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Renters' Rights and Wrongs
Creators Syndicate
FIGHT BACK! BY DAVID HOROWITZ
Renters' Rights and Wrongs
Imagine yourself moving to a new city. You don't know one end
of town from the other, but you have to find a place to live. You spot
an ad for an agency that promises to find the perfect place at the
right price -- for a fee. It may be as little as $15 or as much as
$75. But according to fraud investigators, what some of these "finder"
agencies offer is really no more than you can get for the price of a
newspaper.
The lists of available rentals these agencies provide are often
just copies of classified ads from the papers. The rentals may be
available or they may not, depending on how often the agency updates
its lists. Some agencies have been known to place fictitious rental
listings, with fabulous apartments at ridiculously low rents, just to
lure clients into the agency.
You may get a contract that promises a minimum number of
acceptable rentals within a certain time limit or your money back. But
if you can't find an apartment in the right area at the right price,
then getting a refund may be nearly impossible. They'll stall and
stall until the deadline for filing a refund request has expired. Some
rent- finders will use any excuse or tell any lie to keep from paying a
refund. Your only recourse may be to sue the agency in small-claims
court or file a complaint with the local consumer-protection agency.
But let's say you find a place, the price is right and it's
time to sign the lease or rental agreement. The first thing the
landlord will probably want is some background information -- the name
of your employer, your social security number and a credit check.
That's routine. Owners of rental properties must protect themselves
against fraud by phony renters who move into an apartment without
paying a security deposit then live there rent-free while the owners
go through the laborious process of trying to evict them.
You can also expect to pay a security deposit amounting to two
months' rent for an unfurnished apartment and three months' rent for a
furnished one. (It may be more if you have a waterbed.) That deposit
should be fully refundable if you leave the house or apartment in at
least as good condition as you found it. Landlords are not supposed to
deduct money from that deposit for normal wear and tear or for routine
cleaning when the unit is vacated.
That's just an example (albeit the most common one) of how
disputes can arise between landlords and tenants. You shouldn't go
into a rental agreement expecting trouble. But for your own
protection, you should know your rights as a renter. These rights vary
significantly from place to place depending on local laws.
So, before you even decide on an apartment or house, check with
your local or state consumer protection agency. These agencies often
have printed brochures available that spell our your rights and
responsibilities as a tenant. Finally, be sure you read your lease or
rental agreement carefully. If you're not sure what something in it
means, ask questions. It could save you having to fight your way out of
your rental when it's time to move again.
If you have any questions or comments, please write to David
Horowitz in the Consumer Forum+ (go FIGHTBACK). COPYRIGHT 1995 CREATORS
SYNDICATE, INC.
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