Apartment Life

Welcome to Apartment Life, an online discussion of the Washington area rental market, featuring Post columnist Sara Gebhardt.

In her monthly exchanges with the audience, Gebhardt discusses rental issues and lifestyle matters.

The transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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Sara Gebhardt: Hi everyone. I hope you are all living pretty in your rental abodes, although something tells me that may not be the case. So, let's get to the rental-related questions and see if we can't figure out some solutions before the New Year is here.

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Anonymous: I guess I will have to continue to enjoy giving money to my landlord since wages are only going up average of 9% and house prices go up 37% as it said in an article today. I can't even save to keep up with a down payment at this rate

Sara Gebhardt: Yes, well, as long as you're renting, you should make the most out of the experience. And regardless of the statistics, if home-buying is your goal, you should do your best to save money for a down payment by cutting a few of your daily costs. It's tough, but at least you should try before totally you give up. How's that for optimism?

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Chevy Chase, Md.: I live in an old high rise in Friendship Heights. It is very, very hot, despite the fact that we have never turned on the heat. We have our windows open at all times, which helps. Here is the problem though - we are on the 12th floor and a few weeks ago our screens were removed so that our windows could be washed. We don't like to have the windows open without the screens - bugs, birds, dirt etc., however we were told that the screens would not be reinstalled until after the winter. This is frustrating because we would like to be able to open the windows more to cool off things more, but can't. Is it legal to leave people without a screen on a high floor? What if we had kids? We have floor to ceiling windows. I think it's dangerous. Can anything be done legally to force them to put our screens back?

Sara Gebhardt: I'm sure readers out there shivering in their apartments will be envious of your hot apartment. Yes, opening floor-to-ceiling windows without screens is dangerous. If your landlord doesn't see this point of view, you should call your local housing authority and ask for their help. It is the landlord’s job to ensure that you are safe for the duration of the year.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: I have been living in my apartment for a little over a year now, and I just don't know how people do it. I mean, living there has made me realize how good living in a single family home really is. No loud bass coming from the guy next door, no slamming doors on early weekend mornings, no people coming in your apartment every now and then to check things out, etc. Anyone else feel this way?

Sara Gebhardt: I'm sure many people feel this way. And then there are those who treasure apartment living because there's no lawn to mow, no appliances to replace, no mortgage to pay...

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Washington, D.C. (Metro Center): Great news! I wrote in a while back about my mother's landlord threatening to sue her due to alleged damage from her smoking. If you recall, in Penn. a landlord has 30 days to notify a tenant if he is going to keep any part of the security deposit. Well, the landlord waited 60 days and then sent her a bill for around $2000. The judge dismissed the suit outright, saying the man had no grounds to sue based on Penn. law (in fact, the landlord even told the judge that when my mother left, her apartment was immaculate and there was no smell of smoke anywhere). This just goes to show that tenants must educate themselves about laws in their areas. Had my mother not known about her rights, she could well have paid out $2000 needlessly.

Sara Gebhardt: Good news! Goes to show you why it's so important to be a knowledgeable renter.

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RE: Holiday etiquette: What is the etiquette for gift giving for apartment staff over the holidays? We have several doormen who work on a schedule. Should we give a gift to the one we know best or to the whole desk in general or both? Are there any other standards for this type of thing?

Thanks!

Sara Gebhardt: Generally, there is no standard etiquette in the Washington area. But, if you appreciate the people who work for you, you should recognize them. It doesn't have to be anything big unless you want it to be. For your doormen, a small tip/gift would be good. It could take the form of a gift certificate to a nearby restaurant or store, cash, or even just a card saying thanks. In this case, instead of singling one person out, you could give baked goods or something of the sort that the whole desk in general could share.

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Falls Church, Va.: What do you think of some of the 'apartment ratings' sites on the Web? I've been scanning through some of them recently (I'm thinking of looking for a new place in the next few months, and wanted to get some ideas), but it seems like they're all just places for dissatisfied renters to complain. I'd like to hear the bad things about a complex, yes, but at the same time it seems dangerous to just consider the bad experiences of a couple people, when there are probably hundreds of satisfied people that wouldn't bother to go look for a 'rating' site.

Sara Gebhardt: Your skepticism is good. Compared to the dissatisfied, who are more likely to rant about an apartment online, most satisfied renters would not take the time to rave about their apartment on these sites. But that doesn't mean the negative comments are false either. I think the best way to use ratings sites is to read all the complaints for any building you are interested in living in. When you go to look at it, beware of whatever issues the complainers had... If it's noise or cleanliness, just be on the lookout. I always tell renters to interview other tenants (away from property managers) when they are thinking about moving into a particular apartment. So when you talk to the current inhabitants, ask them specifically about all the issues you found on the ratings sites.

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Silver Spring, Md.: RE: Owning it.
1998 - owned a condo and paid thousands for my new heat pump while my monthly fees kept rising.
2000 - rented apartment in N.W. Leave a note at the front desk to replace burned out light in bathroom.
2004 - own a house in Silver Spring where I just paid thousands for windows and still face a leaky roof and worn out AC.

I made my choices, but renting sure seems nice on some days.

Sara Gebhardt: Thanks for the perspective.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Sara,
I have a troubling problem in my troublesome apartment: a gas leak. I had someone from Washington Gas come out and identify the leak....my building's maintenance person fixed it improperly so I had them come out again. Then I hired (and paid) a plumber to do the job right. Problem is, I can still smell gas! Could it be coming through the vents from another apartment? Thanks!

Sara Gebhardt: Oh my. I am not an expert in gas leaks. I'm glad you're on top of this problem since it is such a potentially dangerous situation. It is possible that there is a gas leak nearby and not directly in your unit. Have you asked your neighbors if they've smelled gas too? That should be your next move.

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Derwood, Md.: Can you give some advice on holiday tipping? We have a live-in property manager and engineer/handyman, both of whom give excellent service. I was thinking maybe $50 a piece? I pay $1350 for a 2 BR apartment, if that makes any difference. Thanks!

Sara Gebhardt: I think whatever you think is a good gesture to show someone that you appreciate their service is fair. What you pay for your apartment probably doesn't matter.

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Silver Spring, Md.: My roommate and I rent an apartment in a large complex. Our maintenance service has been jerking us around for over a week -- a week during which our refrigerator/freezer has been broken. At the end of last week, they came several times a day, assuring us of the next step that was going to be taken. Then nothing would happen. After repeated pestering and calls to our business office, we finally got them to put in a temporary replacement today while they once again try to fix ours. A final resolution won't happen until next week.

Do we have any reparations available to us? We lost at least a hundred dollars worth of food that has spoiled, and we've been spending extra money eating out. Can we ask that they give us gift certificates to the local grocery store? Discount next month's rent? They've been unbelievably difficult and uncommunicative, and as a result, we've been eating poorly and expensively.

What can we do?

Sara Gebhardt: Yes, you can and should certainly ask for these things.

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Augusta, Georgia: I will be moving to the Fredericksburg area in January. I will most likely move into an apartment. Now here is my question: some people have told me that there are salary restrictions in some places! Does this mean "you make too much $, you can't live here", or the opposite? Just want to know before I start the hunt for a place to live.

Thanks,
Ron

Sara Gebhardt: Apartment owners just want to make sure you have enough money to cover the rent. Unless you're looking for government subsidized housing, you will probably not be iced out of housing because of a large salary.

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RE: Gas leak: The person with the gas leak should talk to her neighbors. Also, she should call out Washington Gas to come out again as they can probably figure it out. I had a similar problem last year and after 6 weeks and my CO detector going off, we finally pinpointed to a neighbor's unit a bit down the street who had a worn out furnace. The gas company basically said we were lucky the whole street didn't go up. And not to freak out the person, but she should have a CO detector as well. That stuff builds up and is deadly. And your landlord should be on top of this as well as they could be in serious legal trouble.

Sara Gebhardt: Thanks for the tips. We don't want to freak anyone out, for sure, but a gas leak is a serious problem for everyone... the tenant, the neighbors, and even the landlord.

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Arlington, Va.: Hi Sara,

Do you know where you can find more information on the type of buildings where you buy into the co-op with a large down payment, then have a reasonable monthly payment. I am looking for something in the Clarendon or Courthouse area.

Sara Gebhardt: This is "apartment life," but you should look at the local listings for coop/condo sales in the paper on Sunday and/or call a realtor.

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi Sara,

My lease is expiring soon, and I have been looking at some other apartments. During this research, I found that identical apartments in my building are currently being offered at a monthly rent that is $80 to $100 less than what my landlord has proposed for my upcoming lease.

Is this a common/allowable practice? It seems like the landlord might make existing tenants pay a little more than new tenants, but $80 or $100 per month?

I like the building, but I don't like the fact that I might be paying $1,000 a year more than my neighbor. Is this something I can negotiate with the landlord? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Sara Gebhardt: This is not an uncommon practice. Since you are already a tenant with a lease, your landlord figures you will stay put, even if rent specials to entice new tenants are a better deal. If you do choose to negotiate, be prepared to be denied. It all depends on your landlord and whether or not your building is fully occupied. If your landlord is hurting for tenants, you will have an easier time negotiating.

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RE: Gas leak: No - next stop is to contact Washington Gas again. Not your neighbors. Gas leaks are very dangerous, and should not be treated lightly.

I'm surprised the gas company didn't fix it themselves, but left it to the maintenance folks for your apartment building. When I had a leak in my apartment, the gas company fixed it. Maybe things in Va. are different.

Sara Gebhardt: Gas leak advice.

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Greensboro, North Carolina: Hi,
My dogs smell. Like bad. And they're always leaning into the wall and stuff because they're dizzy. So the paint is stained, but everything smells bad too. Any tips on how to get this smell out? I'm getting ready to move. I don't mind it--but my landlord's going to wig.

Thanks,
Pigpen

Sara Gebhardt: Hmmm. Why are your dogs dizzy? From their nasty smell? And you don't mind? I'd say get some high-power cleaner and get to scrubbing. Maybe bathe your dogs and take them outside. You could also repaint before moving. The strong smell of paint may kill your doggylicious odor.

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Landlord in D.C.: Sara:

I follow your chat regularly and enjoy it a lot. But it seems to me that a lot of your chatters have a lot of animosity toward landlords. Some is deserved I'm sure. But please remember that we're not all bad.

Remember that us smaller landlords usually do all of the fixes ourselves. That means on Christmas day when a tenant stuffs too much down the sink we're the ones that come fix it. We're the ones that absorb the loss when D.C. tenants game the system and live rent-free for months, avoiding paying rent and avoiding eviction. We're the ones that show up for appointments with tenants only to find the tenant found another apartment and didn't have the decency to cancel our appointment (it's been my experience that about 1/3 of tenants just don't show up for appointments).

Other things I personally have had from tenants: human excrement left in closets, Christmas day calls from tenants demanding that I provide a bigger stove be installed immediately so they can cook for Christmas dinner, one tenant signing a lease for a studio apt and then moving four or five friends in during the middle of the night....

We're not all making a fortune out here. In fact, any landlord that bought in the past few years is lucky to break even, as the cost of property is now well above the rental income in most areas.

So, please, folks, don't lump us all together. I am truly sorry that your last landlord wasn't the best. But I'm not him.

A couple of suggestions for tenants:

Keep appointments. It's hard for us to schedule plumbers and such. If you don't bother to be there and you said you would be, it's a big problem.

Be honest. If you plan on moving your boyfriend, his five band members, and eight cats in, tell me in advance.

So, please, I'll view you as an individual if you'll do the same for me.

Sara Gebhardt: I'd say the animosity between landlords and tenants goes both ways. Here's a perspective from a landlord. Seems like a little common sense on both parties’ parts would go a long way.

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Arlington, Va.: Help! I need a place to stay but only for about 6 months. I don't want to stay at Oakwood (cha-ching)...the only place I know of that will allow month-to-month leasing. Is there an on-line apartment-hunting guide out there?
Thanks.

Sara Gebhardt: Many apartment allow shorter lease terms. They may be a little higher-priced. Look at the rental listings on this site and on other general apartment hunting sites. In this transient town, there are plenty of short-term options.

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Bethesda, Md.: I am living in an apartment that just opened this year and is being sold next year. So, all the renters will be leaving after the year lease. To be honest, no one has really lived in the place long enough to need anything (and now they are kicking us all out anyway).

Do we all buy them gifts anyway, even while scrambling for new digs?

Sara Gebhardt: You should only buy your management/maintenance staff gifts if you want to. Doesn't sound like you do.

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Sara Gebhardt: So, that's it for today's session. Always feel free to email me at gebhardts@washpost.com with any of your comments or concerns. And, in the meantime, have a safe and happy holiday season, and I'll see you back here in 2005....January 13, 2 p.m., to be exact.

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