# Friend moving because of rent hike



## debodun (Mar 22, 2017)

He said that his apartment rent is going up $250 a month plus he will now have to pay for his own garbage service. He is looking around for another place. Here is a photo of his apartment building. I don't know what his rent was previously, but do you think a $250 is excessive rent increase?


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## Lon (Mar 22, 2017)

Depends on several factors you haven't mentioned.


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## Aunt Bea (Mar 22, 2017)

I agree with Lon, it depends on several factors.


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## steelcitiesgray (Mar 22, 2017)

Debodun, You have a big house, why not rent him a room?


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## Butterfly (Mar 22, 2017)

Aunt Bea said:


> I agree with Lon, it depends on several factors.



Like how much was the rent in the first place, did he have any special deal going in, etc.


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## debodun (Mar 23, 2017)

steelcitiesgray said:


> Debodun, You have a big house, why not rent him a room?



He doesn't live close.


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## nvtribefan (Mar 23, 2017)

debodun said:


> He doesn't live close.



But he's moving.


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## steelcitiesgray (Mar 23, 2017)

nvtribefan said:


> But he's moving.



Exactly!! 
Plus debodun, you said you needed to make repairs to your house and you could use the rent money for the repairs.


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## debodun (Mar 23, 2017)

He's married. May not be enough room for both people. Also, they may be used to better conditions - clean rooms, adequate plumbing, grounded wiring, etc.


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## Lon (Mar 23, 2017)

My rent went up by $10.00 monthly this year making it now $1,250 monthly for a two bed two bath, balcony, washer dryer, dish washer, garbage included but not utilities. apartment. Not a big deal.


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## nvtribefan (Mar 23, 2017)

debodun said:


> He's married. May not be enough room for both people. Also, they may be used to better conditions - clean rooms, adequate plumbing, grounded wiring, etc.



I'm curious.  Are you satisfied living in a place without "clean rooms, adequate plumbing, grounded wiring, etc?"


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## Camper6 (Mar 23, 2017)

Lon said:


> My rent went up by $10.00 monthly this year making it now $1,250 monthly for a two bed two bath, balcony, washer dryer, dish washer, garbage included but not utilities. apartment. Not a big deal.



That is reasonable.

I lucked out when I moved.  The apartment I have has electric heating and no individual meters so the rent includes utilities. One bedroom.  If I had two it would be filled with stuff I don't need anymore.

And so close to services all within  walking distance and a bus stop right outside the door and with cell phone and GPS tells you when the next bus will be there.

And in my province in Ontario, the landlords can't increase the rent up to a certain maximum.  There is a limit on older properties.  New properties are fair game.

In five years my rent has increased $100 per month.

Sometimes it takes more luck than brains and preparations.


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## Bullie76 (Mar 24, 2017)

If your friend was already paying the going rate for the area......yes $250/mo increase is excessive.


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## Ray (Mar 24, 2017)

Many States have rules as to permissible increases. We do here in FL.


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## AprilT (Mar 24, 2017)

Ray said:


> Many States have rules as to permissible increases. We do here in FL.




Seriously since when?  In Sarasota, I saw rents go from $1200 to $3000 in one year for a home renter and apts go up sometimes 20% + . I know my complex they didn't seem to have any real guidelines other than what suited them as long as it was written clearly in the lease as to how they didn't set a price limit.  It may be a dependent on location how they set up some rules as far as rent hikes, but, in Tampa and Sarasota, seemed to me, they didn't have many minimums unless there were govt entities involved with the particular complex.

As far as the OP's friend, that could been any reason, a lease can have a first year/s discount included, say the first years rent could have been discounted, but after the first year the rent would jump to it's normal amount plus any other fees that weren't included in the first year.  I know my complex and others made offers like that.  I wish electric and washer were included, in my rent; the first year they did include water, after the first year, you had to pay for water and all utilities it had been part of the discount deal.    I was there for six years, they were quite surprised when I turned in my notice to vacate; hmph, as if I really was going to stand for another $80 -90 increase this year.  They probably would have let me negotiate it down, but, I was just ready to move on.


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## Lon (Mar 24, 2017)

Deb I have developed a mental picture of your house, inside and out. Could you post a few pictures?


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## debodun (Mar 24, 2017)

Of course. They are a few year old, some thing have been moved around.


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## debodun (Mar 24, 2017)




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## Lon (Mar 24, 2017)

Thanks for posting the pics. Is the house insured for fire? Looks to me like a fire waiting to happen or potential wind storm or snow damage.


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## Ray (Mar 24, 2017)

Right you are, April. I thought we did - we don't - sunnovagun!!!


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## Butterfly (Mar 24, 2017)

No controls on how much rent can go up here, either, except gov't assisted housing.


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## Aunt Bea (Mar 24, 2017)

No rent controls here either.

I'm coming up on 7 years without a rent increase which is just about unheard of in a complex of over 200 apartments.  I don't know why and don't ask, LOL!!!

I'm thinking that it could be because I live in a third floor walk up that is in need of remodeling.  The complex has been renovating the apartments with new kitchens, baths, carpeting, etc... as the tenants move.  I figure that right now I'm saving them some money but when the other units are finished I expect a substantial increase to nudge me out so they can remodel my unit.  I'm hoping that it fits in with my current two year plan to move to a ground floor apartment , we'll see.


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## AprilT (Mar 24, 2017)

That is practically unheard of A Bea, you are very lucky.  Part of the problem where I lived my city and my neighborhood were highly sort after areas.  They could so they did increase rents often, the first couple of years weren't too bad, but the demand really became out of control the last three years I was there and so did the turnover.  My building wasn't even a luxury complex, very nice compared to many others, but, it was located in as I said a sort after area.  My rent didn't really increase the second year, but the third and there after it did.  

I saw many people come and go in the time I live at the complex; many felt incredulous about the increases and some were just moving on to home ownership, so no big deal.  for me when the increases were up as much as $90 for a couple of years, that was enough, the first increase at $40 or $50, was tolerable.  My rent over the xix year period went from about $675 to over $1000  I don't remember the exact start $, I'm sure I have the old lease tucked away somewhere.  I do miss the area, it was ideal for the time I was there as far as location.

BTW, that $1000 is still low for the area, but, also as I said, it wasn't a luxury complex, but, if was nice enough.  Pics where I lived


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## OneEyedDiva (Apr 8, 2017)

My son and DIL faced a $400 a month increase a few months ago when two young men bought the house they live in. Talk about putting a strain on working people but the apartment is technically two floors and I'm sure the new owners checked out going rents for similar spaces. They know it will be hard to find a decent place with that much space so for now they are hanging in.  For a senior...yes $250 seems like a lot. I too wonder what warrants that much of an increase at once.
APRIL..Your apartment complex looks nice.


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## Robusta (Apr 12, 2017)

Lon said:


> Thanks for posting the pics. Is the house insured for fire? Looks to me like a fire waiting to happen or potential wind storm or snow damage.


 So Lon, What is it in particular in those photos that makes her house appear to be a hazard to you?  There is her admission about non grounded wiring,but that does not show in her pictures.

I think she denigrates her home more than she should. Her home is typical of thousands built when New York was the "Empire State".  The middle and merchant class were very prominent and homes were built to accommodate,large families of the time and "staff".


Debs problem is that  her home has become a dinosaur. In a different area of town her home could be a jewel as it has never been desecrated by being broke up into apartments. However times being what they are it has become an Albatross.  When this home was built NY was a beehive of industrial activity with every town having several factories and the attendant economy that comes with.

Industry has all but disappeared in NY, in Debs area I wager that New York State is the major employer,with her town being mostly a bedroom community.
Families are smaller,wealth is concentrated in fewer hands.  The kind of folks that would and could afford to effect a restoration project such as this home,do not invest is an area with small lots and short frontage.

All in all I see nothing glaring that would make her home a hazard in any way. Perhaps Lon has could expand on his opinion that this home is a hazard.

I am approx. 200 miles west of her and in my area which is even more depressed than hers, my guess (judging from nothing more than these photos ) that house would sell in the high 60's to low 80's.


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