Move-In Fee

[Finn]

I was looking at information about an apartment my fiancee is thinking about having when we are married next year. I noticed that on one website, it mentions a non-refundable move in fee for $450.

I've lived in three apartments before going back to school, and none of them had a move in fee. Is this unusual?

 

[RoJoHen]

Normally places will require a deposit, which is refundable upon moving out (minus costs for repairs and such). Sometimes places will have a non-refundable fee for pets, but I've never heard of a non-refundable move-in fee.

 

[thestrangequark]

^Broker's fees are nonrefundable, is that what the OP means?

 

[gturner]

Never heard of such a thing, so ....

A reader asks "what is a move-in fee?"

 

[RoJoHen]

^Broker's fees are nonrefundable, is that what the OP means?

No idea. Seems kind of ridonkulous to me.

 

[enlisted person]

If you have doubts about the fees now, I would not move in there. They are going to charge you to move in, plus rent? I rented a place once and I had to sign that the renter would pay for any broken glass. We had a storm one night and it broke out some windows, guess who had to pay for it? I could not wait to get out of that place and away from that crook.

 

[RoJoHen]

For my current place, I didn't sign a lease until 3 weeks after I had moved (my landlord was out of town and let me move in without signing anything). After signing the lease, I learned that I was responsible for the landscaping, and that he would charge me if he had to mow the lawn himself. I had to buy my own fucking lawnmower, too.

 

[Captain Ice]

Some places out here have had a preparation (ie cleaning/painting) fee. These have only amounted to $50 - $100 or so.

 

[Captain Shaw]

For my current place, I didn't sign a lease until 3 weeks after I had moved (my landlord was out of town and let me move in without signing anything). After signing the lease, I learned that I was responsible for the landscaping, and that he would charge me if he had to mow the lawn himself. I had to buy my own fucking lawnmower, too.

Is having to mow the lawn unusual in the USA over here everyone I know who rents has to look after the garden themselves?

 

[JiNX-01]

I was looking at information about an apartment my fiancee is thinking about having when we are married next year. I noticed that on one website, it mentions a non-refundable move in fee for $450.

I've lived in three apartments before going back to school, and none of them had a move in fee. Is this unusual?

Well, I lived in four apartments over the years living in the Albany, NY area and never had to pay a move-in fee. Just a security deposit for damages.

If you have doubts about the fees now, I would not move in there. They are going to charge you to move in, plus rent? I rented a place once and I had to sign that the renter would pay for any broken glass. We had a storm one night and it broke out some windows, guess who had to pay for it? I could not wait to get out of that place and away from that crook.

Well, I hope you bought renter's insurance in your next place. It also covers damage to your own property.

For my current place, I didn't sign a lease until 3 weeks after I had moved (my landlord was out of town and let me move in without signing anything). After signing the lease, I learned that I was responsible for the landscaping, and that he would charge me if he had to mow the lawn himself. I had to buy my own fucking lawnmower, too.

If it's a house, that's no surprise to me.
OTOH, if it's an apartment...

For my current place, I didn't sign a lease until 3 weeks after I had moved (my landlord was out of town and let me move in without signing anything). After signing the lease, I learned that I was responsible for the landscaping, and that he would charge me if he had to mow the lawn himself. I had to buy my own fucking lawnmower, too.

Is having to mow the lawn unusual in the USA over here everyone I know who rents has to look after the garden themselves?

I've never heard of anyone having to do the landscaping and mowing for an apartment.

 

[Canadave]

For my current place, I didn't sign a lease until 3 weeks after I had moved (my landlord was out of town and let me move in without signing anything). After signing the lease, I learned that I was responsible for the landscaping, and that he would charge me if he had to mow the lawn himself. I had to buy my own fucking lawnmower, too.

Is having to mow the lawn unusual in the USA over here everyone I know who rents has to look after the garden themselves?

Generally speaking here, if it's on the landlord's property but not in anyone's unit, it's the landlord's responsibility.

 

[thestrangequark]

Wow, this thread makes me so grateful for my landlord! His upkeep of the whole building is immaculate, he's fixed the few problems we've had within 24 hours, and he takes me out to dinner.

Plus, he's got a great bod, so it's not a bad show when he does household fixes!

 

[RoJoHen]

For my current place, I didn't sign a lease until 3 weeks after I had moved (my landlord was out of town and let me move in without signing anything). After signing the lease, I learned that I was responsible for the landscaping, and that he would charge me if he had to mow the lawn himself. I had to buy my own fucking lawnmower, too.

Is having to mow the lawn unusual in the USA over here everyone I know who rents has to look after the garden themselves?

Generally speaking here, if it's on the landlord's property but not in anyone's unit, it's the landlord's responsibility.

What's annoying about is that the house is a duplex. There's a person living upstairs that, for some reason, is not responsible for mowing the lawn. Also, the fact that I had to buy my own lawnmower was particularly annoying. I don't mind cutting the grass, but the landlord should have provided me with a lawnmower.

 

[Captain Ice]

You should be paying a discounted rate for providing that service too, bud. Think about how much he'd have to pay a landscaper. Is the person upstairs paying the same amount?

 

[Finn]

^Being required to do lawn work while the other tenant isn't is hinky.

I'm starting to suspect the source of that info (it was from one of those apartment search listings", not the company (that owns the apartment complex) website, that might be misleading. I've found listings that showed "no-pet" apartments as pet friendly....

 

[Captain Ice]

^Being required to do lawn work while the other tenant isn't is hinky.

It's not uncommon to give one tennant a discounted rate because he or she is providing a service. As an example, it's fairly common where I live to give the manager or groundskeeper of a larger apartment complex a free apartment for providing the service or charge them half price. It's part of their compensation.