APARTMENT INFO &
CONCERNS
OWNERS: Checking Out Applicants - During the interview, you'll need to get full names, current addresses, places of employment, dates of birth and social security numbers...With that in mind consider:
* Call places of employment to verify if, and how long they have worked there.
* Call current landlords to verify their addresses and to find out if they have been responsible tenants.
* Call other personal references that have been furnished: former roommates, friends, or relatives.
* You can check criminal records with a visit to the records department of your local county sherif's office.
GENERAL INFO: Apartments & The Internet - The number of U.S. renters now using the Internet to help them save time and walking shoes in finding an apartment may number as high as 350,000 to 500,000 monthly, estimates John Helm, CEO of San Francisco based AllApartments Inc.
FAQ - Apartment Questions - "I have a tenant who is continually late in rent...This tenant is never home, so I serve his son with a five-day notice...The tenant claims that he never gets the notice and that until he does, I can not act to evict him...He has used this ploy for several monthsand, in that manner, gets additional time until he has the money...Do I have to keep playing that game?"...Answer...It depends on the age of the son receiving the notice...Under the law, you are obligated to serve the notice to either the tenant or some other member of the family above the age of 13, who is at that time in charge of the apartment...If you try to serve the notice again, ask for your tenant...If the son tells you he's the only one there in the apartment, and if the son is at least 13 years old, then you have properly served notice on your tenant if you give it to the son...If the son fails to relay the notice to the father (tenant) then that is between the 2 of them...For the purpose of the eviction statute, you have met your burden.
GENERAL INFO - RENTERS & OWNERS Laundry Facilities - "Laundry is one of the top amenities required by apartment seekers," says Ilene Collins, director of operations of the Apartment People, a Chicago based rental service..."When there are similar buildings with similar rents, the one with more appealing laundry facilities will attract someone toward one more than the other."
"Renters say hauling laundry and then playing the waiting game for a washing machine or dryer is too time consuming, especially when the ratio of machines to residents seems uneven...'Three washers for 100 tenants doesn't work on weekends,' says one Chicago high-rise dweller, 'and I have three loads of laundry to do. Im ready to move just for that reason.'...HOW ABOUT MACHINE WASH ETIQUETTE?..'If there are clean clothes in the washer and the owner is no where in sight, do you pull those clothes out or leave them until the person returns?..The issue is easy to resolve explains Jill Chatterton, a director of operations of Cagan Management Group, which manages 172 vintage and modern apartment buildings...Remove your clothes right when the cycle ends and respect others belongings as well as the building owners property, jill says, AND good apartment managers are concerned about laundry-room safety, cleanliness and vandalism, which can occur with the daily accumulation of quarters in the coin-operated machines.'"
GENERAL INFO - RENTERS & OWNERS Buildings with Internet Access - (from Lisa M. Collins, Associated Press) For John Moon, the Internet is not a hobby, an an international stock manager, he relies on it to communicate with clients, friends and family with over 30 email messages he answers to every day...So when Moon caught wind of an upscale apartment building in Manhattan that offered high-speed Internet access and telecommunications services to its residents, he JUMPED at the chance to rent there...'Its a definite factor,' he said 'there arent many places that have it, its like having air conditioning. Once you have it and get used to it, its very hard to do without it.'...Furthermore, Columbus One, another so-called "cyberbuilding," states that 'it was a very successful endeavor (putting Internet access into the building).' said Land Grant a vice president of marketing for this "Dual Star Building."...The owners saw that it was very effective to use the Internet service in thier sales pitch.'
FAQ - PROPERTY OWNERS Hold Overs - (from a Dear Edith book which answers real estate questions) "Could you confirm what we think a 'holdover tenant' situation is?...Our tenant stays over after a two year lease expires...Pays rent for the hold-over month...Moves out on the 5th of the following month and offers to pay 5/30ths of the rent for that month...Arent we entitled to a FULL MONTHs rental plus 30 days notice?"...Answer - I think you are entitled to a FULL MONTHs rental and one months notice (in some states, two months notice) from the date the rent is due."
FAQ - PROPERTY OWNERS Can Landlord Enter? - (From Dear Edith) "If I have a tenant 3 months behind in rent, I am holding a rubber check, does the landlord have the right to enter an apartment with keys when tenant is in or out for any reason?"...Answer - Youre mixing up 2 different matters...As a landlord you have certain legal remidies, but until the tenant has been evicted he/she still has the right to privacy...The overdue rent and bounced check dont change the fact that you may enter ONLY with permission or in an emergency."
FAQ - RENTERS Forced to Sign! - (from Dear Edith) "I live in an apartment complex in which I signed a 2-year lease...In addition, I was forced to sign a land-tax agreement with my landlord...I just received a letter to the effect that taxes went up and I will have to pay an additional $5 a month...Can I deduct this on my income tax return?"...Answer - Im not sure what your land-tax agreement was but if it said that the landlord could pass on to you any increase in property taxes, Im afraid youre still just paying non-deductable rent...(Usually) your landlord gets to claim property taxes as an expense against rental income."
FAQ - RENTERS Cable TV Switching - (from Chicago Tribune Friday July 17th) "I hate the cable television systems provided in my apartment building..While the cable service is part of the rent, the system is unreliable, and I am unhappy with the cable channels being provided..How can I change the choice of cable carrier for the building?"...Answer...You probably can't change the cable carrier for the building, but you probably don't have to do so..Under laws passed in 1997, no property owner, condominium association, managing agent or landlord can prevent a resident from requesting and receiving cable television service from any cable TV provider licensed to provide cable TV services within the residents area..In order to receive a competing cable service, you must request it..If more than 3 residents of a building request that service, the cable provider, subject to certain requirements, can wire an entire building for that cable service.
FAQ - RENTERS A Graceful Exit - (from Chicago Tribune & Robert A. Boron) "My wife and I believe our landlord to be less than honorable..Our apartment lease is covered by the City of Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance, but to date we have not received a lease renewal, and we have not spoken to our landlord about renewing our lease..My wife and I have decided to move in the next few weeks, when our lease expires..Are we obligated under the ordinance to inform the landlord of our intention to move from the apartment when the lease expires?..If not, we intend to move and have professional cleaners come in to clean the apartment..We'll then take pictures of its condition and lock up the apartment..What else can we do to protect our deposit?"...Answer...Under the ordinance, you are not required to inform the landlord of your intention to move..The landlord's failure to offer you a lease extension, and your intention to move, make your decision appear to be by mutual agreement..All parties are presumed to know the expiration lease date..Your idea to have to apartment cleaned is good, but that does not insure that you won't have a dispute with the landlord about the overall condition of the apartment..As a tenent, you are required to leave the apartment in the same condition it was in when you rented it - except for ordinary wear and tear..Wear and tear is subjective and that is exactly the area that you can have a dispute..It'd be a good idea to go through the apartment with the landlord and do a joint inspection, which will give you both a chance to view any questionable areas, and, at that time you can hand over the keys to the apartment.
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