My apartment complex sent me a letter saying my lease was up mid-May and that my rent would increase from $840 to $865 at that time. This was my reply:Management of [complex name],
I am writing in response to your recent letter regarding the renewal of my lease and rent increase that would come of it. I realize that I moved in to this apartment during the height of the housing market in Phoenix and said housing boom is now over. At the time, I knew I was leasing an expensive property but believed, at the time, that the unit was worth the cost.
Since I moved in, however, I discovered just how low the quality of an apartment this is. Here are some examples:
- Poor insulation: The apartment is very bad at retaining a temperature, resulting in very expensive heating and air conditioning bills. In the summer, I can leave the door closed to my walk-in closet and the heat that comes down from the roof is enough to make it over 85 degrees. This room has no circulation or outward facing walls so the heat can only be the result of poor insulation. Additionally, I can even feel air through both my balcony door and my front door on windy days.
- Poor heating: The electric heater is inefficient and generates high heating bills. This past winter, it stopped generating heat. It was blowing air but not actually warming it (further adding to my electric bill.) I turned it off and called in a repair. When I returned the following day, the unit was on but blowing unheated air again. I was nearly three days without heat.
- Poor air conditioning: The layout of the apartment and location of the thermostat often make for an apartment that is warm in one location but cool in another. Fans must be running to circulate the warm and cool areas. Last summer, the air conditioner failed to cool the air and I was two days without cooling in worst heat of the summer.
- Poor fixtures and counters: The kitchen counters appear to have been painted with cheap wall paint prior to my arrival. They are matte white and have a grainy texture to them. They stain easily and require a lot of bleach to clean. The bathroom sink appears to have been damaged then poorly repaired. There are white areas where damage spots were patched, but these spots do not cover the rust underneath. Rust remover must constantly be used to keep the sink white.
- Poor carpeting: The carpet is worn down and unattractive.
- Aging appliances: The washer often stops mid-cycle, requiring a manual restart. The dryer does not have a low heat cycle, so delicates must be air dried or risk damage. The dishwasher does not function too well either, often requiring hand-washing AFTER going through the dish cycle.
- Rising crime: A week doesn’t go by without hearing gunshots and watching police helicopters circle over or very near to this complex. While I have yet to be the victim of a crime myself, I see on the Phoenix City UCR Crime Maps that this area is in moderate danger of both property and violent crime. I keep myself safe and insured, but do not wish to pay luxury rent prices for merely adequate safety.
- Lack of included utilities: Many apartments include water, sewer, and trash in the rent, but the seperate billing of these services is both annoying and a poor value. This is especially considering that I am billed a share of the building's total use instead of by my actual use.
Given the issues above, I am unwilling to renew my lease at the requested amount. If I were provided with new counters, carpet, fixtures, and appliances and had the insulation professionally inspected, I would be willing to pay the amount requested. With the unit in its current condition, I would be willing to renew my lease for no more than $800 per month: the middle of the range of currently advertised prices on Rent.Com. If any of these options are acceptable to you, let me know. I am sure that we can work out something.
Thank you,
Daniel Gentleman
Apt.###
###-###-#### (my phone number)
Attachments:
Original lease agreement
Letter on Feb. 14, 2007
Rent.Com listing
