apartment lease question pls help me thanks (apartments, how much)

[honestgirl12]

Hey guys i have a question.

I moved into an apartment about 7 months ago. I signed a 7 months lease. During april i started visiting the apartment office asking them how much it will cost to renew my lease after it ends . i was always told the manager is not around or the manager eill send that to me by mail. I was there one days asking the same question and i was told since i signed a 7 months lease that if i decide to sign a 12 month lease that it should be cheaper than my current rent. So i was way calm waiting for the lease renewal notice and yesterday someone in my house opened my door and a paper fell on the floor ( my lease ends in august). The paper was dated in may?? But was delivered yesterday. It was a letter from the manager telling me that the lease will br increasing by about 200 and by about 400 for month to month lease. I am so pissed because i feel duped .. They kept beating around the bush for months and now yesterday i get a letter dated may but delivered yesterday at my door saying that my lease has increased.. The sad thing is the apartments next to it are in the $900 range for a one year lease but this one is in a$1200 range for a one year lease. This is not a luxirious apartment compared to the ones next to it .. The only difference is it has a washer and dryer which i can lease for just $30. Please advice me on what i can do (i know i cant get full legal advice here but anything will help). My lease ends in less than 2 weeks. If i had received this letter early i would have given the notice way earlier due to the price.. They assured me the new lease should be cheaper than my current

Thanks so much

[DSL_PWR]

Did you get anything in writing prior to receiving the notice on your door?

If not then you're SOL.

[honestgirl12]

Originally Posted by DSL_PWR

Did you get anything in writing prior to receiving the notice on your door?

If not then you're SOL.

Unfortunately i did not because i was always told by the staffs that it was onky the manager that could discuss my lease renewal with me. I spoke to the manager before i received this letter and he told me i should be getting something in the mail very soon and now this is what i received 2 weeks before my lease is up.. Apart from that i am curious why the apartment will date the letter (may 29th) instead of (july 22nd), this is very fishy
Thanks for replying

[diggity101]

It doesn't really matter when the letter was dated. Once your lease term is up, they can increase the rent to whatever they want. You can renew at a negotiated rate or go on their "month-to-month" rate which is usually a rip-off.

It's a tough lesson to learn, but you really needed to get something in writing at the time your notice was required in order to avoid these games they play.

Are you required 30 or 60 days notice?

[honestgirl12]

Originally Posted by diggity101

It doesn't really matter when the letter was dated. Once your lease term is up, they can increase the rent to whatever they want. You can renew at a negotiated rate or go on their "month-to-month" rate which is usually a rip-off.

It's a tough lesson to learn, but you really needed to get something in writing at the time your notice was required in order to avoid these games they play.

Are you required 30 or 60 days notice?

I have to give them a 60 days notice and if i go for month to month for the 60 days i will have to pay about $1700 a month for a one bedroom... I feel so angry and sad....
Thanks for replying

[scorpsman]

Check your actual lease document, but I bet they have to give you 60 days notice as well for the amount of the month to month cost. That sounds to me like why they dated the letter May 29th. If you didn't receive it until July 22nd, then I would think you have a case to have no increase in rent until 60 days from July 22nd. But read your lease document to see what it says.

[diggity101]

I'm not sure about the lease you singed, but the TREC one only requires 30 days notice for rent increases.

[trbstang]

Yes, they got you. My boss had the exact same thing, a $200 increase on a new 12 mo lease, or $400 on a month to month on her townhome that she was renting for $1300. She is in the process of looking to buy a home and was able to negotiate a 6 month lease for the $200 increase only.

Just realize for the future, GET IT IN WRITING and keep after them if you don't get to talk to them. If the contract states you have to give them a 60 day notice to vacate, then they really need to tell you what the new lease rates are before 60 days so you can decide to stay or not. That is why the letter was dated May so they would be "in compliance" with the law. They are going to swear they gave it to you in May, even if they did not.

Edit: I just read the comment on the 30 day rent increase in the standard contract. You will have to read yours and find out what it says, but it makes no sense to be able to do that. This is probably why they kept putting you off.

Good luck! Hopefully you can work something out with them so your increase is not too much, or plan to move.

[honestgirl12]

Thanks everyone i will discuss with them... I will make sure everything i do now is in writing (in important stuffs ) to prevent this from happening again... Very unfair of them...

Thanks