Negotiated my lease, I think

**Josephhgoins** · 06-04-2010, 09:19 AM

So I received a note that my lease was up for renewal and that my new price would be $20 more a month than I currently pay. I sent the manager of my complex a long email stating the current unemployment rate and that it was a 20 year high for the county, I also made sure she knew the GDP shrunk by 2.9% in 2009. I went on to say what a good tenant that I was. That I paid my rent on time every month and they had no complaints from me. I included links to two other complexes in the area that had similiar apartments for $50 less a month.

She replied with a Thank you for the information and allowed me to renew at my current rate. So SCORE!!!

She then went on to say that the value of my apartment was actually $100 more than I was currently paying. They granted me a $96 per month Concession. The fine print reads that if I am late on my rent I have to pay the full amount for the month (what I currently pay plus the $96) and an additional 5% late fee. If I break my lease I will be responsible for the full Consession accrued to date along with 2 months rent.

There was also 36 more pages to the lease that I had to initial and sign covering everything from how I am to park my car in my parking spot to what kind of curtains I am allowed.

Has anyone had any dealings with concessions?

I have the lease and it's signed, I am just wondering if its the right thing to do.

Thanks,

**JoJoBean8** · 06-04-2010, 02:30 PM

Was the curtain and the parking in the original lease or is this something new they added? If it was there to begin with I would sign it. However if this is new stuff they are adding into your lease then I would be looking at some other places to live.

**Greebo** · 06-04-2010, 02:49 PM

I've not seen it put that way before, but they're basically saying, "OK, we'll give you a break, but if you screw up once, you're ours!"

**druthb00** · 06-04-2010, 03:22 PM

I have something similar (I think) on my lease. When we moved in there was a "move-in-special" and we got a half of month for X dollars, which was about 1/2 of what it should have cost. After that 1st half month, our rent was the full amount each month for the remainder of the lease. But, there's a page in the lease we had to sign that said if we were to break our lease, then we would have to fork over that original "concession," if you will, of the X dollars we got off for the move-in-special (along with 2 months rent). It sounds like they are treating your monthly discount in the same sort of manner.

**shoiji** · 06-04-2010, 06:22 PM

No dealings with concessions. But before handing over the lease, ask yourself if you plan on living in the apartment for another year.

**frugalfranny** · 06-05-2010, 01:50 AM

Will you be happy there for another year with whatever was in the 36 page lease?

Whew.......can't imagine what could be in 36 pages!!!

**dcompton** · 06-05-2010, 02:18 AM

Places I have rented have had extremely detailed leases - yes, even down to what kind of curtains are allowed. It seems that at one place I had a similar arrangement, a discount for where I worked or something, but I don't remember the details - it was too long ago. I don't think your lease is all that uncommon.

You want to be there, and they want you there too, but if it all goes sour, they are just covering their bases. Like others said, unless you think it likely you will have to break the lease, I would sign it and be grateful for the concession. If life happens, you have to leave, and have to pay it all back, you won't be any worse off than if you had been paying it all along, and the other penalties for breaking a lease seem pretty normal. You could always chuck that $20 a month in savings just in case, or to ease the pain next year, because I doubt you will get away with this forever!

**Josephhgoins** · 06-05-2010, 09:09 AM

I like the apartment good enough and really like the community. I want my own house down here, but I know that won't happen until at least the end of the lease that I am getting ready to sign.

I thought about moving to one of the other cheaper apartments, but for a year the savings would be $600. I would imagine at best I could break even after the cost of a rental truck, gas, and paying someone to help me move.

Thanks everyone for your input.

**Libby** · 06-05-2010, 10:22 AM

Congrats on getting a better lease

Enjoy your apt for one more year. I agree the $600 for no hassles of moving for another year seem worth it to me. No stress and having to pack up and unpack later right?