going to get one with someone you plan on committing to long-term. This means a person who you have planned a wedding date with and have at least met their family and friends. By doing this, you may save yourself some future stress with apartment management, police, and your neighbors.
Nicholl McGuire
Tuesday
Respecting the House Rules
When moving into an apartment, you will find that the management is not always carefree when it comes to disturbances in a complex. Oftentimes the violator is not the person who lives in the apartment, but usually mangement finds that it is the guests who are putting the resident's stay at risk. Sometimes people need a refresher on how to act when staying with someone. The following is an article that does just that,
Seven Tips on How to Act When Staying at Someone
Keep in mind, most leasing contracts do have something written about visitors. Overnight guests are usually allowed to stay for a limited time, but after the timeframe in the contract, they are considered residents. If management notices that your guest is living in the suite, he or she will ask you to come into the leasing office and put that person on your contract. If you should refuse, you may have your rights to the unit revoked. Meaning, you will be given a warning to adhere to the current policy or forfeit your right to occupy. If you still don't comply, the property management company can evict you. This will affect your credit and rental history.
Also, if the person, who has been living with you, is over the age of 18, you will need to undergo a background check like you did when you first applied for the apartment. If it is found that this person has a criminal history, then it will be up to the property manager to decide whether he or she can live on the property.
Allowing people to live in your apartment without permission can open a pandora's box of problems! If you don't plan on having them on your leasing contract, don't allow them to live with you.
Seven Tips on How to Act When Staying at Someone
Keep in mind, most leasing contracts do have something written about visitors. Overnight guests are usually allowed to stay for a limited time, but after the timeframe in the contract, they are considered residents. If management notices that your guest is living in the suite, he or she will ask you to come into the leasing office and put that person on your contract. If you should refuse, you may have your rights to the unit revoked. Meaning, you will be given a warning to adhere to the current policy or forfeit your right to occupy. If you still don't comply, the property management company can evict you. This will affect your credit and rental history.
Also, if the person, who has been living with you, is over the age of 18, you will need to undergo a background check like you did when you first applied for the apartment. If it is found that this person has a criminal history, then it will be up to the property manager to decide whether he or she can live on the property.
Allowing people to live in your apartment without permission can open a pandora's box of problems! If you don't plan on having them on your leasing contract, don't allow them to live with you.
Sunday
What Makes an Apartment Uninhabitable?
When you are living in an apartment unit, things can go wrong! Sometimes it may take days, weeks even months for some owners to get around to fixing something in the unit. The delay usually happens due to an owner's money problems, personal issues, or just because a tenant doesn't take his or her suite seriously enough to report an apartment problem more than once. Sometimes residents don't bother reporting any maintenance issues because they don't want their privacy disturbed. However, the longer you put off the issue the worse it will get and unfortunately in many cases, residents have lost their security deposits because they neglected to report damages they may have caused.
Now there are those issues that residents are not responsible for. Bad managers and owners know this, but will not address problems in the unit because they are hoping to save money. Some may wait around before tending to an issue in the hopes that the resident will go ahead and get it done. Sometimes problems in a unit can worsen and make the residence uninhabitable. So the following is a list of conditions that would make a rental unit legally uninhabitable.
1. Bad waterproofing and weather protection of roof and walls. This would include broken windows and doors.
2. Bad plumbing such as inoperable hot and cold water or no connection to a sewage system.
3. Gas and heating facilities that don't work.
4. Electric systems that are fire hazards such as lighting and equipment that doesn't work or frequently goes out.
5. Unclean buildings, garages, rat and insect feces, and filth.
6. Trash receptacles that are broken or no longer hold garbage.
7. Bad flooring, stairways and railings.
8. Toilets, wash basins, bath tubs and showers that don't work.
9. An inadequate kitchen sink such as a leak or hole in piping.
10. Windows that don't open or allow natural lighting.
11. Inoperable deadbolt locks.
12. Broken or absent smoke detectors.
Always check that these things are taken care of BEFORE you move in. Don't trust property owners to ensure that issues get fixed after you have signed your lease and handed over your money. Also, if you are already living in the suite and a major concern has yet to be addressed, seek legal counsel. No one should have to live in an unfit unit.
Nicholl McGuire
Click on my link to read other work by me at a blog for parents.
Now there are those issues that residents are not responsible for. Bad managers and owners know this, but will not address problems in the unit because they are hoping to save money. Some may wait around before tending to an issue in the hopes that the resident will go ahead and get it done. Sometimes problems in a unit can worsen and make the residence uninhabitable. So the following is a list of conditions that would make a rental unit legally uninhabitable.
1. Bad waterproofing and weather protection of roof and walls. This would include broken windows and doors.
2. Bad plumbing such as inoperable hot and cold water or no connection to a sewage system.
3. Gas and heating facilities that don't work.
4. Electric systems that are fire hazards such as lighting and equipment that doesn't work or frequently goes out.
5. Unclean buildings, garages, rat and insect feces, and filth.
6. Trash receptacles that are broken or no longer hold garbage.
7. Bad flooring, stairways and railings.
8. Toilets, wash basins, bath tubs and showers that don't work.
9. An inadequate kitchen sink such as a leak or hole in piping.
10. Windows that don't open or allow natural lighting.
11. Inoperable deadbolt locks.
12. Broken or absent smoke detectors.
Always check that these things are taken care of BEFORE you move in. Don't trust property owners to ensure that issues get fixed after you have signed your lease and handed over your money. Also, if you are already living in the suite and a major concern has yet to be addressed, seek legal counsel. No one should have to live in an unfit unit.
Nicholl McGuire
Click on my link to read other work by me at a blog for parents.
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