Im looking to move into a new place. The location is good, the price is reasonable. The problem is that there are a good number of pretty shitty reviews about the property mgt company. The majority of these reviews are focused on past residents not getting their security deposit back.

Should I ask about this when I go to sign the lease agreement? Is this something that I can use in to bargain? Is it appropriate to ask for the percentage of tenants that get their deposit back?

I know that I should take this as a warning of potential problems in the future with the managment company. However, it is a month to month agreement and I forsee myself wanting to move within the next 6-8 months. Additionally, I am plenty experienced with household repairs, so any minor stuff that happens in the place, I would be able to take care of, without needing to contact management to schedule service, etc.

So...the location, price, and availability are all great in my book. The high probability of shadiness is the restraining factor.

eh?

7/17/2008 3:54:24 PM

Take pictures when you move in. Lots of them. Note EVERY minor flaw in the apartment. If that's done correctly you will be able to recoup your money at the end of the lease (granted you don't add damages). If they're really THAT horrible, you might end up in court having to prove that you're in the right, but if you're detailed they probably won't want to waste the time fighting with you.

7/17/2008 4:03:34 PM

^ that is excellent advice, you can probably [/thread]

7/17/2008 4:09:25 PM

Would it be out of line to take the list of complaints that Ive found online to mgt company when I sign my lease? Obviously they have the final say in whether or not I get the place, but at least they will know that Im not dumb to the fact that they have pissed people off in the past.

Might it be possible to use this as a way to lower the rent, reduce or eliminate the deposit, or possibly some other benefit?

7/17/2008 4:09:37 PM

There's only, like, a thousand of these threads already.

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/statutes/StatutesTOC.pl?Chapter=0042

http://thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=485192

7/17/2008 4:11:34 PM

^^ no, because they may view that as you being the type of tennant that is going to have problems from day 1. if you come across too strong, they just won't rent you the place

as long as you document the damages VERY well (both with pictures and in writing), then there is really no legal way for them to keep your deposit. they should provide you a sheet upon moving in where you document any and all damages, no matter how minor. both of you will sign it and both of you will get copies. after that, you are only legally responsible to pay for damages above and beyond what is on that list

[Edited on July 17, 2008 at 4:19 PM. Reason : a]

7/17/2008 4:17:14 PM

just tell us the name of the company already

7/17/2008 5:43:19 PM

if your credit's good, you won't have to leave a security deposit...i never have, anyway

7/17/2008 7:11:55 PM

Quote :

"if your credit's good, you won't have to leave a security deposit...i never have, anyway"

that's not always true. I know people who rent, have excellent credit, and have to pay a deposit.

7/17/2008 7:15:25 PM

if you have good credit/references (ie: you don't have to get your parents to sign a guarantee) most places should waive the security deposit.

[Edited on July 17, 2008 at 7:58 PM. Reason : 7]

7/17/2008 7:57:45 PM

is what she^ said accurate? i've never heard of that

7/17/2008 8:08:07 PM

there is no law that says they have to waive the deposit for good credit, but most do. it just depends on the complex

[Edited on July 17, 2008 at 8:15 PM. Reason : a]

7/17/2008 8:14:35 PM

ohhh i reread it and i guess that makes sense...i thought she was saying if you had good credit or had your parents cosign they would waive it....didnt notice she said if you DONT have to get your parents to cosign

i never give jessiejepp enough credit

7/17/2008 8:16:10 PM

it depends on the investor who owns the building. typically they will collect a deposit, cash it in, and screw you later on. Obviously that sucks, but it's a business and you are making him/her rich.

7/17/2008 11:22:51 PM

i have zero credit and i have never had to pay a security deposit. the closest thing is the pet fee that i just had to pay for the two cats i adopted.

7/17/2008 11:37:07 PM

I have excellent credit as well as my husband...We currently live at Southern Oaks at Davis Park apartments in RTP and we had to pay a deposit...We are moving soon though into a house...blah...I hate apartment living...

7/17/2008 11:45:28 PM

Quote :

"if your credit's good, you won't have to leave a security deposit...i never have, anyway "

my credit is very good, and i've had to leave a security deposit in all 4 places i've rented (got screwed out of getting one of them back, and screwed out of most of another one). thankfully i'm buying with this move.

7/18/2008 1:10:20 AM

*slight topic change*


Is it normal to pay last months rent up front when doing month to month agreement? I know it is with long-term agreements...but with m2m?

It seems sorta shitty to not offer long-term agreements, but then to request first, last, and a deposit...right?

7/25/2008 9:19:07 AM

It's not uncommon to ask for last months (in addition to security) up front in any kind of lease, especially if the renters' credit is suspect.

Different managers and companys do things differently. Many require it of all tenants.

If the management company sucks though, they can really give you a headache, and not just about the security deposit. My advice would be to not even consider living somewhere with a shitty landlord, such as the Priess company. They can piss you off in more than one ways.

7/25/2008 10:04:58 AM

renting is usually shitty, no matter how you look at it

not always, though...i, personally, have really had good luck with apartment complexes

7/25/2008 10:07:59 AM

Quote :

"if you have good credit/references (ie: you don't have to get your parents to sign a guarantee) most places should waive the security deposit."

at my current apartment complex there was a deposit of $200 regardless of credit check/references. if you're credit check was shitty, or if your references didn't work out for whatever reason they could bump it up to $600 or something like that. luckily all my shit worked out.

7/25/2008 12:37:27 PM

I have perfect credit, but I have had to pay a deposit at every one of the four placed I have lived. Of course, I have always gotten it back with no questions asked, even when we were unable to clean as well as we thought we should. Heck, we even forgot to empty the storage in one place, left it full of crappy computer monitors, and forgot the food in the fridge. No questions asked, two weeks later the full deposit came in the mail.

7/25/2008 12:52:41 PM

I didn't read any of this thread, but has anyone had a problem with getting their deposit back within the 30 days?

Our landlord was the dean of a community college in havlock so i'm sure he's not intentionally trying to screw us, but I've sent multiple emails throughout the month and two weeks ago I received the one liner "Working on it" and nothing since.

If he's going to take the entire deposit he also needs to provide an itemized statement explaining why, correct? My emails thus far have been strictly passive agressive, should I change my tone now that it's Sept. ?

9/2/2008 12:21:52 PM

Quote :

"Is it normal to pay last months rent up front when doing month to month agreement?"

It's a subtle way of pricing lower income people out without having absurdly high rent or breaking HUD laws.

9/2/2008 12:36:06 PM

I moved out of Gorman Crossings on the 31st of July and haven't gotten my security deposit back yet. Called today and they said they didn't send it because they didn't know I moved out....But they moved someone in 1 week after I moved out. Somehow they lost my move-out notice and didn't remember me turning in my keys.

9/2/2008 5:21:16 PM

I think I owed a few hundred at the last place I rented

but I was glad to pay over having to clean that place up lol.. partying last year in college ftw

..although i went back to visit (roommates lived there for another year) and they fixed NOTHING, just pocketed the money

[Edited on September 2, 2008 at 6:37 PM. Reason : asdf]

9/2/2008 6:36:56 PM

pretty sure gorman crossings paid me back my deposit within 30 days

9/2/2008 6:38:25 PM