Rent Increases

natalie_ca

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Every year for the past 4 or 5 years, my rental agency has been applying to the Rentals Branch for rent increases above the cost of living increase to the tune of 10 to 12 percent. And each year they get it despite us being told that we can grieve the increase.

My rent is currently $718.00 per month, but I was given back my rental reduction last year. So I have been paying $689.00 per month instead of $719.00.

Today I got my new lease and I dreaded looking at it.

My caretaker told me that they had once again applied for an increase of 12% but they were denied that amount!


The increase is 1.95% which is more in tune with cost of living increases. I saw on my lease that they once again removed my rental discount though. She said that there is a new girl (again!) in the leasing office and to call her and ask for the rebate back. So I did.

My rent is going up to $733.00 per month, but I'm getting my rebate back, so I'm only going to be paying $14.00 per month more ($703.00). It's still a fortune, but I can't afford to move. Moving takes money and energy/effort and I'm just not in a position to pack, clean, move, clean, unpack and pay for movers and reconnection fees etc. So despite the amount of rent I pay I'm stuck here.

But the first chance I get when I get back to work I'm moving! I am sure I can get an apartment with air conditioning and a balcony for the price I'm paying.
 

rubsluts'mommy

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I hear ya.. my rent is going up as of next month... to 795... for a small-ish two bedroom... in a cruddy neighborhood, with annoying neighbors.... and un-assigned parking. And this is presumably a low income complex.. yeah, right. I'll be moving next year. Period. I cannot and will not take another sizable increase. This one was 60 bucks over my last rent amount. Yeesh.

A.
 
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natalie_ca

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On September 30, 2004 my rent was $478.00. As of October 1, 2007, it was $719.00. That's a $241.00 per month increase in a period of 3 years.

I can't believe they tried to get another 12%. If they had the increase would have been $86.00 per month, making my rent $805.00 per month for a one bedroom.

I don't know why, but my one bedroom is the second most expensive one bedroom in this building. There are two 2 bedroom apartments cheaper than my one bedroom one. And all of the one bedrooms are the same size, and all of the 2 bedrooms are the same size. So why the huge price descrepancy is beyond me.
 

mrblanche

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I wonder how much the property taxes went up?

As a homeowner, I get increases in taxes and insurance every year. Not much can be done about the insurance, and it's very hard to appeal the taxes. Whoever owns your property is probably dealing with exactly the same problems.
 

sofiecusion

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We just got a copy of our new lease. It went up $20 a month PLUS they want us to start paying some utilities fee, which will apparently be prorated per our apartment space in the complex for water, sewage, and garbage. They said it's to help keep rent down....REALLY??? Rent has increased $50 a month since we moved here in August of 2005. What can one do?
 

wingss2fly

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I manage an 8 unit building. And I upped the rent on the first of the year. Most of my tenants are paying $650 per month for a 2 bedroom w/on street parking. The building next to me pays $950 for 2 bedrooms. My tenants are pissed, told me they were moving. I told them to jump on it. Well after they started looking around, they stayed. The owner pays trash and water & HOT water too. Water bill per month here is no less the $1,000.00 per month & the gas & trash is about $ 900.00 per month. That dosen't include what is paid for insurance, property tax, building payments, and up keep. I understand people have it tough. But so does an owner. Everything is high in cost, try $4.65 per gal. of gas

Here in So. Cal. most rent for a 1 bedroom is closer to $1,100.00 per month.
The person who ownes this building has had it for 30 years so I am sure it is almost paid off. The apts. next door to us are small 700 sq. feet.
Remember owners look at apt. houses as a business. I know that sounds cold, but it's true. BTW I am renting to my new tenants, at $900.00 per month and they are jumping at the chance.

K.
 

mer636

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BAH my rent right now is $895 for a one bedroom!! like ppfftttt why is it so high I don't know but I mean right now the apartment rate here where I live is less than 1% so i'd rather pay that than live on the street
 

mistressotdark

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sorry to hear that my winnipeg pal...
hmmm my rent for a 1 bedroom before moving out was $618 that included parking...
hydro, water...
just had to pay cable..
 

belongstoevie

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

As a homeowner, I get increases in taxes and insurance every year. Not much can be done about the insurance, and it's very hard to appeal the taxes. Whoever owns your property is probably dealing with exactly the same problems.
Originally Posted by wingss2fly

I understand people have it tough. But so does an owner. Everything is high in cost, try $4.65 per gal. of gas

...
Remember owners look at apt. houses as a business. I know that sounds cold, but it's true. BTW I am renting to my new tenants, at $900.00 per month and they are jumping at the chance.

K.
As a former renter, current property owner, and current property manager, I have to agree. Personally, and don't let me offend anyone! Maybe I should get on my soapbox here...



Ahem, ok. I think rent control is way too extreme. It is NOT RIGHT that a property owner should go in to debt and lose their own home just so that others can live there for an absurdely cheap rent. I know that's not the case for the OP (at least, in his / her opinion), but that happens far too often. People think of property owners as evil, big corporations, but chances are, they aren't. I know we aren't. We're just normal individuals with a family to support.

There is NOTHING to protect a property owner from increased costs. Water prices are going up, gas, electric, even our trash companies are increasing their fees. Insurance costs are through the roof, and property taxes in general are not being reduced despite rapidly decreasing property values. No matter how you look at it, it is unfair that the owner MUST incur these costs, and NOT the tenants. And then, to top it all off, the tenants LOVE to whine and complain that, gee, the gardening isn't done as often and we should have more upgrades. How can we take care of the property if we are barely breaking even every month and they REFUSE TO PAY MORE RENT??


Why should we just roll over and die so they can live the easy life??

I know that's REALLY not your sitation and I'm sure none of you are being absured. But, that IS my situation. I deal witih it every day. I have one tenant who has bounced two checks, enough that I won't accept checks from him anymore, which he hates and is going to the rent board to get a rent reduction because of the added inconvenience to him!! It's INSANE. This same tenant complained to the city about his dishwasher being broken and a hazard (shock, you know) and that we haven't got him a new one yet. One, HE NEVER TOLD us. Two, he owes three months rent! We have no money to BUY a new one!!


Ok, off soap box now.


I understand times are tough for all of us now, all costs of all things are going up and everyone is struggling to make ends meet. I know this doesn't help when your rent keeps going up, but maybe it will help you understand why they're trying. I know it helps me to see both sides of the story!
 

wingss2fly

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BelongsToEvie;2333670 said:
Ahem, ok. I think rent control is way too extreme. It is NOT RIGHT that a property owner should go in to debt and lose their own home just so that others can live there for an absurdely cheap rent. I know that's not the case for the OP (at least, in his / her opinion), but that happens far too often. People think of property owners as evil, big corporations, but chances are, they aren't. I know we aren't. We're just normal individuals with a family to support.

Very true, the lady that owns our place has 3 other propertys, plus 2 homes of her own. She is more then kind I have a lady on a fixed income and she doesn't up her rent. But she is just a lady in her 60's, who with her hubby bought property to try to retire on. Her hubby died in 1988, and we started working for her then. We fix & run the place, and she gives us free rent. We would be lost without her, and she feels the same about us.

We live in a non rent control area.
Just 2 more pennys.
K.
 

dixie_darlin

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Here in Florida the average rent for a 1 bedroom w/o utilites is $800/month!

I lucked out because I pay $1,180.00 per month for a 3 bedroom house and that includes ALL my utilites! Water, sewer, electric, trash, and cable!

I don't have to worry about if I am going to be able to pay my utilites every month.
I haven't had any rent increases (knock on wood) yet but if/when I do, I will gladly pay it within reason
 

zissou'smom

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My landlord here only owns this building. They try to be as fair as possible, and our rent hasn't gone up at all since I moved in (it's 450 including cat and second person surcharges). They're remodeling some of the apartments and charging more for those instead.

I am really excited about moving to Philadelphia, but dreading dealing with the landlord, which is a big corporation and which has some bizarro policies. Our apartment is cheaper than most in the area (1180 incl most utilities) but they don't guarantee you can stay the next year blahblah.

Students really get screwed in the rental property department-- they have a captive audience who can be forced to pay triple the rent the place would be worth even a couple miles away. Then again, I'm sure renting to students has all its own headaches, but most of the companies do exclusively that and make a killing.
 

starryeyedtiger

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Geesh, some of those rent prices make me so greatful that we own our homes.

When i lived at home with my mom though, we lived in the same place for about 13 yrs (2 bedroom duplex in a pretty shaddy neighborhood). Out of the 13 yrs i lived there (she still lives there) the rent only went up once or twice and only by a few dollars each time- that being said, her rent is still only $375 a month (which yea, is pretty cheap). You can't get much better than that in this area- most places go for between 500-1000 a month in rent. The company that rents to her though is really good and hasn't increased her rent much at all since she's been there so long. She definitely compromises in safety though- we've been trying to get her to move out near us for months now! (hopefully she will soon)

The house that we rent out to my sister's family, we charge around $950 a month for in )rent- but since they renting to own- we put some of that money towards them owning it (we don't make much of a profit off of that one at all- pretty much just break even- but we did it to help them). I think it worked out nice though- in about 2-3 yrs they'll save up enough to get enough of a downpayment to buy it/etc if it all goes as planned.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

Geesh, some of those rent prices make me so greatful that we own our homes.
my mortgage payment [after almost 10 years of living here] is STILL lower than my rent was.
'course, now i have water, garbage, etc. that i didn't have there... but the rent where i was is probably higher now than my monthly totals, even including those things.
 

aileen06

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My goodness you people are lucky. My 2 bedroom apt in NJ is 1385.00 a months and goes up about 40.00 a year. I have to get out of this state!!!
 

mrblanche

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By the way, the monthly payment for my house is about $1200 per month. But that's a 15-year mortgage, not a 30-year. That includes insurance (about $700 per year) and taxes (nearly $3000 per year).

The good news is that you can buy houses all over in our area for the same amount we have in ours, and have actually lower payments. And it's a nice enough home.
 

endorphins

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As a single mom with one child, I was paying $1500.00 per month in rent for a two bedroom with a garage. I was paying it to another single mom with two kids and she, my landlord, couldn't have been much older than myself (26 at the time I moved out).

I own now and my mortgage is literally half of that. Of course, this is in a different town (different state, actually!). I am so thankful. LOL I do, however, miss that apartment. And my landlord. She was awesome. Between the apartment that she gutted and renovated with her own two hands, the garage (great in the winter time - especially in Alaska!), and her complete understanding and compassion for my/our situation - I'd rent again from her in a heartbeat. At that same price, even.
 

krazy kat2

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I feel very fortunate, reading some of your posts. I pay $625 a month for a 3 BR with small building my SO uses for his workshop. It sits at the front corner of almost an acre with most of it one big yard. They won't fix anything, though, and no utilities are included. I almost hate to leave it this spring.
 
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