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Did My Apartment Screw Me?
Fuzz
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I don't know much about apartment leasing and such, so perhaps I've overlooked something, but my roommate and I both share the same plan and we're both in the same boat with this issue.
Here's basically what happened:
We had to move in early because the apartment complex we were moving out of us kinda kicked us out early. The "kind" people at my new apartment complex said they'd let us move in early as long as we paid for the two days of July we would be moving in.
As such, our first rent bill, which we paid upon moving in, was $450. As far as we were concerned this covered the first month's rent, August, plus the two days of July. I mean, that's what they told us.
August flies by. First of September I call up the office and ask how much I owe just to make sure I write the check right. The guy looks it up and says I owe $409. I go and pay.
Today, my roommate and I have fliers on our apartment door explaining to us that if we do not pay our rent they'll kick us out in three days.
I brought it to the office and the lady there explained that I had not paid August's rent.
????
I asked her if I had not paid August's rent then why did they wait till now to tell me and she said "I know, it's confusing, I've been explaining this to people all day.." and goes on to talk about how my lease has "13 months" despite moving in and out on the same day.. Did she totally dodge my question? Isn't that a valid point?
And I asked her why when I called to see how much I owe the guy at the table said only $409 instead of $818 and again she said I just wasn't getting it..
The way she explained it is... I pay the first month's rent, $450, which covers the last two days of July.. Then I was supposed to pay $409 for august.. and september, all the way back to july again.
...did I get screwed?
I have three days to come up with $409 + $80 of late fees..
Here's basically what happened:
We had to move in early because the apartment complex we were moving out of us kinda kicked us out early. The "kind" people at my new apartment complex said they'd let us move in early as long as we paid for the two days of July we would be moving in.
As such, our first rent bill, which we paid upon moving in, was $450. As far as we were concerned this covered the first month's rent, August, plus the two days of July. I mean, that's what they told us.
August flies by. First of September I call up the office and ask how much I owe just to make sure I write the check right. The guy looks it up and says I owe $409. I go and pay.
Today, my roommate and I have fliers on our apartment door explaining to us that if we do not pay our rent they'll kick us out in three days.
I brought it to the office and the lady there explained that I had not paid August's rent.
????
I asked her if I had not paid August's rent then why did they wait till now to tell me and she said "I know, it's confusing, I've been explaining this to people all day.." and goes on to talk about how my lease has "13 months" despite moving in and out on the same day.. Did she totally dodge my question? Isn't that a valid point?
And I asked her why when I called to see how much I owe the guy at the table said only $409 instead of $818 and again she said I just wasn't getting it..
The way she explained it is... I pay the first month's rent, $450, which covers the last two days of July.. Then I was supposed to pay $409 for august.. and september, all the way back to july again.
...did I get screwed?
I have three days to come up with $409 + $80 of late fees..
Fuzz on
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I'd write a letter explaining things reasonably, hand it to the property manager myself. Apts are like this to me: If they're screwing me now, they're going to screw me again. If they don't bend on the late fees and that charge for two days, I'd pay to break the lease and move, assuming I could afford to. Let them know that's what you'd do too, but no bluffing. Being willing to up and move is a pretty good chip to bargain with. It will not make you popular though...
And they charged me more too, my rent is supposed to be $409, not $450.
This is logical.
I host a podcast about movies.
I hate when people try to explain shit and it's just ass-backwards.
Still doesn't explain why they'd say you only owed $409 when you asked, though.
EDIT
Beaten.
Sounds like they're either asking for a deposit, or last month's rent along with the first month's rent.
Get copies of your cashed checks and take them with you the next time you speak to them.
My roommate and I just went back and talked to them again. We got the top lady to talk to us and.. it's really complicated.
So, no matter what day you move in your rent is due the first of the month. So we moved in on July 29th or something, and our rent was due that day for the month of July. And then the month of August was due on the first.
We've got a 365 day lease + a few days extra change. Our first "month" was from July 29th - August 22. Our second month is from August 22nd till September something. However, since rent is due at the beginning of the month no matter what we paid those two months in the span of 4 days, or were supposed to..
That's basically what I got from it. She waived all the late fees, but I still owe $407ish.
I still feel like I was screwed though.
I'd ask them specifically to tell you what that 400 bucks is paying for. And if it's for that whole month, you should tell them to go get fucked.
She explained that it's like car payments (hahah, ok, I know what that's like!)
There's a set price that everyone pays, $5000 something, that's divided up for every month you stay. So.. in my case it made me pay $800 in one week, but in the end I end up paying the same as everyone else..
Does that make sense?
I guess as long as the math works out, it's just sucky, but not necessarily wrong-doing.
The way they should have done it:
Deposit
Pro-rated 2 days rent
First month's rent
Last month's rent (not all places do this one though)
They start it on Aug. 22 because that's when everyone else moves in.
So if you moved in a "few days early," you were moving in August 1st, right? Are they using some non-Roman calendar, or something?
I mean, if I was moving in July 29th I'd think "moving in early" = moving in 3 days, but they meant a month. And first month I'd think = August, but they meant July..
Choice words..
You moved in on July 29th
Your "year" begins on August 22nd, in that, you move in August 22nd 2009 and move out on August 22nd 2010
So then you owe for July 29th through August 22nd, and your future 12 rent payments will be August 22nd - Sept 22nd, Sept - Oct, Oct - Nov, etc.
Until you pay the final (13th payment) for July 22nd 2010, through August 22nd, 2010
All of this makes sense.
I don't know why it was $450 for the first payment rather than $409, but I'd assume they prorated the July 29th through August 22nd "month" and then charged you an early move-in fee or some other fee
Also, if they actually try to pull that "eviction" shit, give the local sheriff a call. To actually evict someone is a (in most places) 30 day long process in which the county sheriff has to physically remove the people. A property owner cannot just tell you to leave, even if you're not paying rent. Thats why you pay forward a month.
Also, I can't find my lease, but I think the 22nd number may be wrong, it may be closer to the 8th.. 22 is the day everyone moved in, but my year long lease starts on the 8th.
Would it be 30 days from first notice?
Typically yes, though it varies from place to place of course.
This.
That's why the lady mentioned the 13 month lease.
right, but it's still 13 payments for 13 periods of time. 12 full months, and the "early" month.
you should stop looking at it as "the month of august" and start looking at it as 30 day periods, to make it less confusing
my rent on the place I just moved out of was always due on the 15th, even though my lease began and ended on august 8th
Where are you?
Your monthly payments are odd amounts because they are giving you a highly unusual (though it sounds like legitimate) payment scheme.
An eviction process, if you play your cards right, will take ages. Much longer than 30 days. In most American states you need a certain period of notice (significantly longer than 3 days) before they can even begin the process in court. But you don't want that. You want to get squared up or you want to get out. If you want to do the later you'll probably need a lawyer.
Every state has particular rules.
You also may want to call their corporate office and find out their official policy.