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: Good afternoon everyone. Let's get the apartment living party started!
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Washington, D.C.:
Hi Sara, A little help for a fellow Vike?
I'm moving in w/ a friend who may be moving out in December when the lease expires (her roommate broke the lease). Any advice on the cheapest way to find a new roommate? Free online listings?
Sara Gebhardt: I love to help Vikes! The best/cheapest way to find roommates is on www.craigslist.org. Other sites have listings too, but people always swear by Craig's List's success and cost (it's free and you can get as specific as you want in your listings without fearing you'll pay for extra lines).
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Alexandria, Va.:
I am in a situation with my landlord. The townhouse I am renting had racoons in the attic that I have run off, but the smell from the occupation still lingers.
I also have a water leak in the basement that has produced mildew growth.
These items have been verbally told to the landlord but they have not resolved the issues. I am thinking of withholding rent to force them to resolve these issues.
What is the best way to go about a legal recourse.
Thanks in advance
Sara Gebhardt: Put your complaints in writing. BEfore you withhold your rent, you need proof that your landlord has not done his/her best to solve the problems in a reasonable amount of time. After sending the letter, give them a reasonable amount of time--if it's a health issue this may be just a few days--to respond. When they don't, you should probably report the violations to your local housing office. Withholding rent money is usually a last resort. If you do so, you usually have to set up an escrow account and deposit your rent money there until the problems are solved.
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Richmond, Va.:
Sara-
I'm moving to the D.C. area for a new job in a few weeks and I need a roommate. I've asked all my friends in the area and no one knows anybody. Has anyone had a good or bad experience posting for a roommate on websites? How safe is it? What questions should I ask a potential roommate? I've only lived with friends before.
Thanks!
Sara Gebhardt: I've heard that finding roommates on websites is safe. The key to trusting strangers and turning them into roommates is asking the right questions before entering into a roommate situation. If you're nervous about meeting people from an online posting, talk on the phone and email for a while before allowing them to see your apartment. Depending on what is important to you in a roommate, you should ask prospectives about their employment, rental history, cleaning habits, social habits, whether they have significant others who will be around a lot, pets, how long they plan to stay, etc. First you need to know they can pay their rent and then you should figure out if you could cohabitate easily. The more you know, the less surprises. Also make sure to check references.
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Washington, D.C. :
Dear Sara,
I am currently renting an apartment and have a contract on a new condo. I am waiting to hear from the builder to schedule a closing date. They tell me they will be ready to close at the beginning of September, but won't schedule a date. I need to give 30 day's notice to vacate my apartment, and cannot prolong that move out date. I cannot afford to pay rent and mortgage at the same time. Do you have any advice on when to give notice? I am worried that the builder will delay closing and I will be stuck with no place to live. Thanks.
Sara Gebhardt: Since you cannot afford to pay both rent and mortgage at the same time, give notice now and ask your landlord if, after 30 days and your condo's still not done, you can continue to live there paying a pro-rated rent. Explain that you'll give them a specific date as soon as you have one.
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Washington, D.C.:
Sara, what are the rules regarding how much notice a landlord must give before they can send maintenance people into the apartment for non-emergency repairs?
Sara Gebhardt: They vary by state, but usually it ranges from 24 hours to 2 days. Incidentally, some places have no statute--including D.C. and VA, but the assumption is that landlords will give you "reasonable" notice; i.e. 24 hours.
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Washington, D.C.:
Hi Sara,
I'm looking for apartments in a new city, specifically in a roommate situation. I'm worried about handing over a deposit to a roommate without having talked to the landlord or signed onto the lease. Is there a way to protect myself from someone just cashing my check and not letting me move in? I'm looking for apartments in a pretty cut throat environment.
Sara Gebhardt: Why are you looking for apartments in a cut-throat environment? Isn't it your own environment? Ask to put yourself on a lease and you can protect yourself. Or, if that's not possible, ask to pay for the first week to reserve your place in the rental unit and then pay the rest when you move-in.
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Alexandria, Va.:
I live in a garden-style apartment complex on the edge of woods, and my cats go outside (that's a major reason I picked my location). My neighbors often stop by to tell me how sweet they are and will give them good rub downs. The other day I was petting one of them and noticed something shiny in her back. It was a bb gun pellet embeddeded in her skin!!! Someone shot my cat!
Other than the fact that this is horribly cruel and mean, an office mate suggested that they cat probably deserved it because they were outside. Am I crazy here, or is shooting a pet with tags and collar never reasonable - you could call me and say they're bugging you!
Thank you for letting me vent. My kitty is fine, and I'm probably more worked up than she is.
Sara Gebhardt: Oh my. It sure is a dangerous world out there, even for a harmless little kitty. I'd agree with you. Shooting a cat isn't a good way to complain about cats walking around your complex.
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Washington, D.C.:
Hi Sara,
A year ago I moved out of a group house where I'd signed a lease. A few months after the lease expired, I moved out. There was no new lease.
What we did was, the four of us who were living in the house put in $ for the security deposit, which got put into a bank account in my name. Then whoever moved in had to "refund" the security deposit to the person who was moving out.
Got it? Ok, here's where it gets sticky: The four people living in the house now want to move out soon, and because the landlord has proven to be so lackadaisical about refunding the initial deposit, they figure they can just not pay rent for a month, let the LL keep the deposit, and call it an even break.
I'm afraid it would hurt my credit or something. Should I say no to that plan?(They asked me, cause we're still friends.) Thanks!
Sara Gebhardt: Landlords don't have to refund the initial deposit until after the tenants move out. The landlord might be confused about returning a deposit to someone who does not live there, so the best way to resolve it is to talk to your former landlord and agree on a solution. Otherwise, you risk the landlord trying to collect money, which may affect your credit.
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RE: Cat shot by BB gun:
There is no excuse for anyone shooting a harmless animal, but you should really consider keeping your cat indoors. My condo community is on garden style on the edge of the woods, and owners are prohibited from letting their cats roam free. Whatever the rules are in your condo, there is someone out there who is a danger to your cat, and you would be irresponsible to let your cat out knowing this.
Sara Gebhardt: An opinion on the responsiblity of cat owners.
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Washington, D.C.:
In response to the chatter's question about notice for repairs and such. I'm a D.C. landlord with about 20 properties. I always try to give reasonable notice, but I'm often at the mercy of plumbers or repairmen schedules, and they'll often call and say they're available immediately or not for another 2 weeks. I expect my tenants to work with me in situations like that. And I'll honestly tell you that if tenants insist on a ton of advance notice and start setting complex rules for when I can't get access to their apartments, their items will go unfixed, as in today's heated market for repair contractors I don't have the luxury of working with a detailed and complex schedule. Sure, I'd love to give tons of advance notice, but it's not always possible these days.
Sara Gebhardt: A landlord's perspective on making repairs and giving notice.
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Silver Spring, Md.:
The maintenance crew in my building repainted the AC registers in my unit and got paint on my bed sheets. It's on the side, and is a somewhat small amount, so I can still use them, but I feel I should be compensated for the damages partly because they are expensive sheets and also because they did not warn us in advance they were going to paint. What would be fair, half or one third of what I paid for them (paint is only on the fitted sheet)? Replacement cost?
Sara Gebhardt: You decide what would be fair, and ask for compensation. Presumably had you known painting was going to be involved, you'd have protected your expensive sheets.
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New Jersey:
The refridgerator, or more specifically the freezer portion, has a damaged for and does not close properly which causes all sorts of problems. Our landlord says that a previous tenant purchased the fridge and therefore we should consider it a perk and can not hold him liable to fix it. This is the same answer that he gave for not cleaning the carpets when we moved in. He is otherwise a very good and accomodating landlord. Are there legal requirements for landlords to take care of things like this?
Sara Gebhardt: I'm not sure I understand. Is it a second refrigerator? How is a refrigerator a "perk." The examples you give does not make him seem like a good and accommodating landlord. Your landlord is required to fix the fridge and should have thoroughly cleaned your apartment before move-in.
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Washington, D.C.:
Are there apartments available for an 18-year-old college student, where rent isn't any higher than $500 with no income requirement?
Sara Gebhardt: It's possible you could find a private owner or a room in a house to rent, but finding your own apartment is unlikely unless you get a co-signer on the lease.
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Adelphi, Maryland:
Hi Sara,
I live in a garden style apt and have terrible neighbors. They scream and thump all hours of the night and into the morning. The mgmt company has spoken to them more than three times. They are quiet for a while and then right back to loud. I want out, can I break my lease?
Sara Gebhardt: It's difficult to break a lease without penalty. You'd have to prove that the noises you hear violate local noise codes and prove that your landlords are at fault for allowing the noise to occur. The process for tenants who feel they have major cause to break a lease should begin with writing a letter of complaint to the building owner and then filing a complaint with the overseeing regulatory board.
The theory is that landlords need to be given the chance to correct the problems, at least to a certain degree, because it's their duty to create a safe and habitable atmosphere for their residents. If you can make your case, you might have a shot. Have you tried talking to your neighbors?
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RE: College student:
Try your college, most have resources that can help you fine off-campus housing.
Sara Gebhardt: Yes, that's a fine suggestion.
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Silver Spring, Md.:
For the poster from New Jersey about the refrigerator and carpet--In some places, apartments do not come with a refrigerator or other appliances and is the responsibility of the tenant. This is usually made known prior to moving in. Therefore, I could see if problems with the refrigerator were not the responsibility of the landlord. I lived in an apartment in Los Angeles where I purchased all the kitchen appliances.
The carpet I'm not so sure about, but I would double check on the refrigerator in the lease agreement.
Sara Gebhardt: Well, the lease should state as much.
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RE: D.C. landlord:
If the landlord has that many properties, you might want to consider hiring a qualified full- or part-time employee or two to handle most of the routine repair work.
Otherwise, he/she may want to be careful about the 'tude that items will go unfixed if the tenant doesn't assent to entry without proper notice. While the tenant can't unreasonably withhold consent for entry (can't pile rule after rule on the landlord), the landlord is bound by law to provide the proper notice in the proper form and can't just blow off any tenant who objects to entry because they didn't receive that notice.
Sara Gebhardt: Very well put.
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Fairfax, Virginia:
I'm looking to move out of my apartment at the end of my lease and I asked the management company about notice and they told me 60 days notice. They never gave me a copy of my lease so I can't check it...but is that normal? It seems a bit excessive.
Sara Gebhardt: Sixty days is normal. Usually notice ranges from 30 to 60 days. Incidentally, you should alwyas get a copy of your lease upon move-in. If you don't have it, you can ask for another copy.
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RE: Cat shot by BB gun:
Cats that are allowed to roam outside can not only be shot, but they can also get hit by a car, get hurt in fights with other animals, and get sick with diseases and infections. The average life span for an outdoor cat is 7 years, but the average life span for an indoor cat is 14 years. Take it from a cat person who's seen it all - keep your kitties inside!; As long as they have a window to watch the birds, they'll be happy.
Sara Gebhardt: Another cat comment. But how do you know that cats get more out of staying indoors and watching the action outside? Just because they live twice as long doesn't mean they'd rather stay inside.
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Alexandria, Virginia:
I saw an old column about snow removal. I just moved into a garden style apartment that houses exposed stairs and halls that connect the buildings. (It's roofed, but open to the elements.)
In your column you said that the leasing company is bound to make a safe environment in reasonable amount of time, but does that include these hallway and stair areas in addition to sidewalks and parking lots? Chances are there won't be much snow on these areas, but what if we get another freaky blizzard? Thanks!
Sara Gebhardt: Yes, that includes stair areas and hallways that are exposed to the weather.
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washingtonpost.com: Apartment Life (Post - Feb. 20, 2004)
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To the cat owner::
If a cat leaves a rosebud on my doorstep, using a BB gun instead of something more lethal might be a sign that the neighbor was showing restraint.
Sara Gebhardt: Ooooh, cat hatin'!
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Anonymous:
Month to month renting/30 days notice.......It's a long story why, but the short question is: In a month-to month rental situation - is thirty or sixty days the standard notice you need to give to vacate?
Thank you! And thanks for you great chats by the way
Sara Gebhardt: Month-to-month means just that. Thirty days notice s all you need to give, or get (from a landlord), to move out.
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Sara Gebhardt: Well, folks, thanks for another great discussion. I'll see you back here on September 2. If you have pressing issues before then, feel free to email me at gebhardts@washpost.com. Take care!
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