Moving in 2 weeks-- zero luck finding an apartment that allows a three year old child and a small dog! (Boston: buying, tenants)

[bjimmy24]

Sad thing is, this is a potentially interesting discussion. Didn't turn out that way. What a shock.

[eevee]

Wow, I'm shocked by the number of people on here actually advocating for landlords to use discriminatory practices and break the law. I read the post and I saw few, in any, posters saying the OP lie about having a child, just not disclose the the fact right off the bat and to wait until they've qualified under all other means. There's no reason for a landlord to know the age of a child living in their building other than to get around this lead law. Children under a certain age don't count towards occupancy rates, are almost never named on a lease or application, contribute nothing to the household, aren't named in lawsuits against tenants, and are about as relevant as a dog living there, as far as a landlord is concerned. If your credit, income, references, and job are all checked and approved and the landlord changes their mind after learning about your child, then they are breaking the law.

Heck, lying and saying your child is 8yo vs 5yo is morally questionable but NOWHERE NEAR as morally questionable as landlords breaking the law and finding excuses to justify them do so. But in cases like the OP and after reading this thread, I'd recommend people like the OP do that if they're willing to deal with the lead risk (and there are TONS of kids being born and raised in apartments that aren't deceased). I understand it's pricey and that the law is pure BS, but why become a landlord if you aren't willing to invest in your property? Better than popping down cash on granite counters and stainless steeel appliances, IMHO, something landlords seem to have no problems doing (and counters and appliances will eventually need to be replaced vs. one time lead removal). Stainless steel appliances and granite countertops are almost all about aesthetics and deleading is about function yet landlords seem to prefer the former over the latter because it's easier/cheaper in the short term.

[pumpkin114]

Originally Posted by sal1181

Can't believe some of the comments on this thread! Pumpkin114 hopefully you found a place that is suitable for you and your family. Next time someone tells you no kids please report them whether they are a landlord or an agent

I think we found a pretty great place in the end. It was professionally encapsulated to cover lead paint and seems very well taken care of, so that shouldn't be an issue for us Just lucked out with what seems to be a great landlord. I know they're not all bad! I actually managed a rental property myself for my mother when she moved. I've dealt with some interesting tenants and I know myself that my family are pretty fantastic tenants to have.

If our move wasn't on such short notice and we had more time, I'd love to report the particularly jerky ones. We have no solid proof of anything though, of course. Can't record phone conversations without consent. One of the homes we put an application on we believe we were turned down in favor of some young males (would assume they were college kids) who we'd guess were maybe not as ideal applicants in some ways. I'm sure they'd just say they chose them because of amazing guarantors or something else. We don't know who they went with for sure though, can't prove anything.

And in case anyone is curious as to our race? We're unmistakebly white. Especially after this, my heart goes out even more to others who would be discriminated against because of their skin color or anything else.

[GeePee]

@eevee

Why become a parent if you aren't willing to pay for a de-leaded place vs a cheaper non de-leaded?
We can go back and forth here

[Whatsnext75]

So we are terrible people for saying joe shmo landlord should just fork over 20k for someone they don't know with kids who wants to live there?

[pumpkin114]

Originally Posted by Whatsnext75

So we are terrible people for saying joe shmo landlord should just fork over 20k for someone they don't know with kids who wants to live there?

Joe Shmo landlord could just follow the law and not discriminate, then fix up his leaded property if it came to it because that's what he took on when he chose a career as a landlord. He shouldn't have become a landlord if he couldn't afford to buy a de-leaded property or can't afford to de-lead it afterwards-- the counter argument to saying people who have children and can't afford an extra $600/month for a safe property shouldn't have sex/make babies.

Doesn't make you a terrible person, no. Maybe just weirdly pro-landlord/ business.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by pumpkin114

Joe Shmo landlord could just follow the law and not discriminate, then fix up his leaded property if it came to it because that's what he took on when he chose a career as a landlord. He shouldn't have become a landlord if he couldn't afford to buy a de-leaded property or can't afford to de-lead it afterwards-- the counter argument to saying people who have children and can't afford an extra $600/month for a safe property shouldn't have sex/make babies.

Doesn't make you a terrible person, no. Maybe just weirdly pro-landlord/ business.

Businesses over people is the mantra of the right nowadays.

[eevee]

Originally Posted by GeePee

@eevee

Why become a parent if you aren't willing to pay for a de-leaded place vs a cheaper non de-leaded?
We can go back and forth here

GeePee,

Why become a landlord if you aren't willing to invest in your property and follow MA landlord tenant laws.

We have a word for landlords who refuse to maintain their apartments to legal standards and skirt laws: slumlords. Are YOU a slumlord??

PS: I don't have kids but would have zero issue raising a kid in an apartment with lead because I wouldn't allow my child to eat paint or live in a place with badly peeling paint. I would also have zero issue paying more in rent for a deleaded apartment since I realize that it is an investment. If a landlord was willing to delead and it cost them $20K, I would gladly pay as much as $600-800 extra per month over a long term lease. And since finding a deleaded apartment is so hard, I'd likely stay for as long as the LL would let me, reducing the LL costs since there wouldn't be multiple periods of vacancies.

I saw nothing in the OP's original post saying they were looking for a cheap, deleaded apartment and their budget was enough to find options. Not great options as far the commute may go, but they were willing to budge on that and even give away their dog to find a place, so they weren't being unreasonable.

[Whatsnext75]

People still want to help people but not if it's going to cost them 20k that they don't have.

I think you are all naive to think landlords should be helping people the way you think they should be. They are mainly in it for the money. And many DO pay the deleading fees. For the ones who don't I understand why. I'm not sure why you are all taking this so personally. Just find somewhere else to live that is already releaded. It's not as personal as you're making it out to be. Landlords and facilities who didn't get rid of all lead back in 1978. It's gotten worse now because everywhere the safe lead level numbers go down more and more and people freak out.

[GeePee]

Originally Posted by eevee

GeePee,
Are YOU a slumlord??
.

I prefer SCUMBAG