It's that time of the year where there is No Rest for the Weary. It's also time when leases are up and renewal offers are sent out.
My dilemma is this: I think the management company is trying to scam me and it's probably legal.
Right now I live in Room 4 with my friend. I've been wanting to move to another unit in the same complex, because Room 4 is in the basement level, and I really crave for natural sunlight. Other than that, this apartment complex is one of the best places I've lived in. Crime-free, little noise, plenty of services and retail shops around, lovely lovely landlady that my cat likes.
My landlady just told me that one of their tenants cancelled their renewal for Room 5, which is right upstairs, and she is offering it to me first before letting others know. Room 5 is everything Room 4 is, plus the much needed sunlight (it's on the second floor). In other words, perfect.
However, the management company ("WW") highly discourages transfers -- i.e tenants moving to a different unit within the same property. Because of that, they are charging $250 for changing roommates. My current roommate is moving out and I have a new friend moving in.
In addition, and this is the part that is "scammy", they require that I pay the costs of prepping my current apartment, Room 4, for re-rental. The cost of this is around $1000 (rough estimate). Their rationale is that, by transferring, they now have to prep two units (#4 and #5) instead of just #5 if I had just stayed where I am right now.
What happens if I move out completely? If I do that, I no longer have to pay $1000. How dumb is that? New tenants don't pay this "cleaning fee", because this fee is factored into the monthly rent. In my case, it's double-dipping.
So $1250 just to move to a different unit.
I really want to stay here. It's so hard to find a nice location, cat-friendly, nice landlady, no crime, little to no noise (very few parties here). But $1250 is ridiculous. That's the price of security and peace of mind, knowing that my next couple of years here is at least going to be pleasant. But is it worth it? Surely this can't be the only "nice" place within 20 miles. Is the unknown and the gamble of finding another place to live in, worth saving a few thousand dollars?
What would you do?
My dilemma is this: I think the management company is trying to scam me and it's probably legal.
Right now I live in Room 4 with my friend. I've been wanting to move to another unit in the same complex, because Room 4 is in the basement level, and I really crave for natural sunlight. Other than that, this apartment complex is one of the best places I've lived in. Crime-free, little noise, plenty of services and retail shops around, lovely lovely landlady that my cat likes.
My landlady just told me that one of their tenants cancelled their renewal for Room 5, which is right upstairs, and she is offering it to me first before letting others know. Room 5 is everything Room 4 is, plus the much needed sunlight (it's on the second floor). In other words, perfect.
However, the management company ("WW") highly discourages transfers -- i.e tenants moving to a different unit within the same property. Because of that, they are charging $250 for changing roommates. My current roommate is moving out and I have a new friend moving in.
In addition, and this is the part that is "scammy", they require that I pay the costs of prepping my current apartment, Room 4, for re-rental. The cost of this is around $1000 (rough estimate). Their rationale is that, by transferring, they now have to prep two units (#4 and #5) instead of just #5 if I had just stayed where I am right now.
What happens if I move out completely? If I do that, I no longer have to pay $1000. How dumb is that? New tenants don't pay this "cleaning fee", because this fee is factored into the monthly rent. In my case, it's double-dipping.
So $1250 just to move to a different unit.
I really want to stay here. It's so hard to find a nice location, cat-friendly, nice landlady, no crime, little to no noise (very few parties here). But $1250 is ridiculous. That's the price of security and peace of mind, knowing that my next couple of years here is at least going to be pleasant. But is it worth it? Surely this can't be the only "nice" place within 20 miles. Is the unknown and the gamble of finding another place to live in, worth saving a few thousand dollars?
What would you do?