Renter’s Advice and Resources

When it comes to prospective tenants, many landlords will choose other applicants over college students. If you fall into the college student category, this sort of situation can be very frustrating — it’s not legally considered discrimination, but it still makes it harder for a student to find housing. Dan Godfrey had some difficulties as […]

When it comes to renting an apartment, there are more than a few landlords willing to do whatever it takes to get an apartment rented — even to the point of attempting to scam unwary renters.

Brittany Espy attempted to rent an apartment in New York City and wound up in a credit card dispute. As part of her paperwork with a broker, Espy was asked for her credit card information: “They told me nothing would be charged to me. They just needed the info to do my credit checks.” The broker went ahead and charged her card, though, telling her that she had the apartment and had to take it.

Many landlords put strict limitations on the types of animals who can live in their apartments: some have a flat ‘no pets’ policy, while others are okay with animals who live in aquariums, or who are within certain weight limitations (e.g., dogs under 50 pounds).

Look in any newspaper these days and you’ll see a whole list of foreclosures. Not all of those foreclosures are just affecting homeowners, though.

Some of those houses were rentals, making life suddenly harder for tenants. If your landlord is losing your apartment, condo or house in a foreclosure, you still have some options.

Renting a room or apartment from family may sound wonderful at first. Before you pack your bags, why not sleep on it for a little while? Letting the idea sink in and ensuring this is the right thing to do may end up saving you some time and a relationship. This time may also enable you to decide what you are going to do to ensure that your renting relationship is at a business level, securing your personal/family relationship.

You have narrowed your apartment search down to two possibilities. One is managed by a property management company (PMC), or is a part of a large group of apartment communities (e.g., AMLI, Archstone-Smith, Equity Residential). The other is managed by an individual owner who may own a few properties or just the one rental you’re looking at. Before you sign on the line, you weigh the pros and cons just like you are supposed to. What side of the list does this fall? Is it a pro or a con to rent from an individual landlord?

You’ve moved into a new apartment, your stuff is unpacked and you’re finally settled in- and that’s when you notice it. It might be the neighbor’s insufferably loud music, a broken security gate, a clear fire hazard or water that smells like sewage running down the only set of stairs to get to and from your apartment. Get ready to file a complaint with your landlord or management company, because little will get fixed if you don’t. But first, you’ll need to take some steps to make sure you come out on top. Keep these five tips in mind to ensure that your complaint will not only be read, but that some action will be taken.

For most people, it would be unthinkable to buy a car without negotiating at the dealership. Why, then, do so few people bother to negotiate their rent? Perhaps it’s because we think of our apartment rent in the same way we think of dinner out at a restaurant — the price is simply non-negotiable. Except sometimes, rent is negotiable … the trick is negotiating in the right way. But what’s the best way to go about it?

California "Notice to Quit" Requirements Change:

As of January 1st, 2007, new legislation has changed “notice to quit” requirements for California landlords. A notice to quit is a formal notice ending the rental agreement or a request that the tenant relinquish the rental property to the landlord. The new legislation requires landlords to give tenants a 60-day notice to quit, rather than the former 30-day notice requirement. The law only applies when the lease term is month-to-month and the tenant has rented the property for a year or more. If you are a California renter, keep these facts in mind: