[erickmel]

Hello,

In May I received a renewal letter that quoted me a monthly renewal price of $1560 / month. A few weeks before receiving this letter my wife and I went around the area to see the prices for other apartments. We found a few places that had more square footage but for $20 more a month. This doesn't seem like much, but after receiving the renewal letter we decided to stay and pay the same $1560.00 / month while we save for our house.

Today I went to the leasing office to sign the lease renewal, the leasing agent advised me that the rent for the upcoming year will be raised to $1590.00 / month because they made a mistake my previous year regarding the monthly amount. So they now decided to correct that mistake.

I was never notified of this new price of $1590.00 / month at anytime, not when I signed my original lease, not on the renewal letter, not until I stepped into the leasing office to sign my new lease.

Now, I don't know what to do. They promised me in the renewal letter $1560.00 / month for renewing my lease, don't they have to honor that? If I would have known the $30 increase prior to today, I would have given my notice and moved into the other property that has more square footage and pay about the same they are asking me to pay now with this new increase they are telling me about.

I sent the property manager a letter informing them of their promise in the renewal letter, and I am hoping they honor it. However, I was to know what my legal options are if they don't? To add insult to injury my 60 days notice to inform them of my departure has come and gone. Like I said before if I would have known of that increase in price, I would have given them the 60 days notice on time, however this just popped up, and I am left frustrated and grasping at straws.

Any enlightening information you can give me would be great. Even if there is nothing I can do about it, I would like at least know I have no options.

Thanks

[ScottGem]

Have you factored in the cost of moving? The cost of moving will probably be much higher that the $360 you will pay over the life of the lease.

But I doubt if the letter would be considered binding in court. It might, it might not.

[joypulv]

I don't see that they have a right to any 'mistakes' like this one. Spelling a name wrong or thinking there are 31 days in June, sure, but not this.
Pay the $1560 (old amount) on July 1 as usual and don't sign anything. Meanwhile go back and look at some of those other apartments, since without a lease you are month to month, unless you take it to court and get a sympathetic judge. You are going to have to be the one to sue. They can just say that you wouldn't sign.
They had ample time to correct their mistake and it's outrageous that they waited until you walked in the door.

[erickmel]

Thanks for the update turns out they decided to honor the renewal letter! Phew!

I don't see that they have a right to any 'mistakes' like this one. Spelling a name wrong or thinking there are 31 days in June, sure, but not this.
Pay the $1560 (old amount) on July 1 as usual and don't sign anything. Meanwhile go back and look at some of those other apartments, since without a lease you are month to month, unless you take it to court and get a sympathetic judge. You are going to have to be the one to sue. They can just say that you wouldn't sign.
They had ample time to correct their mistake and it's outrageous that they waited til you walked in the door.