How to Protect Yourself from Shady Apartment Management Companies

A little foresight can go a long way toward avoiding costly, protracted battles with an unscrupulous apartment management company. Although most management companies are honest and fair, some are looking out for their own interests first, not yours. Follow a few simple guidelines to protect yourself from the most common potential problems.

Get It in Writing, Get It in Pictures

One of the easiest, and most important, steps you can take to protect yourself from problems that arise after you have moved out of an apartment is to prepare yourself before you have even moved in. You should plan to perform two walk-throughs to check for damage or other issues that existed before you took up residence. Your first walk-through should be with a representative of the management company. If the management company keeps the walk-through checklist, make sure you retain a copy.

Your second walkthrough should be exactly like the first, except this time you are taking pictures of each problem spot on your checklist. You should try to go through your checklist in order, taking pictures of each item on the list as you go. That way, you can later match the pictures to the checklist items they represent.

Know Your Local Laws

Issues between apartment management companies and tenants are almost always handled differently depending on your state. For example, some states require that a management company return your security deposit within 14 days of move-out, while other states have no deadline at all. Knowing your local laws can mean the difference between getting a favorable response from the management company or not, if a dispute arises.

Get It Repaired

As with all issues involving apartment management companies, your best defense is to keep good records. If something wears out or breaks, the sooner you request repairs, the better. Don’t wait until you have moved out and hope that the management company will treat you properly. Request repairs, in writing, and continue to request repairs until the work is satisfactorily done. If repairs are not done, consider filing a complaint with your local fire marshal, building inspector or Attorney General’s office.

Have a Lease, and Read It

If you signed a one-year lease with an apartment management company, and the year has passed without you signing a new lease, you probably (depending on your local laws) are now renting on a month-to-month basis. This means that the management company can decide, on its own, to raise your rent with little notice.  It can require you to pay additional fees. It can also force you to move out, again with little notice. Although it also means that you can choose to move out without “breaking a lease,” if you have no plans to do so, you may be better protected if you can sign a new lease.