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: Hello, once again. And welcome to another Apartment Talk session.

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Falls Church, Va.: I'm curious what people do to clean up their walls before moving out. I have no problem cleaning/painting marks on my wall (I want my money back!), but when I clean with some soap and water on a rag, there will be a spot left over (from the soap and or rubbing?) that is subtler than the original stain but still visible. And for spots that need repainting, should you ask the rental office for the brand and shade of paint? That seems like an invitation for extra scrutiny on the walk-through for moving out. I'd also hate to buy a whole gallon when I won't need that much.

Sara Gebhardt: I will pose this question to our apartment renters, but I believe that washing walls with cleaning agents such as Spic N' Span works okay. And if you don't want to pay for any marks on the wall, then you might ask the maintenance person (not the landlord) what type of paint was used in the apartment. Sometimes they keep the leftover paint in a storage room or something, and a friendly maintenance person could either check for you, or lend you a small amount. (Also, you need not buy a gallon of a paint at a time. You can buy smaller quanitities, such as a quart.)

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Virginia: I live on the top floor of a three-story garden style apartment building. Last summer I had a horrible earwig problem and I just found my first one for this year. They obviously live outside and wander indoors, so spraying indoors seems like it wouldn't work. My theory is that they live in the gutters and come in through the sliding doors to the terrace. Can I ask the managers to clean the gutters regularly? They spray pesticide in the kitchen quarterly, whether you want it or not, but the earwigs are not in the kitchen, mostly the living room. I hate them and would love any suggestions. Help!;

Sara Gebhardt: Yes, ask away. Definitely ask the managers to clean the gutters and tell them about your earwig problem. Perhaps also ask them if they can spray pesticide inyour living room when they come in to do the kitchen. That is, if you want them to do that. You might also look carefully at your sliding doors and find and cover any holes that might be letting the pests in.

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Deming, N.M.: If I move to the D.C. with my pet pot bellied pig, are there rentals that will let me move in? Or is D.C. strong on no-pig policies (and, yes, I hear you all making your own jokes). Seriously, is this going to be a problem, or are there places around D.C. that are good for exotic pets?

Sara Gebhardt: I would not make jokes about a pot-bellied pig that is beloved by its owner. Good question, and I'm not sure if it will be a problem in the D.C. area. There are certainly pet policies that are more lenient than others, and because pot-bellied pigs are not common pets in this area, many landlords have probably not had experience in this area. You could always try to find an apartment that allows pets of a certain weight rather than species and see what happens. Maybe one of our readers can help with information about about keeping exotic pets in rented spaces?

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Anytown, USA:
Walk throughs: What's a reasonable expectation of cleaniness for a manager in terms of doing a final walk through when a renter moves out? For instance, why should I as the renter have to vaccum the carpets if they are going to be professionally cleaned anyway?

Sara Gebhardt: You are expected to leave your apartment "broom-swept." It doesn't have to be spotless or dirtless, but it has to be clean enough to be evaluated. You should vacuum the carpets even if it seems redundant, just so you show your landlord that you kept your place in good condition and deserve your security deposit back.

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Falls Church, Va.: It seems to me like everyone has a different view on this: should you take laundry out of the dryer that has been in there too long? I think it's completely appropriate, but my complex recently put up a sign asking people not to do it.
Everyone hates doing laundry, so if someone is going to be slow or forgetful, their stuff needs to be removed. Right?

Sara Gebhardt: You pose a very good question that touches on apartment etiquette. Some people are absolutely uncomfortable with other people touching their slinky undies or any of their clothes for that matter. And others, as you've mentioned, just want to use the dryer and don't want to wait for a neighbor who forgot about their cycle to finally remember. I'd say people should be on top of their laundry cycle so as not to face this dilemma. And if not, there should be a grace period designated--perhaps 5-10 minutes--before others remove their clothing. What do you all think?

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Arlington, Va.: Hi Sara. My husband was added to my lease as an occupant of my apartment. He has recently been issued a military transfer order, and I am moving with him. If my husband is an occupant of my apartment, do you think that I can break my lease early using his orders without incurring a penalty?

Sara Gebhardt: This might be possible. If you can prove that you cannot pay your rent without the help of your occupant, you will have a good case. Your husband is obviously off the hook, due to his military transfer order, and there would be no question if he were the lessee that you could get out of the penalty for breaking a lease. But, if you can prove that his move makes it a hardship for you to continue paying the rent, you may be able to get out of the penalty anyway. Who knows... you might have a nice landlord who will release you from obligation anyway. Doesn't hurt to ask after you've done your research.

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Arlington, Va.: I live in a rather large apartment building in Arlington, and for the past few weeks, there have been signs posted all around the building saying that the fire alarm is out of service and that we should call 911 in case of fire. I can understand the need for this while the fire alarm is being fixed, but it's been weeks and no signs of progress...is this legal? It seems that there should be some building code requiring them to maintain a functioning fire alarm system for a 20-story residential building. Thanks.

Sara Gebhardt: I'm no lawyer, but my hunch is that you're right to think something's mighty fishy.A functioning fire alarm system is extremely important. Call your local fire department and perhaps your housing authority to inform them of this problem.

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Alexandria, Va.: I've lived in my apt. for 8 years, been a model tenant, no late rents, complaints, anything. I would like to move my bf in to live with me. We filled out an app. to add him to the lease. He has had some bad credit experiences (id theft), which we were up front about, but he has a great job, at which he has been employed for seven months, and absolutely no debt. Management comes back to me that there are problems with his credit (we're working with banks to clear up the id theft issue, and have letters to indicate so; it takes a long time, and it's an incredible hassle), so they can't, at this time, add him to the lease. This seems ridiculous and unfair -- he has no debt, he has a job, the amount of rent hasn't changed, and I will continue paying the rent like I have for the past eight years with the money from the excellent job that I've had for the past 14 years. I don't think we should have to spend the next two months dealing with credit agencies just so he can have a roof over his head. We are both male, I suspect it would have been very easy if I had said that I wanted to add my wife to the lease. Any thoughts?

Sara Gebhardt: Hmmm. My thought, initially, is to move out and into a place where both of your names can be on the lease. With good credit, no debt and identity theft issues, a different landlord would likely have no problem putting your boyfriend on the lease. IF eight years as a model tenant doesn't engender any loyalty to you from your landlord, I'd say you owe your landlord and that apartment no loyalty either.

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Washington, D.C.: Any thoughts on those air cleaners sold at electronic stores (Ionic Breeze), etc.? They cost b/t $300 and $500 but if they really do what they say, I think it might be worth it for an old dusty apartment. Please advise.

Sara Gebhardt: I have no personal experience but have heard that these machines work very well. They better at that price. Anyone have one?

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Arlington, Va.: Hi Sara- Submitting early due to a work meeting. This Saturday a friend and I are going to look at a few apartments to rent. Do you have any tips or suggestions on getting the best deal? Will the complex negotiate rates with you? Are you aware of any special apartment deals going on in Arlington? Thanks in advance for your help!

Sara Gebhardt: A lot of people are asking about negotiating. In order to find the best deal, you need to do a lot of research. As far as special deals go, the weak renter's market is strengthening and there are less deals to be had. Some experts are predicting that landlords are going to stop waiving security deposits, giving three months free, or making other concessions by the fall. So, if there are deals, it's best to find them now (by print advertisements, word of mouth, hitting the pavement). And you can ask for concessions, just be prepared to find landlords who don't need to give anything away to fill vacancies.

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Silver Spring, Md.:
Re: Abandoned laundry. 10 minutes. The laundry should be put where it will stay clean (not on the floor).

I would add that one should leave your laundry basket by the machine if you leave the laundry room but maybe that's a bit much.

Now that TV sweeps are over, there may be fewer abandoned dryers in apartmentland.

Sara Gebhardt: Good point. Laundry need not be thrown on the floor, regardless of how careless its owner has been in collecing it.

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RE: Laundry Issue: Such a pet peeve of mine! My laundry room is always busy - I once walked in to find someone taking my clothes out of the dryer before the cycle was finished because he wanted to use it. I think a 15 minute grace period is perfectly acceptable. Oh, last time I did my laundry, I found giant underpants that weren't mine when I was folding my clothes! Advice - look twice and don't leave anything behind in the machines...

Sara Gebhardt: More laundry talk...

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RE: Electronic Air Purifiers: I have an Ionic Breeze and it seems to work well. Don't bother using if you're a smoker, as within a short while the exterior of the unit gets brown and yucky because of the smoke being pulled toward and through it ... and the exterior housing is very difficult to clean (tiny slats).

Sara Gebhardt: Ionic Breeze user weighs in:

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Re: laundry: Absolutely, take the laundry out of the dryer and put it on top of the dryer so you can use the dryer yourself. It is very inconsiderate of people to leave their dry clothes in the dryer for indefinite periods of time. And realistically, don't we all know we are risking someone removing our clothes from the dryer if we leave them there unattended?

Sara Gebhardt: Realistically, yes, it is a risk many apartment-dwellers take, but that doesn't mean they don't still get annoyed by it. Blame it on human nature. Not all dryers are stand-alone objects, so just be sure not to put the laundry in a dirty place (i.e. the floor).

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RE: Laundry: I think a 10 minute grace period is fine. If you live in a building with only 4 washers and dryers and you have used them all up, you should expect other tenants to move your laundry!!!

Sara Gebhardt: Ooooh. A gripe about monopolizing the laundry machines.

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RE: Cleaning the walls upon move-out: I find that art gum erasers (the tan ones that crumble upon use) are very good at removing scuffs on walls. They don't leave marks on paint like detergent and water or regular, pink pencil erasers. Art gum erasers are available cheaply in art supply, craft, and teaching supply stores. Be sure to vacuum the crumbled portions of the eraser from the floor.

Sara Gebhardt: I have not thought about art gum erasers in years.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Re: Laundry: I think after about 10 to 15 minutes you should be free to remove others' laundry from the dryer. In my apartment there are only two sets of washers/dryers for four floors' worth of people, and I think it's very rude to keep finished laundry in the dryer for hours when other people need to use it as well. If you don't want others touching your clothing, then take it out yourself in a timely fashion.

Sara Gebhardt: Seems to be a consensus that people know they need to attend to their laundry in a timely manner.

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Anytown, USA What about the carpets?: Hi Sara, Thank you for taking my question. I recently moved out of my apt after 6 full years. The carpet was pretty hammered and needs to be replaced. However, my landlord wants to keep my whole $600 deposit because he says the carpet was in good condition when I got the apt. Admittedly it was in pretty good condition, but my feeling is, after 6 years, it should be replaced anyway. Nothing was spelled out in my lease. What do you recommend?

Sara Gebhardt: I recommend taking this issue up with your landlord. You are allowed normal wear and tear, and it is fair to say that in 6 years, a carpet could go from good condition to "hammered" through no fault of the tenant. If your landlord doesn't budge even after you cite the normal wear and tear rule, you may tell him that you plan to take the issue to small claims court, where you have a good case--assuming the carpet hasn't been stained and there is no proof that you intentionally battered the thing.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Hi Sara,
My roommate and I want to renew our lease for another year. We are making an appointment with the leasing office to negotiate rent. I'm pretty sure that we are paying the current market rate and we really don't want our rent to increase so we're trying to prepare as much as possible. Do you have any suggestions or bargaining techniques for us? How should we arm ourselves? What type of questions/challenges are they going to throw at us?

Sara Gebhardt: In terms of negotiating, you should definitely see what units in competing buildings in your neighborhood are going for. By renewing for another year rather than going month-to-month, you can tell your landlord that you are ensuring an apartment occupied by good tenants who pay their rent on time. They may not ask you any questions and may want to increase your rent anyway. The key is to decide what you are willing to pay to stay and then stick to it if they say no. Most landlords know that current tenants do not want to go through the hassle and expense of moving and finding another apartment and will usually agree to paying the rental increase. Offer to compromise if they are reluctant to negotiate.

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D.C.: I don't think you can legally keep a pot-bellied pig in Washington, D.C. proper. The city actually has a (very short) list of what animals are legal to keep as pets, as opposed to allowing anything that's not on a list of excluded animals. So New Mexico may want to stick with the suburbs, and check with the counties and states before moving here.

Sara Gebhardt: I am not sure about the restricted pets. If the original poster wants to email me, I can get an answer about potbellied pigs in D.C.

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Carpet Follow Up - Original Poster: I had several small stains and a few small holes in the carpet. But keep in mind this was a tiny studio so there was only a very small area that got all the traffic!; I don't even know if it will cost the landlord $600 to replace the carpet but he seems to think he is entitled to it because it definitely has to be replaced.

Sara Gebhardt: It still sounds like normal wear and tear to me.

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RE: Cleaning up & moving out: I've had great results with the Mr. Clean
Magic Eraser. It's a sponge-like cleaning
thing that removes marks, but doesn't
leave any wet marks on the wall. You can
pick up at the supermarket or Target. No,
I don't work for them -- just a satisfied
customer.

Sara Gebhardt: Another vote for erasers.

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Air cleaners - Ionic Breeze no!: Someone asked about the ionic breeze...and consumer reports basically said they were useless! The recommended the Friedrich C-90A, Kenmore 83202 83200, Whirlpool AP51030HO, and Bionaire BAP-1300 Holmes HAP675RC.
I noticed that Costco has Whirlpool Whispure Air Purifier with True HEPA Filter for $229.99

Sara Gebhardt: An opposing opinion about the Ionic Breeze. Doesn't seem like this poster has first-hand experience, but there are others that the original poster can look into.

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Scuffed Walls - A Miracle Cure!;!;: Get the new Mr Clean Magic Eraser - it got stuff off my walls that have been there for years and I thought would never come off!;!;!;

Sara Gebhardt: Wow. WE have a lot of eraser fans. Thanks.

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Alexandria, Va.: To the person asking about the pot-bellied pig...You should check local statutes regarding what is considered an exotic animal, pot-bellies are noted in some areas. Also, make sure to ask the property owner/manager specifically about the pig, don't just assume it will be permitted if they have a weight only statement in their lease (which I've never heard of.) Good luck!

Sara Gebhardt: Right. The idea of not asking the property owner is one in which a tenant sort of sneaks a pig in and pretends it's a dog. Not that I'm advocating that, of course. I think the more communication you have with a property manager up front, the less problems you will have. I will definitely look into this exotic animal question for a future column.

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Sara Gebhardt: Okay, folks. That's it for today's session. Thanks for all the comments and questions. I welcome email at gebhardts@washpost.com, especially from exotic animal owners and miffed apartment laundry-users. I'll be back here, same time, same place on July 1. Until then, happy renting.

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