Rent Increase....not acceptable!! Need Advice

[SoulVein]

What is the name of your state? Arizona.

Hello, I have lived in this apartment in Chandler, AZ and i am ful;lfilling my first entire 12 months (1 year with no problems on payments i have been perfect you could say with payments). And today my wife and I just got this letter on our doorstep that says:

"May 11, 2006

Dear Resident(s),
As you're probably aware, the end of your lease is comign near. please accept this letter as a formal invitation to renew your lease. A rent increase of $51 would take place 7/1/06. Monthly rent discounts are available depending on the lease term chosen. In Addition, a renewal offer of two weeks free is being offered to those who sign 12-month leases. Renewal incentive offers are good through May 31, 2006. please contact the office so we may begin preparation of your paperwork.
As a reminder, your lease will roll over to a month to month lease at the rate of $704 beginning 7/1/06 unless you have provided a 30 day written notice of your intentions to vacate or a renewal is signed.
Thank you
Community Manager""

We feel we do not deserve a monthly increase that will be come a consistant monthly amount of this type also because my wife and I have a newborn baby now thats bearly turning 1 month old. What can i request from them, or negotiate with them?
Their offers of two weeks free is rediculous and not good enough from us showing good face this year. we first want to keep our same rent monthly amount of $684, plus we shoudl be getting actually one month free as an example.

paul

 

[enjay]

Paul, is this your first apartment? Rates generally go up every year, and the percentage of increase varies depending on where you live.

 

[averad]

The apartment complex isn_t legally required to care about you, your family or your money situation when writing a new lease agreement.

Your options are negotiate, move or pay.

This must be your first appartment.

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state? Arizona.

Hello, I have lived in this apartment in Chandler, AZ and i am ful;lfilling my first entire 12 months (1 year with no problems on payments i have been perfect you could say with payments). And today my wife and I just got this letter on our doorstep that says:

"May 11, 2006

Dear Resident(s),
As you're probably aware, the end of your lease is comign near. please accept this letter as a formal invitation to renew your lease. A rent increase of $51 would take place 7/1/06. Monthly rent discounts are available depending on the lease term chosen. In Addition, a renewal offer of two weeks free is being offered to those who sign 12-month leases. Renewal incentive offers are good through May 31, 2006. please contact the office so we may begin preparation of your paperwork.
As a reminder, your lease will roll over to a month to month lease at the rate of $704 beginning 7/1/06 unless you have provided a 30 day written notice of your intentions to vacate or a renewal is signed.
Thank you
Community Manager""

We feel we do not deserve a monthly increase that will be come a consistant monthly amount of this type also because my wife and I have a newborn baby now thats bearly turning 1 month old.

Doesn't matter - this is your problem, not theirs.

What can i request from them, or negotiate with them?

Anything you want. But it doesn't mean they have to accept it, or even negotiate at all.

Their offers of two weeks free is rediculous and not good enough from us showing good face this year. we first want to keep our same rent monthly amount of $684, plus we shoudl be getting actually one month free as an example.

paul

I don't know why you think you're entitled to 1 month free.
However, you haven't said what their "discount" would be if you sign a 12 month lease.

According to the text you entered above, the rent will go up to $704 per month, month-to-month (that's not $51 - interesting). Assuming $704 per month with 2 weeks free, you will actually be paying $112 less per year ($684*12=$8,208 as opposed to $704*12=$8,448-$352 (2 weeks) = $8,096)

In light of this, you should be happy

 

[Who's Liable?]

What is the name of your state? Arizona.

Hello, I have lived in this apartment in Chandler, AZ and i am ful;lfilling my first entire 12 months (1 year with no problems on payments i have been perfect you could say with payments). And today my wife and I just got this letter on our doorstep that says:

"May 11, 2006

Dear Resident(s),
As you're probably aware, the end of your lease is comign near. please accept this letter as a formal invitation to renew your lease. A rent increase of $51 would take place 7/1/06. Monthly rent discounts are available depending on the lease term chosen. In Addition, a renewal offer of two weeks free is being offered to those who sign 12-month leases. Renewal incentive offers are good through May 31, 2006. please contact the office so we may begin preparation of your paperwork.
As a reminder, your lease will roll over to a month to month lease at the rate of $704 beginning 7/1/06 unless you have provided a 30 day written notice of your intentions to vacate or a renewal is signed.
Thank you
Community Manager""

We feel we do not deserve a monthly increase that will be come a consistant monthly amount of this type also because my wife and I have a newborn baby now thats bearly turning 1 month old. What can i request from them, or negotiate with them?
Their offers of two weeks free is rediculous and not good enough from us showing good face this year. we first want to keep our same rent monthly amount of $684, plus we shoudl be getting actually one month free as an example.

paul

Unfortunately for you everything the LL is demanding is legal in our state... They can raise the rent , and $51 is NOT unreasonable in our state... They are doing everything within the states LL/T laws... They are even informing you more than 30 days, which in AZ is pretty good for a LL...

You can request a free months rent, but will most likely be turned down... It is the LL's decision to give free rent, and two weeks free is pretty gracious. You may not feel it is and feel that your mopnthly on-time payments demand something in return, but that is your feeling and thsu not a legal demand...

You have two options as stated before:

1.) pay the rental increase and sign a new lease or..

2.) give notice to vacate...

If you do not pay the extra rent, they will evict you, and having a newborn PLUS facing eviction is NOT a fun situation...

You can try and fight it, but will lose as everything they are doing is legal... Plus on top of that, AZ is a VERY LL friendly state.

 

[PghREA]

SoulVein,

In case you haven't noticed, the price of everything is going up! You need to read your letter carefully and get out a calculator to run the numbers. It is not as bad as you think.

 

[justalayman]

While you may feel you need to be rewarded for doing what you contractually agreed to, this is not 5th grade and you are not 12. You don't always get awards for doing what you are supposed to. You just get to keep on doing it.

In the adult world it is less about rewards for correct actions as it is punishment for incorrect actions.

Think of it this way. Your reward is the fact the LL never sued you nor attempted to evict you while you lived there. He has now extended the opportunity for you to continue living there, AND offered a bonus of 2 weeks free under certain circumstances.

If you do not like what you are offered, find other living arrangements.

 

[SoulVein]

sorry i've been out. They will give us a 6 month lease option for 23 more dollars increase AGAIN. and then a 12 month for little less increase. Thats still an increase every few months. Are they just gonna keep increasing the end of every lease?

Doesn't matter - this is your problem, not theirs.



Anything you want. But it doesn't mean they have to accept it, or even negotiate at all.



I don't know why you think you're entitled to 1 month free.
However, you haven't said what their "discount" would be if you sign a 12 month lease.

According to the text you entered above, the rent will go up to $704 per month, month-to-month (that's not $51 - interesting). Assuming $704 per month with 2 weeks free, you will actually be paying $112 less per year ($684*12=$8,208 as opposed to $704*12=$8,448-$352 (2 weeks) = $8,096)

In light of this, you should be happy

 

[treese]

Are they just gonna keep increasing the end of every lease?

Legally, they can.

 

[panther10758]

No exp

YOu clearly have no rental experience! This is the norm and a fifty dollar increase is nohting! You have options pay or move its that simple and when you move you will need first month deposits etc. Unless you have issues where you live just pay the rent. Its not Landlords problem you may have troubles with increase he has bills also! YOu can save $50.00 a month to pay this increase if its that bad. Here are some suggestion all of which I have used during tight finance situations. In every case I was still able to pay my bills with NO LATE payments

Lower your cable TV options (remove some pay channels etc)

Movie rentals: We decreased the movies we were renting either through netflix or walk in video store

Groceries we bought lower priced and/or generic items and noticed NO difference

We walked instead of drove to neighborhood store

We had yard sales

These to name a few you can do this easily. BTW rent increase will come at end of lease its the norm get use to it!

 

[ecmst12]

Are they just gonna keep increasing the end of every lease?

Most likely, yes, they need to increase the rent to keep up with inflation and other expenses. If you keep signing one year leases, rather then allowing it to continue as month-to-month, that will protect you from having your rent increased during the term of the lease. Otherwise, they could raise it every month if they wanted (though that's not likely to happen) as long as they give you sufficient notice of the increase (usually 30 days).