My boyfriend has been living in his apartment complex in Texas for a year now.The people that had the complex when he got here were always helpful and very nice. Recently they got bought out by Harbor Groups. When my boyfriend asked the Manager for some help since they want to raise his rent by about 182 dollars, the lady was rude and not very helpful, she basically told him she could care less if he lived here or not. We just found a house to live in and wanted to ask her for some help because we wanted to do Month to Month, we just don't want to pay 200 extra dollars a month. Is there any way to get this lady to stop being so rude and help us out. I have never in my life in leasing ever had a problem with a manager being this rude!!

I don't know how it works in the US but is there a government office that makes laws regarding renting? You should be able to make a complaint to them about the increase and the landlord would have to justify the reason for the increase being so high.

This is in Canada though, but I would hope there are laws about having to validate the increase in the US also.

Except for a few areas companies are allowed to charge the market value that rent will allow.

As for being nice, sorry no rules that rental agents have to be nice,

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Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

Except for a few areas companies are allowed to charge the market value that rent will allow.

As for being nice, sorry no rules that rental agents have to be nice,

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Well I will say I looked around at all the apartments in our area and none even come CLOSE to the price she wants him to pay. She is saying 737 for month to month and for 2-5 727 and 627 for 6-9 the ones around the area are way less
We live in a 615 sq foot apt... and the highest one I found in our area was 539 for an apt that was 630sqft

There may be local laws limiting the percent your rental can be raised. Check with the local housing authority. But unless there is, they can raise the rent as much as they think necessary. The fact that they are asking for an uneven # like 182, says to me they are staying within legal limts.

Try putting yourself in their place. You have a lease, the lease is expiring and they want to raise the rent. You, instead, are asking them to forego income they are entitled to just to accommodate you. Wouldn't surprise me, if they were a bit rude to you.

They seem to think they can get the rental they are charging. And it makes perfect sense to charge more for a shorter term.

Yeah, I didn't even bring up the rudeness, there's no laws stating they have to be friendly and accommodating. Your only problem is the amount of the increase, check if its within legal limits. Your building may cost more because of what it has. People always are surprised when they hear what we pay but the building has an indoor pool and sauna and other crap that most apartment buildings don't have in our area. The amount could be reasonable if you look at not just the aprtment but the building, grounds and location.

The rent around here I keep getting is based off market prices in the area... like I said before.. NO apartments even come CLOSE to the market price they are trying to give us. Its insane. And I am going over the lease... the Gates never work, We have had to replace the blinds like 4 times. The people upstairs walk around and it sounds like a stampede. You can hear people taking showers in the other room. Its ridiculous to pay 737 dollars to live in an apartment that is worth 560.. not to mention They are remodelling and I believe they are trying to upcharge just so they don't have to pay. That is not legal.

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Originally Posted by Lowtax4eva

Yeah, i didnt even bring up the rudeness, there's no laws stating they have to be friendly and accomodating. Your only problem is the ammount of the increase, check if its within legal limits. Your building may cost more because of what it has. People always are surprised when they hear what we pay but the building has an indoor pool and sauna and other crap that most apartment buildings dont have in our area. The ammount could be reasonable if you look at not just the aprtment but the building, grounds and location.

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Stone Ridge North Dallas in Dallas, TX

These are the apts.. not to mention like I stated before, The Gates NEVER Work, The parking is mainly made for compact cars.. which my boyfriend has a lifted truck. Even covered parking that you pay for. If you come to late the regular parking is always taken and you end up having to park on the other side of the complex if not that outside the complex. Its not worth that much money... they don't have any extra stuff to the complex. A boring Pool and a workout room... THATS IT

Actually they are allowed to raise the rent if they are doing work on the building itself, and/or your apartment in particular. If you don't like the place why not just move if the increase seems to high.

But as said, if you want to stay there you can challenge the increase with the housing authority who may step in.

Well the problem is Me and my boyfriend found a house to move into... it might take a few months.. but with just a 2-5 month lease its going up almost 200 dollars... and it just is way to expensive and they were bought out.. so I figure whateve stated in the previous lease... was what stood.. not the new owners

I'm not ashamed to say this is nicer than my place, you call THAT a boring old pool?

And what is this fire place sitting room thing, is that a common room? This place rocks, but yeah, if you can hear neighbor noise then it's a bit of a downer.

Like I said, your rent is high cause the grounds are nice.

Being RUDE - comes with the kit of being a landlordt.. I've specialied in it and my client owners think I am the coolest thing going when I save them money and maintain their property - somehow, tenants think I am being rude when I require them to keep the terms of their lease, require them to pay their rent on time or keep their cars off the grass... go figure. The Mgr does not like your BF... he could have "smarted off" to her or been rude himself...

That picture of the pool... mind you is professionally done at an angle... that pool is only like 4 feet deep and like 12 feet wide... not that great honestly. And not to mention the common area no one goes to because the management isn't very nice. Not to mention the lady was rude while he was being genuanly nice trying to ask for her help or what he can do. He never asked her to become a snooty . Pardon my french. But a manager is supposed to make the tenants comfortable... if they have numerous complaints (which we are very quiet people) then I would be more understanding to her attitude. But regardless the manager before helped him out A lot and was always nice. You figure it's the rule treat others the way you want to be treated... you treat me like I am just some tenant you could give a crap about.. when its MY money that is keeping your job... then you will be treated just as unjustly

If you are asking for a rental less than their standard lease, if you are wanting a month to month, or a 3 or 6 month lease and they normally do a year lease many places have rules and charge much higher for those.

Also the manager may be having issues with the new owers also, they may have lost their health insurance, or they be getting paid less now.
They may have had a larger budget but now can't make any decissions without getting approval.

Since a larger chain owns them now ( I think that is the case) most likely you now have much stricter rules with a lot less give and take as with a smaller management company.

Many places bet on the fact that it costs so much to move you won't,

Is there a college around? If so, you might find a place to rent for the summer or a place that's sublet for a few months. Just a thought. Somebody might be willing to take on a tenant for a couple of mo rather than have it empty all summer.

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Originally Posted by kp2171

is there a college around? if so, you might find a place to rent for the summer or a place thats sublet for a few months. just a thought. somebody might be willing to take on a tenant for a couple of mo rather than have it empty all summer.

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Its amazing I went to rentometer.. and even it said that I was paying too much... :confused:

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Originally Posted by butterflipzy

Well I will say i looked around at all the apartments in our area and none even come CLOSE to the price she wants him to pay. she is saying 737 for month to month and for 2-5 727 and 627 for 6-9 the ones around the area are way less
we live in a 615 sq foot apt...and the highest one i found in our area was 539 for an apt that was 630sqft

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You will pay a premium for a short-term rental. So, that 539 that you found is probably for a year lease. I went with a six-month lease when I moved to Austin, because that was an extra 100 a month, and a 3 month lease would have been an extra 250 a month.

If the market is hot, she doesn't care if you stay or leave. If the market is soft, then the landlord has some incentive to keep a tenant. But really, they want someone there who is going to be paying rent and not costing them money. You've already let them know that you aren't planning on sticking around for a year by not renewing a lease, so why do you think that they should go out of their way to be nice to you? It's a business.

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Originally Posted by Lowtax4eva

I'm not ashamed to say this is nicer than my place, you call THAT a boring old pool?

And what is this fire place sitting room thing, is that a common room? This place rocks, but yeah, if you can hear neighbor noise then its a bit of a downer.

Like i said, your rent is high cause the grounds are nice.

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And they allow pets, which is sure to get them a lot of tenants.

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Originally Posted by butterflipzy

Its amazing I went to rentometer..and even it said that I was paying too much....:confused:

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So, move. Look, you've asked them if you could go month to month or short term. They've told you yes, if you pay X. You don't want to pay X. You say that you can find lots of other spots for less. Fine. Now, you have to sit down and figure out if the hassle of moving twice in a short time, plus the costs associated with doing so (utility deposits, moving supplies, etc) is going to cost you more than the extra 200 a month that they want.

To be honest, they could have told you it was a year lease or nothing. But nothing says that you have to accept their terms.

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Originally Posted by butterflipzy

well the problem is Me and my boyfriend found a house to move into.....it might take a few months..but with just a 2-5 month lease its going up almost 200 dollars...and it just is way to expensive and they were bought out..so i figure whateve stated in the previous lease....was what stood..not the new owners

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Of course they have to honor the previous leases. But it was my understanding the lease is expiring. Isn't that the case? If you want to renew, you renew on their terms. Whether they want too much is really immaterial. Unless there is a legal limit to the percentage they can raise, then you have to pay what they want or move. Its as simple as that. They may find that they get few takers at the rent they want. But that's their concern. You can try to negotiate, but if they are unwilling that's their prerogative.

If you need a place to stay until your new digs are ready, look around. But if you want to stay where you are, you will have to pay what they want.