Remember how we were going to live here in Atlanta for a few extra months and then jump back up to Philly? And we talked to our landlord about it eons ago and he said it would be no problem?
Well, now he's saying we can stay, but he's going to increase our rent about 12% for the remaining six months we are here. I understand that a rent increase is customary when you renew a lease. However, we lived in the same place for four years and the sum total of our rent increases weren't as much as the difference this guy wants. The bitch of it is that this place kind of sucks. Why, you ask?
The roof has been leaking since we moved in.
We had to have the dishwasher replaced, the dryer repaired and the washing machine repaired.
The toilette on the first floor was installed by monkeys, and despite almost a week of attempted fixation, it still requires plunging at least once a week.
Our refrigerator only works because SOB rigged it in some way which included weather stripping.
The windows don't open. Because of this, we can't air the place out when our neighbor starts toking up. Oh and we get all the nice pot and cigarette smells because there is some kind of leak in the ventilation system. Which can't be fixed.
Speaking of neighbors, on one side is a guy named DJ who is, in fact, a DJ. On the other side is a couple with two huge, loud dogs, and across the hall we have a dirty talker. Our bedroom is over hers, and I can tell you exactly what gets her off.
The thing that is the most annoying, however, is that some dude down the hall is renting out his unit, which has the exact same floor plan, for the same amount our landlord wants us to pay. The only difference between the two places is the one down the hall has all the upgrades. Granite counters, new appliances, new bathrooms and a patio. Observe the kitchen decor in the place down the hall:
Yes, it appears that there is a washing machine next to the stove, but is that really a big deal? Take a look at our kitchen:
I only included areas above the counters, because they were quite a mess the day I took this picture. But you get the general idea. Our appliances? Not stainless steel. Our counters? Not granite. All the cheapest stuff you could buy ten years ago. In other words, awful.
So now the question is: do we stay or do we go. We made most of the information above available to the landlord in a polite but firm email, asking him to reconsider. Like I said earlier, we have no problem paying a little increase, but we feel the amount he is asking is way too much. If he comes back and says no deal, then we either try and move into another apartment here for June through October, or we try and scrape up enough money to buy in Philly. I would move up there with Sam while SOB stays here. In that case, he would try and live with someone from work, so we could afford our first few mortgage payments. OR SOB stays here and I move in with my parents for a few months, which would only be considered in the most dire of situations. If our landlord won't budge, then we're even considering contacting the guy down the hall. Hell, if we're going to be paying more, we might as well live in a nicer place. Plus it would be a hell of a lot easier to move down the hall than across town or country, right?
I need a massage.
4 comments:
I like the down the hall idea. Chances are, your landlord won't budge. Moving a short way would be easier than finding another short-term place, or separating yourselves by thousands of miles.
In Australia landlords are only allowed to increase rent by a certain % per year. I think it's 5 or 6%.
I wouldn't stay there if I were you.
Your room is waiting if you have need of it... ;) Hopefully the landlord will come to his senses, though... seems like 6 months confirmed rent at a slightly higher price is better than hoping for a renter at a much higher price. 12% increase? That's unreal!!!
Thanks, Susan! We're still waiting to hear back from him. His initial response seemed pretty receptive, so we're keeping our fingers crossed!
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