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The [Renting] Thread

theSquidtheSquid Sydney, AustraliaRegistered User regular
edited April 2014 in Social Entropy++
So hey I figured I could make a thread to talk about renting and looking for an apartment and flatmates and rundown townhouses in the inner city seeing as how that is going to be a thing I will be dealing with presently.

Has anyone got any cool stories or sage advice about renting or finding a place to rent?

I can afford an apartment like this in my mid-20s, right???

Friends-TV_Show-Monica_Apartment_Set-01.jpg

theSquid on
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Posts

  • marty_0001marty_0001 I am a file and you put documents in meRegistered User regular
    My landlord is the best

    3 years in this house and he's never done an inspection or raised the rent. He is super casual and nice.

    I think I will be moving out in a couple months though; it's high time I lived somewhere that has air conditioning.

  • TefTef Registered User regular
    I got lucky with my tenants - never late with the rent, keep the house immaculate, the lady is an avid gardener and he's an electrician.

    If I were ever to end up renting again, I'm pretty sure I'd try to find a single bedroom apartment near the CBD

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  • minirhyderminirhyder BerlinRegistered User regular
    Man I so need this thread because I do not know what I am doing.

  • LiiyaLiiya Registered User regular
    Last week we had the bailiffs come round because the guy who used to live here was in debt and had this house as his address and they wanted to take stuff, I was all "no sorry he's not here".

  • SassoriSassori Registered User regular
    My Uncle has offered us his townhouse to live in, but he hasn't set foot in it for at least five years. The other people that have lived there haven't treated it poorly, but it's definitely to a point where they just didn't get things fixed as they broke.

    We need to call an electrician at some point to fix the wiring in the basement so we can have a backlight again and a lot of the wall sockets down there apparently don't work.

    We also seem to have problems with the kitchen sink and the dishwasher randomly deciding to be wonky.

    And there are fixtures in the bathrooms that need to be replaced at some point before they decide to stop working.

  • cabsycabsy the fattest rainbow unicorn Registered User regular
    Sassori wrote: »
    My Uncle has offered us his townhouse to live in, but he hasn't set foot in it for at least five years. The other people that have lived there haven't treated it poorly, but it's definitely to a point where they just didn't get things fixed as they broke.

    We need to call an electrician at some point to fix the wiring in the basement so we can have a backlight again and a lot of the wall sockets down there apparently don't work.

    We also seem to have problems with the kitchen sink and the dishwasher randomly deciding to be wonky.

    And there are fixtures in the bathrooms that need to be replaced at some point before they decide to stop working.

    This is part of why my sister got out of renting her property and just sold it... between one destructive tenant and one who just didn't bother to tell her about anything that stopped working it wasn't worth the hassle anymore. Every time I feel shitty 'bothering' my landlord too much I remind myself they'd rather know when it's a small problem than when the fridge completely shits the bed on a Sunday night, or something

  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    Tef wrote: »
    I got lucky with my tenants - never late with the rent, keep the house immaculate, the lady is an avid gardener and he's an electrician.

    If I were ever to end up renting again, I'm pretty sure I'd try to find a single bedroom apartment near the CBD

    Your folks?

  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    We've been in our place for over a decade now. Never had anything less than a perfect inspection/review, even when we were secretly keeping Amy's cat here. They had no fucking clue either, because the house is always spotless for inspection with shampoo'd carpets and every surface cleaned, all the cat stuff was put in the car boot for the day, and Reuben got to spend the day at the vets getting his checkup.

    The owners are blissfully unaware of how terrible the rental agency are. The apartment's basically falling into a state of disrepair, and our complaints fall on deaf ears. I'm under the impression that the rental agency are kind of finagling for a scenario where when we move out, they give the owners a huge list of renovations that need doing before someone else will move in, and when they baulk at the 6 figure price estimate, offer to buy the unit from them at a discounted price.

  • EndEnd Registered User regular
    edited October 2013
    theSquid wrote: »
    I can afford an apartment like this in my mid-20s, right???

    http://www.acapillow.com/images/Friends-TV_Show-Monica_Apartment_Set-01.jpg

    your problem would probably be more the stuff in the apartment than the apartment itself

    if anything, the studio lighting might be a problem

    End on
    I wish that someway, somehow, that I could save every one of us
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  • AphostileAphostile San Francisco, CARegistered User regular
    My apartment looks like that.

    I pay $Texas^2.

    That is my renting story.

    Nothing. Matters.
  • MadEddyMadEddy Creepy house watching youRegistered User regular
    I so prefer renting a house to an apartment, except for having to deal with the lawn. Stupid lawn.

    ruby-red-sig.jpg
  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    edited October 2013
    My landlord is a super cool laid-back guy so far. However he turned the heat on last week and I have been slowly boiling alive since. I asked him last night and he was like oh it's on 70

    It is 65 outside today!

    He offered to turn it down of course but I think I'm just going to be like, turn it off in the evenings unless you need it on for the restaurant downstairs or something. I don't need heat until like, we're down in the low 50's on the reg.

    E: but I guess the former tenant was constantly cold and that's probably part of the cause

    I on the other hand come from the frigid northern Midwest

    Lost Salient on
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  • SassoriSassori Registered User regular
    cabsy wrote: »
    Sassori wrote: »
    My Uncle has offered us his townhouse to live in, but he hasn't set foot in it for at least five years. The other people that have lived there haven't treated it poorly, but it's definitely to a point where they just didn't get things fixed as they broke.

    We need to call an electrician at some point to fix the wiring in the basement so we can have a backlight again and a lot of the wall sockets down there apparently don't work.

    We also seem to have problems with the kitchen sink and the dishwasher randomly deciding to be wonky.

    And there are fixtures in the bathrooms that need to be replaced at some point before they decide to stop working.

    This is part of why my sister got out of renting her property and just sold it... between one destructive tenant and one who just didn't bother to tell her about anything that stopped working it wasn't worth the hassle anymore. Every time I feel shitty 'bothering' my landlord too much I remind myself they'd rather know when it's a small problem than when the fridge completely shits the bed on a Sunday night, or something

    Yeah, he isn't well enough (paranoid schizophrenic) to live on his own anymore so he's staying with my parents. Luckily, my father was a contractor and can help with the maintenance for him which cuts down on cost.

    We aren't sure how long we'll stay in the same place, but at some point before we leave my Uncle really needs to do a walkthrough of his place with us so we can point out the updates that need to be made. It's frustrating because he's sort of like "Just do whatever you need to" but I don't want him to be upset later if he decides that he didn't want us to certain things.

  • #pipe#pipe Cocky Stride, Musky odours Pope of Chili TownRegistered User regular
    minirhyder wrote: »
    Man I so need this thread because I do not know what I am doing.

    Where do you live? Renting conventions change pretty dramatically from country to country and something even city to city.

    Renting here in Vancouver is so different to renting in Brisbane where I'm from. I remember when my first roommate here told me I could paint my bedroom if I wanted and my head almost exploded like that scene in scanners.

  • MysstMysst King Monkey of Hedonism IslandRegistered User regular
    my roof leaks! they thought they fixed it but they didn't, which of course is not something you'll find out until the next time it rains.

    ikbUJdU.jpg
  • #pipe#pipe Cocky Stride, Musky odours Pope of Chili TownRegistered User regular
    Hey so this thread came about at a really good time for me! As some of you may have seen, we had a bit of an event at our place a couple of weeks ago:
    #pipe wrote: »
    So this just happened in my bathroom

    6nhsgSk.jpg

    The manager is in here as we speak, cleaning up the rubble with a shovel.

    He says it's happened to three other apartments too.

    That he's been yelling at the company to send a roofer for literally months and now they have to send one, only it's going to cost them 5 times more.

    Also our sink has been blocked for a few weeks without being fixed.

    We should really move.

    Also there's a building next door in which a girl OD'd on heroin a couple of nights ago, and he's been calling the cops every day about the dealer who lives there but they never come.

    The hole in the ceiling is still there, rancid insulation is still dangling out of it. They fixed the leak though so hurray!

    The good news is that we're moving! Later that night we started looking at craigslist ads, found one we really liked that was close to a lot of our friends, the next day we went for an inspection, loved it, told the owner we'd take it, a couple of days later we signed the papers!

    We're hoping to get the keys next weekend and we're booked with movers on November 1st. It is a huge upgrade in almost every respect. Big insuite laundry, dishwasher, little balcony, sun room, the square footage is only a little bigger but the layout of the apartment means there's WAY more room. The apartment is owned by a really fun couple who manage it themselves, we control our own heating and we have our own huge water heater so we're not at the mercy of other tenants and the manager, AND the building right next door houses three friends, with another 5 friends within a few blocks - primed to give us rides and look after our cats.

    I want this month to hurry up and finish already so we can move.

  • minirhyderminirhyder BerlinRegistered User regular
    #pipe wrote: »
    minirhyder wrote: »
    Man I so need this thread because I do not know what I am doing.

    Where do you live? Renting conventions change pretty dramatically from country to country and something even city to city.

    Renting here in Vancouver is so different to renting in Brisbane where I'm from. I remember when my first roommate here told me I could paint my bedroom if I wanted and my head almost exploded like that scene in scanners.

    I'm in NYC.
    I've been glancing at Astoria because it's still in the semi-affordable range (for NYC) and because I've heard some damn good things about it.

  • TenTen Registered User regular
    Only renting places on the 1st of the month is the stupidest thing. We were homeless for a night because our previous apartment insisted we had to leave on the last day of the month, and we didn't get the keys to our new place until the 1st - this has happened to multiple friends of mine as well. Not to mention the demand on moving trucks at that time. Is it really that difficult to pro-rate rent if you want to be on a consistent schedule?

  • JayKaosJayKaos Registered User regular
    minirhyder wrote: »
    #pipe wrote: »
    minirhyder wrote: »
    Man I so need this thread because I do not know what I am doing.

    Where do you live? Renting conventions change pretty dramatically from country to country and something even city to city.

    Renting here in Vancouver is so different to renting in Brisbane where I'm from. I remember when my first roommate here told me I could paint my bedroom if I wanted and my head almost exploded like that scene in scanners.

    I'm in NYC.
    I've been glancing at Astoria because it's still in the semi-affordable range (for NYC) and because I've heard some damn good things about it.

    Yeah I've heard good things about Astoria, and the commute to Manhattan isn't too bad if that's where work/whatever is. Are you trying for an apartment or a room w/ roommates?

    Steam | SW-0844-0908-6004 and my Switch code
  • PsykomaPsykoma Registered User regular
    Ten wrote: »
    Only renting places on the 1st of the month is the stupidest thing. We were homeless for a night because our previous apartment insisted we had to leave on the last day of the month, and we didn't get the keys to our new place until the 1st - this has happened to multiple friends of mine as well. Not to mention the demand on moving trucks at that time. Is it really that difficult to pro-rate rent if you want to be on a consistent schedule?

    Not just 1st of the month, here June 1st is the "official" moving day.
    I was looking for apartment in November, and had to turn down two really good apartments simply because the landlord wouldn't have a rental which didn't start on June 1st.
    I couldn't fathom it. They would rather leave an apartment empty for six months than have a non-standard start time.

  • Calamity JaneCalamity Jane That Wrong Love Registered User regular
    abject poverty

    we're probably moving some time in january

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  • SassoriSassori Registered User regular
    Psykoma wrote: »
    Ten wrote: »
    Only renting places on the 1st of the month is the stupidest thing. We were homeless for a night because our previous apartment insisted we had to leave on the last day of the month, and we didn't get the keys to our new place until the 1st - this has happened to multiple friends of mine as well. Not to mention the demand on moving trucks at that time. Is it really that difficult to pro-rate rent if you want to be on a consistent schedule?

    Not just 1st of the month, here June 1st is the "official" moving day.
    I was looking for apartment in November, and had to turn down two really good apartments simply because the landlord wouldn't have a rental which didn't start on June 1st.
    I couldn't fathom it. They would rather leave an apartment empty for six months than have a non-standard start time.

    That is the weirdest thing.

    Around where do you live?

  • minirhyderminirhyder BerlinRegistered User regular
    JayKaos wrote: »
    minirhyder wrote: »
    #pipe wrote: »
    minirhyder wrote: »
    Man I so need this thread because I do not know what I am doing.

    Where do you live? Renting conventions change pretty dramatically from country to country and something even city to city.

    Renting here in Vancouver is so different to renting in Brisbane where I'm from. I remember when my first roommate here told me I could paint my bedroom if I wanted and my head almost exploded like that scene in scanners.

    I'm in NYC.
    I've been glancing at Astoria because it's still in the semi-affordable range (for NYC) and because I've heard some damn good things about it.

    Yeah I've heard good things about Astoria, and the commute to Manhattan isn't too bad if that's where work/whatever is. Are you trying for an apartment or a room w/ roommates?

    Yup, I work in Flatiron, so the commute wouldn't be bad at all.

    I'd love a place of my own, but I just cannot swing it right now. I'll have to go for a roommate situation.
    And ideally I'd like to move in with my biffle, but she's still in grad school and won't be employed till at least next year, so I'm in the market for rando roommates for that period of time.

  • PsykomaPsykoma Registered User regular
    edited October 2013
    Sassori wrote: »
    Psykoma wrote: »
    Ten wrote: »
    Only renting places on the 1st of the month is the stupidest thing. We were homeless for a night because our previous apartment insisted we had to leave on the last day of the month, and we didn't get the keys to our new place until the 1st - this has happened to multiple friends of mine as well. Not to mention the demand on moving trucks at that time. Is it really that difficult to pro-rate rent if you want to be on a consistent schedule?

    Not just 1st of the month, here June 1st is the "official" moving day.
    I was looking for apartment in November, and had to turn down two really good apartments simply because the landlord wouldn't have a rental which didn't start on June 1st.
    I couldn't fathom it. They would rather leave an apartment empty for six months than have a non-standard start time.

    That is the weirdest thing.

    Around where do you live?

    montreal canadia

    Try getting them to agree to a non-12 month lease as well.
    Might as well be forcibly castrating them.

    Psykoma on
  • MysstMysst King Monkey of Hedonism IslandRegistered User regular
    oh hey, they've got a roofer coming today. if anyone is playing GTA:O with me you will probably get to hear the banging

    ikbUJdU.jpg
  • RankenphileRankenphile Passersby were amazed by the unusually large amounts of blood.Registered User, Moderator mod
    Mysst wrote: »
    oh hey, they've got a roofer coming today. if anyone is playing GTA:O with me you will probably get to hear the banging

    :winky:

    8406wWN.png
  • #pipe#pipe Cocky Stride, Musky odours Pope of Chili TownRegistered User regular
    minirhyder wrote: »
    #pipe wrote: »
    minirhyder wrote: »
    Man I so need this thread because I do not know what I am doing.

    Where do you live? Renting conventions change pretty dramatically from country to country and something even city to city.

    Renting here in Vancouver is so different to renting in Brisbane where I'm from. I remember when my first roommate here told me I could paint my bedroom if I wanted and my head almost exploded like that scene in scanners.

    I'm in NYC.

    Sacrifice goats, bribe every city official you can find, buy a hundred rabbits feet and rub them just so

  • skettiosskettios Enchanted ForestRegistered User regular
    I love my current place, but it doesn't allow pets, therefore I'll need to eventually move.
    Sigh.

    Liiya wrote: »
    Last week we had the bailiffs come round because the guy who used to live here was in debt and had this house as his address and they wanted to take stuff, I was all "no sorry he's not here".

    When I was lil, we had police bang on our door at like 3 or 4am. Apparently someone they had arrested gave our address o_O ...or something like that, I was super lil at the time so foggy memory.

  • AphostileAphostile San Francisco, CARegistered User regular
    This is the advice I give renters looking for places in San Francisco, which is just as applicable to New York because they are the worst rental markets ever:

    - Be the first person there at an open house (or try and schedule an earlier viewing)
    - Be personable and nice but not overeager (e.g. this is a great place vs I NEED THIS PLACE PLEASE RENT IT TO ME FOR THE LOVE OF GOD)
    - Have everything filled out ahead of time (i.e. a full rental application, list of references, deposit check, first month's rent, application fees)
    - Be willing to sign the lease there
    - Be willing to move in right away
    - Don't ask questions that indicate you're a bad renter (e.g. can I nail things into these walls? My dogs bark sometimes, is that bad? etc)

    Nothing. Matters.
  • theSquidtheSquid Sydney, AustraliaRegistered User regular
    I need to figure out firstly exactly what the process is for looking for and then getting a flat, then I have to figure out what to look out for when inspecting flats. The whole thing is weird to me.

  • #pipe#pipe Cocky Stride, Musky odours Pope of Chili TownRegistered User regular
    If you like a place based on the listing, or are in an area where finding a place is very difficult,

    always bring a deposit check with you to the open house
    If the landlord says they're trying to decide between a few people, offer to pay a few months rent in advance if you can afford it.

  • theSquidtheSquid Sydney, AustraliaRegistered User regular
    And then suddenly I run into aphostiles post

  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    theSquid wrote: »
    I need to figure out firstly exactly what the process is for looking for and then getting a flat, then I have to figure out what to look out for when inspecting flats. The whole thing is weird to me.

    If all of the appliances (hot water system, oven, cooktop) are older than your parents, avoid the place. Those owners be stingy, and they'll resist spending a cent.

    The carpet is literally rotting?

    Go fuck yourself. Buy a rug.

  • minirhyderminirhyder BerlinRegistered User regular
    What about looking for pests?
    I remember someone posted some advice in H/A about how you should look into cabinets and under the sink (preferably with a flashlight) and stuff to look for roach and mouse droppings and the like.

    Is that a thing landlords are cool with? Or will they side eye you and tell you to gtfo?

  • JayKaosJayKaos Registered User regular
    You can definitely look around a bit, check that all the appliances work, etc. You mentioned you're looking at roommate situations, so if the other roommates are gonna be there you can ask them about landlords, roaches, etc. - they're gonna be living with you if you take the place so they're a bit less likely to lie to you about that stuff.

    Steam | SW-0844-0908-6004 and my Switch code
  • TefTef Registered User regular
    Tef wrote: »
    I got lucky with my tenants - never late with the rent, keep the house immaculate, the lady is an avid gardener and he's an electrician.

    If I were ever to end up renting again, I'm pretty sure I'd try to find a single bedroom apartment near the CBD

    Your folks?

    Haha sounds like them, doesn't it? No, I'm talking about the Ashfield place

    help a fellow forumer meet their mental health care needs because USA healthcare sucks!

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  • AbracadanielAbracadaniel Registered User regular
    WELP

    Need some advice

    We've been renting a place for the last 4 years. Never a late payment, rarely ever an issue we couldn't take care of ourselves.

    Our lease is up in November, and the landlord just told us if we want to renew, it's going to go up $50 if we lease for two years, or $100 if we only renew for one year.

    We currently pay $750, which is pretty good as I understand it for a 2 bed / 2 bath, and similar places are going for ~$850, $900+

    We're going to try to negotiate with the landlord on the basis that

    - we're newlyweds
    - we've been perfect tenants for four years without a single late payment or complaint

    And that we'd be willing to take an increase to $800 a month, but only on the one year lease (since we are planning to start job/apartment hunting in earnest early next year)

    Thoughts? Suggestions?

  • KakodaimonosKakodaimonos Code fondler Helping the 1% get richerRegistered User regular
    We finally got the permit for the fence. The township had no problem with it, just had to wait for the neighbor to complain about it and then get denied.

    And in a final act of cockknobbery, my neighbor stacked a quarter cord of wood over the property line. I know he did it on purpose because he had to pull up the stakes the surveyors put down marking the line. I figure the morning before they drop in the post holes for the fence I'll go out nice and early and throw all the wood into his yard. Really making us happy we have the fence going in.

  • FyndirFyndir Registered User regular
    We finally got the permit for the fence. The township had no problem with it, just had to wait for the neighbor to complain about it and then get denied.

    And in a final act of cockknobbery, my neighbor stacked a quarter cord of wood over the property line. I know he did it on purpose because he had to pull up the stakes the surveyors put down marking the line. I figure the morning before they drop in the post holes for the fence I'll go out nice and early and throw all the wood into his yard. Really making us happy we have the fence going in.

    Was there a pool?

    'cause it seems like the wood could real easily accidentally fall in the pool if it's close.

  • ASimPersonASimPerson Cold... and hard.Registered User regular
    The best decision I ever made re: renting is not renting anymore and buying a place.

    My mortgage is currently less than the apartment I lived in three years ago.

    Here's a tale of the tape:
           Apartment Townhouse
    Size: 660 sq ft   1430 sq ft
    Bedrooms: 1         3
    Bathrooms: 1        2.5
    Ensuite laundry: No   Yes
    Central AC: No  Yes
    Heat: Electric    Gas
    Garage:   No          Yes
    Location: Good     Okay
    

    Seriously, the rent on the apartment is $100 more a month than my mortgage. And then remember that renting gets you absolutely no tax breaks or anything of the kind. (Though of course I have to pay property tax now.)

    And to think, at the time I moved out of that apartment because they wanted to raise my rent to $1420 a month... it's now $1900. The Bay Area is crazy and/or stupid.

This discussion has been closed.