What are the expenses for living in an apartment?

[Oobie119]

cable, internet, phones (regular and cell)
water, power, gas depending on where your moving to.
"trash removal" fee (it may be called something else)
renters insurance, car insurance, license plate renewal (not monthly but still need to consider it), plus the application fee, move in fee and your deposit/pet fee
Find out if you need an exterminator or if they provide one monthly, I highly recommend this since apartments are home to many cockroaches Eww!

[SJP1997]

I would personally suggest Apartment Ratings.com to get an idea of what apartments are like. This is especially good if you live far away from the area you are considering moving to, and going there at all hours isn't an option. You have to take the ratings with a grain of salt, of course, as there are many disgruntled former and current residents who will complain just out of spite. But if you see a consistent complaint from all posters, then you may want to take note.

I agree Rent.com, is another good place for photos of complexes, ditto with Apts.com.

You can usually mount things to the wall as long as you fill in any holes you leave upon your move-out. Of course, it does depend on the landlord, and if he/she has you sign a proper lease. (Most big managed complexes do this, at least in Texas, and usually also the small places, but those can vary a bit.)

Originally Posted by BORGUSX

I was wondering besides paying for foods and rent for living in an apartment, what else are considered to be a need that I have to pay for every single month? Are there sites that you recommend me to read before renting an apartment? Can you mount thing(s) to the wall and/or repaint the wall of your apartment or does it depend on the landlord?

[LandShark99]

Apts gouging tenants on Utilities!

Are you being charged for utilities by your apt complex? Did they tell you that you would get a little water bill from the water company and it would only be about $10 a month or so? Did you ask who the water company was and they named the billing service which sounds just like a utility company? Then you find that the "water company" is a billing service (no surprise there since you know apt complexes don't have separate meters so there is no way for them to meter you) from out of state which is charging you a new account charge and customer charge on top of the Water plus Sewer plus Garbage "sub metered bills" that turn out to be going up $10 a month - not anywhere near $10 a month for the bill as you were told?

Please join with me, Las Vegas Mommy on the Las Vegas forum, Punkynlew on the Atlanta forum and any others we find to fight this gouging of tenants. It's even worse in other states according to what I am reading. I came on here this morning to post to this forum about it but did the search first and found it going on in other states and cities.

Apparently this is a money grab by apt complexes that is catching on nationally. If we don't stand up and fight it now (I say class action lawsuit against the govts that allow it and roll downhill from there). They are misleading the tenants and gouging them. If we can't sue them we can flood the state leaders responsible for allowing this practice with emails, calls and face to face appointments. We could mount a grassroots upheaval that would make them as miserable as we are.

It's time to STEP UP, STAND UP and SPEAK OUT!

Post up your stories after you read the ones on the other forums and let's pull together to get the gouging and even the billing outlawed nationwide!

LandShark99
Jacksonville, FL forum

//www.city-data.com/forum/las-v...ugh-water.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/las-v...ugh-water.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/las-v...ugh-water.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...wer-w-out.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/charl...pay-water.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/tampa...eknow-how.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/austi...apartment.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/orlan...rlando-fl.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/madis...s-madison.html

[LAbleedsBlue]

Laundry was a lot bigger expense than I thought it was going to be when I first moved out on my own.

At my complex, it's $1.50 to wash and $1.50 to dry - and I have a lot of clothes! And then there's sheets and towels that have to be washed too. It's about $10.00 every 2 weeks for me and my SO (together).

You'll also have to pay for the washing detergent, fabric softener, etc. for laundry. And don't forget light bulbs, dish washing detergent, and TOILET PAPER - it gets expensive!

Most complexes do not allow you to paint the walls, just check with your property manager first.

Good luck on moving out!