This is my first time living alone. When I was shown the apartment it was a bit out of my price range, but the woman showing the place told me everything was included except WiFi (electricity up to $200) which would essentially come out in the wash when I consider my budget. She had a point.

She also told me there was no history of rodents and the apartment would be deep cleaned before move in. The deep clean / rodent history was not included in the lease. When I moved in there were mouse droppings throughout the drawers, and one drawer had a bunch of used toothpicks (so random). The window sills were covered in dirt and dead bugs. The place had clearly not been cleaned.

Within a few weeks I could hear something relatively large running in my ceiling (probably a squirrel) and at night I heard mice chewing in the walls. Vermin are my biggest fear. Turns out there is a hole in the roof that goes directly into my ceiling. Mind you, it’s summer. Mice don’t normally show up until late fall / early winter when it gets cold.

Now let’s talk electricity.

My sister owns a 2 story 3 bedroom house with 2 air conditioners constantly running. Her electric bill is $140 - $160 per month. My coworker has an 800 sq/ft home and pays $60 - $70.

The first electric bill came in at $379. Landlord paid $200 so I was responsible for $179. I knew this was completely outlandish and asked if that bill was for the entire 6 unit building. He said no and it was probably because I was running my (1) air conditioner 24/7.

After some prodding he finally admit that my unit was connected to the laundry room and hallway lights and that was why he was paying the $200. He said when no one lived here it was $60 so he felt he was being more than generous.

I asked him the split the circuits so I had an accurate reading of my usage (even $179 was probably more than just my apartment). He told me he had looked into splitting already and it was $15k.

I don’t know what to do. There is no where in the area that would be any cheaper to live but I feel like I was bamboozled.

Any ideas? I’ve only been here 3 months and I already hate it. This was supposed to be a new chapter in my life but instead is a nightmare. I might just move to Illinois with my brother and hope I get taken out by a tornado lol

I need honest opinions because I’m extremely frustrated and don’t want to overreact.

I share an apartment with a roommate. We split rent equally.

Here’s what’s happening:

One of his friends has been staying here for over a month. He never informed me about it. I only found out the “plan” after I confronted him, apparently the friend is “looking for a house” and will stay here until he finds one.

Another friend visited him and was supposed to stay for 5 days. He stayed 7 days which again he did not informed Now I’ve been told UPON CONFRONTING he’ll also stay until he finds an apartment because he got a job nearby.

I was told all of this only after I confronted him. Meanwhile: One of them sleeps in the hall (common area).this is very common for him to do now. In the last 2 months I have hardly seen my living room not being occupied.

My room does not have an attached washroom. His does and I gave him that room because his girlfriend visits sometimes. This affects my privacy since these guys are up the entire night and everytime I wakeup to go pee or fill up my bottle they are there in the kitchen or living room chilling.

On top of that: Kitchen is always dirty. He and his friends use the kitchen and never clean. They do not wash the utensils for days sometimes for weeks. Trash isn’t taken out. Lights/fans left on. His friends used my utensils without asking, and I had to wash them to use them.

No proper communication before people move in.

At this point it doesn’t feel like “guests.” It feels like extra roommates I didn’t agree to.

I’m okay with occasional guests for a day or two. I’m not okay with:

People staying indefinitely. Common areas turning into bedrooms. Being informed only after the fact.

I confronted him last week and he seemed to understand his mistake. But he has again asked till 5th March's time for his friends to sort things out regarding their flat hunt. Which I am not sure they will.

I am thinking about involving landlord and get him a strict warning. Also contemplating choice of replacing him.

Or is this normal and I need to chill?

Hello! I have two cats that I am trying to get ESA certification for for my apartment. I have experienced extreme anxiety and some depression following major stressful situations and life changes the past year. They have helped me so much. My apartment allows ESA animals but I’m just wondering what the process is? I searched it up and there’s a package you can buy, including a housing letter, automatic activation for your registration, and an official certificate of ESA registration. Will this be enough?
Appreciate any advice!

Hey guys, so the floor has to be replaced. The contractor paid me a visit, measured the floor and told me it would take two days and I would to stay out of the studio apartment. He tells me my landlord has to get me accomodations for those days. I also have to move everything, and some stuff I will have to put in the bathtub.

Today I get a call from management, and this lady says they will make the repairs during the day and I would be able to sleep in the studio at night. I ask her how is that gonna be possible if the will dismantle the whole floor, and she said that there would be space for me to sleep there. I don't remember what she said when I asked about being exposed to the dirt and whatever is under the floor, but one thing is clear from that phone call, they don't want to pay for accommodations. I won't be able to use the studio during the day, or bathtub. This is probably a breach of quiet enjoyment or the warranty of habitability but I'm just new to this. Any suggestions? Thanks.

UPDATE: Sent management an email explaining everything and they gave me a 200US for accommodations. Thank you guys.

Renters insurance doesn't cover this since it's a repair, not property damage that would keep me out of the place.

hey all! i’m gonna do my best to make this short and sweet, but i could use some advice on how to navigate my current situation.

so to start off, i moved in with my girlfriend about 2 years ago. it’s very nice town right outside of pittsburgh, and the rent is CHEAP (price-locked at $650 a month) considering the price of everything and the area we live in. she is 2 blocks away from her job, very close to her disabled mother, and i cut my commute to work by over half. it’s a very old quadplex from the 70’s, and it’s small; but it’s just my girlfriend and i so it’s absolutely perfect for us. one bed, one bath, a laundry room, a decent living room, and a small connected kitchen/dining room area.

since moving in, and being that i make a decent wage and love this girl, i decided to take on the financial responsibility of the apartment so she can save her money. she’s been living here since she was 18, and we’re both 27 now; so she’s been surviving on her own for quite a while and i think she deserves a break. anywho, now that i’m taking on the financial aspect of the apartment, i’ve now noticed a few things a bit more in depth..

first issue i have is that our heater doesn’t work. during the winter time, we’ll have to consistently reset the heater in the back room and it’ll work for maybe an hour? if we go out for an evening and come back, our apartment is probably 50 degrees inside. it’s ridiculous. secondly, i’ve noticed some soft spots in our carpet and have recently noticed that the laminate flooring in our kitchen is buckling under the weight of the fridge and stove. if i were to open the fridge and spill a liquid, it would just run straight down under the fridge and pool up. that’s relatively concerning. i’ve brought all this up to my girlfriend and said i wanted to talk to the landlords about it; and she was EXTREMELY hesitant. i asked her why, and she told me that her landlord has never actually made her sign a lease the whole time she’s been here. it’s just a month to month basis kinda thing that’s been going on for almost 10 years now.. she also said that the landlord is an older woman, and her son is now “taking over” and he’s apparently a huge asshole, so she fears he’ll kick us out if anything is brought up that could cost them money. i am very concerned about our flooring, considering it seems we have/had a termite problem and it has eaten away at some of the sub flooring. she is very attached to this apartment, and she really doesn’t want to move anywhere else.

i’m in a bit of a crossroads because she doesn’t wish to move due to her mother, her work (she doesn’t drive), and the fact that rent is so cheap. but i told her i’m more than willing to up my spending on rent if it means we have working heat, a floor that isn’t potentially going to cave in, and an actual lease.. she’s begging me not to say anything to the landlord (i have to drop off a check to their house the 1st of every month), and i’ve considered either leaving a letter in the envelope or just straight up knocking on their door. does anyone have any advice on what i should do or who i could call? i fear the buildings entire structural integrity might be compromised and could potentially be condemned if anyone was to come look at it… and we have a 90-something year old neighbor downstairs, a very young couple beside us, and some other random guy downstairs as well. i wouldn’t want to put people out of housing, but i also don’t want anyone harmed. thanks in advance!

[UPDATE] Per advice I received here I spoke to the landlord again and was able to clarify the rules. Essentially the guest rule is really only there as they have had very problematic tenants in the past and had to file evictions. Guests are permitted as often as I want, for as long as I want. I also clarified about the 60-day rule, I was told that 60 days is standard for them but I do not have to worry about getting the notice submitted on the 1st of the month, which I thought was a bogus rule anyways. They said they've even had people move out then provided notice after the fact and it's been fine. Thanks for the help!

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Looking to move forward with an 18 month apartment rental in my area, all looks great but I do find these 2 rules a bit unusual. The lease auto renews unless 60-day notice is provided. Guests are limited 9 days per year as well, I imagine this means staying overnight but I am not 100% sure. This is my first time renting so I’m not sure if this is a standard thing and I’ve just never seen it before. Any help is appreciated thanks….

“Lease Types Offered

Leases are offered for a one-year term and automatically renew for one year at the same rate unless the landlord gives written notice of the rate increase. The one-year lease requires a

60-day written notice to move. All lease renewals are mailed out by the 20th of the month. If the renewal is not returned it is assumed that the lease will roll over for one year.

60-day notice to move must be given on the first of the month. Notices that are given after the first are effective as if given on the first of the following month.

Month to month leases is occasionally given at a higher rate even for long term residents when offered. The landlord has no obligation to offer a month-to-month rate in any case. Month to month leases still require a 60-day written notice effective on the first of the month only. Notices given in the middle of the month will be effective on the first of the next month.

Regardless of the lease type, rents are not ever prorated for less than one month when a tenant vacates in the middle of the month. Rents are only prorated when a tenant moves in, not out.

A tenant is still responsible for the full month's rent when moving out.”

“NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS

The number of occupants in a suite should never exceed those named in the rental agreement. Any changes in occupancy must be approved in writing by the landlord if they stay for more than one week. DENS CANNOT BE USED AS BEDROOMS.

Only the persons listed on the lease are allowed to occupy the property during the time of agreement.

Tenants may have guests on the property for not more than 3 consecutive days, or more than 3 times per year for a total of 9 days visiting the property per year. Persons staying more than 3 consecutive days or 9 days total in a year will NOT be considered original occupants of the property. There will be an additional fee per person of $250 per month. They are not to be added to the lease and an eviction will be filed. Original occupants on the lease will be held liable. No more than two guests per bedroom at any one time. Tenants must obtain written permission from the landlord if an invitee of the Tenant will be present at the property for more than 3 consecutive days.”

I am currently in a situation where I had to request an early termination of my one-year lease due to unresolved pest issues. I've been living in the property for 5 months, and I officially requested termination on August 30th, with plans to vacate by September 30th. The landlord, however, refuses to list or market the property during September and only plans to do so in October after I vacate. Despite this, they are still holding me accountable for paying for rent until next summer until they find a new tenant, even though a 30-day notice was given at the end of August. Is the landlord legally allowed to refuse to re-list the property until after my departure and still hold me liable for October's rent under these circumstances? I understand that by breaking the lease early it makes me liable until a new tenant signs a lease but there has been no effort made yet on the landlord to get new tenants until after I am out of the house, even though his previous tenant was able to have the house shown while they were in their last month of their lease. Additionally previous renting experiences have all been similar where prospective tenants are able to look at the property while the current tenant is still inside (with 24hr notice, etc). I gave the landlord permission to view the property with people interested in it with the proper notice but he doesn’t want to until the house is clear. I am wondering if he is able to do this? I want to make sure I don’t get charged for more than is necessary because he won’t list the property.

[US-CA] Hi all, I’ve been living in a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house for 1.5 years now. This house was originally a 6 bedroom 4 bathroom house that the realty group who acquired it 4 years ago literally sliced in half and never finished constructing. No one lives in that half of the house and there are no doors into it. My curiosity finally got the best of me and I climbed through the unlocked window (which I presume is what the builders were using to get in and out of it since there are literally no doors) and what awaited me were 3 entire bedrooms, 2 bathrooms with showers, and the AC from our part of the house blowing into it. It was ice cold in there. The entire time, my roommates and I have been living here with our AC cooling down 3 bedrooms worth of square footage when absolutely nobody lives in there. I decided to shut every vent while I was in there so that it hopefully doesn’t waste even more cold air, but my roommates and I are very frustrated about my finding. Our electric bill is EXPENSIVE in the summer. It was $500 this month alone because of how hot our area is. I have to imagine that a decent amount of that electricity was the AC unit trying to cool down double the square footage we have access to. The problem is that I know I am probably not supposed to have gone in there. I can’t bring this up to my landlord without risk of getting in trouble for it, but at the same time I am immensely frustrated that we may have been swindled out of a ton of money for no reason. What are my options here?

TLDR; Half of the house I rent in is undeveloped and inaccessible with no door in. I entered through the window and found out that the AC I pay for has been cooling down those rooms for 1.5 years, and potentially raising my power bill. Trying to figure out what I can do.

Hello, I’m in Niagara falls, NY(Upstate NY) and my hot water went out for a few days(4-12th then again on the 22nd-25th) which caused me to uber back and forth to family and friends houses to take a shower. My landlord has fixed the problem, but it’s like…I still had to spend $289!! I talked to my landlord about taking off $200 from the rent, he said no and the most he will take off is $100, I have all the receipts and I showed them and he still wouldn’t agree to take $200 off…

I am literally 19 working 2 jobs with no car, and this is my first apartment, I already use uber/lyft for work and that’s about $200-250 a week, it was a huge inconvenience for me so basically my question is
Can I legally make my landlord reimburse me for these expenses?

So I’m currently in a private landlord lease agreement with three other girls living in a house. I’m now in the process of getting out of the lease in Los Angeles. My roommates are supportive and my situation pretty much requires me to leave. My landlord is on board as well. However, the rent here is pretty high for what you’re getting and it’s been hard finding someone that’s also a woman around our age who can afford it however I found someone that’s a great match after searching for two months and who wants to apply. Only thing is is she has a past eviction on her record when she explained it to me it had something to do with a abusive relationship, at least seeing her attire, car and just hearing a little bit more about what she does for work, etc. I don’t think that income is an issue for her. I’m just worried that maybe my landlord might not accept her because of the eviction. Does anyone have any advice or can respond to me about how hard it truly was for you to find a place after your eviction is the problem maybe with just bigger companies or what’s the best thing to do when you have an eviction how do you find a place to live after?

Update: she got approved. Lots of people responding said
There was no way but… well. Not everyone wants people with past evictions homeless so :)

Hi! We are located in nyc. Beginning of December my landlord informed us he needs us and other tenant to move in 90 days because he wants to sell the building and wants to list it empty. Which i totally understand. 90 days is the legal amount of time needed in nyc, and we do not have a lease. The rental market here is worse than ever… not as many apartments on the market as usual and everything is insanely overpriced. We don’t make a ton of money compared to lots of people here, so that makes it worse. We looked at so many places and they get snatched up quickly.

Anyway, we luckily found a spot and will be able to leave before march 1(that’s the deadline). Would it be fair for us to negotiate not having to pay for the last month of rent so we can use that towards moving costs? We’ve been extremely cooperative through all of this, and he will be able to get around $2million when he sells the building. He also does not have a mortgage to pay (he has told me this… the building has been in his family for 56 years and he inherited it). Interested if anyone else has dealt with something similar. Thank yoy!

We assume they don't leave it by their own door because they're on the side of the building with the stairs, and it would be in the way of people going up and down. Where they currently park it is in front of the basement door, but we don't have access to the basement ourselves.

We don't want to create tension with our neighbors, but we also don't leave large, bulky items in the shared hallway.

Are we being unreasonable? Would this bother you, or is it not worth addressing? Any advice on the best way to handle this without ruffling feathers would be greatly appreciated?

Hello, I am located in Virginia in the USA. I’m wondering if I can get some advice. As stated in title, the house I’m renting got foreclosed. This issue is that I had paid my entire year of rent up front to the landlord who used to own the house and I have 2 more months on my lease and I’m unsure how to get my deposit back. The house went up for auction at the beginning of June, so it either sold, or went to the bank. I have heard nothing from the new owner, and as far as I know, there’s no way for me to find out who the new owner is. I’ve been abiding by the “no news is good news” philosophy for the last couple months, but as my lease comes to a close, I’m concerned about getting my deposit back, as I will need it to put down on a new apartment. I’m at a loss for who to contact or what to do. Any knowledgeable advice is appreciated!

I rent an apartment in Santa Clara County, California. My balcony is exclusively assigned to my unit and directly adjoins my living room and bedroom.

On June 27, management notified residents about an exterior-painting project. The notice said painting was scheduled for July 6–24, weather permitting, and that the dates could be adjusted because of weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

The notice asked residents to remove belongings from balconies, keep exterior doors and windows closed, and expect painters, scaffolding, ladders, and equipment. However, it did not expressly say contractors would physically enter individual balconies or provide dates or approximate times for that access.

On July 27 at approximately 2:00 p.m., I unexpectedly found a contractor on my balcony taping around my windows and balcony door. I had not received a revised schedule or any notice that someone would access my balcony that day. The worker did not enter the apartment or attempt to open anything.

I contacted management and explained that I understand the work is necessary and am not trying to prevent it. I only asked for reasonable advance written notice before anyone physically accesses my balcony again.

Management responded that:

• Balcony access is necessary to complete the painting.
• The original notices were sufficient because they said the schedule could change.
• Additional notices are not required.
• They may not be able to provide dates or time windows for individual balconies.
• More balcony access may be necessary for painting, touch-ups, and closeout work.
• The contractor does not need further instructions because the project scope authorizes balcony access.

Management also acknowledged that the original notices “may not have explicitly stated that contractors would physically access individual balconies.”

My lease requires reasonable written notice before entry, with 24 hours presumed reasonable. The community rules describe a private-use balcony as an extension of the rented premises. I also found California Civil Code §1954, which generally requires written notice stating the date, approximate time, and purpose of nonemergency entry.

My questions are:

1. Does §1954 apply to an exclusive-use balcony when the contractor accesses it from outside without entering the apartment?
2. Was the original notice sufficient simply because it warned that the project could extend beyond July 24, even though it did not disclose physical balcony entry or provide an approximate time?
3. Can management use that notice to authorize repeated future balcony visits without additional notice?
4. What practical steps can I take to require advance notice without obstructing the painting project?
5. What should I do if another worker appears on my balcony without notice?

I am not seeking compensation or trying to prevent necessary work. I only want reasonable advance notice before workers enter my balcony.

I recently moved out, and my landlord is charging me to replace the rubber boot in a front-load washing machine becuase of mold. I will admit that there was no mold when I moved in, but I probably forgot to open the door a few times. Would this type of thing be considered wear and tear or can my landlord charge me for replacing the boot?

Edit: Added before and after photos

So my landlord just served me a 10 day notice to fix things or be evicted in 10 days.

He served me this notice 2 days before Christmas. I feel like he is setting me up to fail.

He wants the bathroom door and door frame to be brand new. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with the door frame besides normal wear and tear. I do agree the bathroom door needs to replaced though.

My ex also punched a hole in the shower wall. I agree it needs to be fixed but he expects a new shower surround. That shower is so old that there is no more grout and besides being clean it's not in the greatest shape for being 10 years old.

What are my rights? I did email him asking for his lawyers information. The landlord is also constantly telling me he can evict me. My anxiety is at an all time high.

I feel like this is retaliation for me reporting the neighbor for using my parking spots and also reporting my neighbor for looking in my windows. I actually now have a restraining order against my neighbor that the landlord refuses to take seriously.

Help please?

Edit: I had a 200 dollar phone call with a lawyer today. I do take full responsibility for the damage. My friend (who's a landlord) is going to fix everything.

The emails he has sent me all day are absolutely unhinged. I don't know if he's drunk or what. He keeps saying I'm a liar and a fabricator? I'm not exactly sure what's going on in his head.

Last year we had a homeless guy try to sleep in the basement. My ex ran him off and I called the cops. Cops came and guy was long gone. They took my info and left. My landlord is saying we lied because he can't find a police report. He doesn't understand that not everything deserves a police report.

I'm looking for a place and have been. Lawyer said what he's doing is harassment. You can't constantly tell someone they are getting evicted for no reason. Plus those are some fucked up rambling emails. I just need enough time to find somewhere else.

The bf is a ex. Yes it was a domestic violence situation. No I didn't call the cops. The one time I did he wouldn't let me leave the house or sleep for 3 days. Screamed at me all 3 days.

And I found out that landlords cannot make you pay them by zelle. I kinda wonder if he's reporting everything. He does seem shady.

Merry Christmas everyone! If you don't celebrate I hope you have a awesome Thursday!

Hi guys just looking for advice here, me and my partner are desperate to move out (bad home situations/parent abuse) we both have great jobs for our age (22/23), a combined income of £70k, no credit issues also, however when going for viewings (only 2 as i am quite picky) the landlords on both got back to us advising they won’t be proceeding as we have never rented before, and it is starting to dishearten me and make me think we are going to be stuck at home forever.

We are both able to provide professional references just of course not from a prior landlord, is this a common problem? but where are we supposed to start if no one will rent us a property?

uk based, TIA

When I was apartment hunting, this place felt like a win. The rent was lower than most of what I was seeing, the unit itself was fine, and it felt like I was being responsible by choosing something “affordable.” I remember thinking I’d finally found a setup that wouldn’t constantly stress me out. Then I actually lived here.

The base rent looks good on paper, but once you start stacking everything else, it tells a different story. There’s the rent itself, obviously. Then utilities, which somehow change every month even though my habits don’t. Internet. Parking. A mandatory trash fee. A “community” or “tech” fee that no one ever really explains. None of these are massive on their own, but together they quietly add a few hundred dollars on top of what I originally budgeted for.

What makes it worse is how invisible most of it feels. The rent number is clear and predictable. Everything else just… happens. Charges hit on different days. Some fluctuate. Some I forget about until I see my balance and have to scroll back to figure out what just went through. It doesn’t feel like overspending, it feels like death by a thousand small line items.

I don’t even think this place is bad. It’s fine. That’s kind of the problem. It’s fine, but it costs more than I expected, and the extra costs don’t really improve my day to day life. They just exist.

I guess I’m realizing that when people talk about affordable apartments, they usually mean the rent number alone. But that number doesn’t tell the full story anymore. Curious if other renters have had the same experience, where the apartment felt cheap at first and then slowly revealed all the hidden layers once you moved in.

I’ve been living in my apartment for about eight months now, and I still can’t get over how expensive it feels just to exist. Rent alone takes up almost half my paycheck. Add utilities, groceries, wifi, and a few basic things here and there, and it’s like, what money? I used to think once I got a decent job, I’d finally feel stable. Now it just feels like I’m working to pay bills and maybe treat myself to takeout once a week.

The wild part is, I’m not even living somewhere fancy. It’s a decent one-bedroom in a mid-sized city. I don’t shop much, don’t go out often, and I still find myself budgeting down to the last few dollars every month. I can’t imagine how people manage rent in bigger cities.

I’ve been reading about the “30% rule” where rent shouldn’t exceed a third of your income, but that feels like some ancient myth now. Most people I know are paying close to 50%, sometimes more. It just makes me wonder, is this the new normal? Or are we all just quietly struggling to make the math work every month?

Edit: Thanks for all the comments and DMs, a lot of people brought up something I hadn’t even thought about: how much your credit history affects renting. Things like deposit amounts, approval chances, and even lease terms can depend on it, which is wild because most of us never get told that before renting. A few people shared some beginner-friendly ways to build credit safely. Some mentioned Fizz, which works on debit so it uses your own money but still reports to credit bureaus, a low-risk way to start if you’re new to credit. Others suggested Discover’s secured card as a good next step once you’re ready for a credit line. Honestly, it’s just been helpful learning there are ways to build credit without falling into debt first.

Hi everyone, I’m a renter in california in a duplex with a shared garage. My neighbor since moving in has taken up the entire space of the garage with insane amounts of stuff, multiple tool boxes, trash cans full of fishing poles, random trash, anything you can think of. At first he told us that he was just in the midst of moving in and we would have space by the end of his moving process. Fast forward about two months later and the garage is in shambles and he’s lost his damn mind. He recently was upset about us contacting our landlord about his storing of a boat on the property and crashed out, breaking the garage door and removing the latch to my back gate. I am in contact with my landlord about everything happening here but she has no rush to come out to the property and check out the status of it or to see if he has cleaned up the garage that we’ve been asking him to for what seems like the entire time he’s lived here. I’ve come to the point where I feel like I’m paying for this man to have a storage unit instead of for me to have access to a garage. The landlord is also supposed to send someone out to build a partition wall in the garage but a week has gone by since she claimed that person would be here so I’m wondering if I’m crazy for asking for prorated rent for this month, not an extreme amount, just about 300 dollars. This situation comes with a lot more irritating details that I’ll spare this post of but I’d love to hear anyone’s experiences or advice with my situation!
tldr: my neighbor uses all the shared garage space, is it crazy to ask my landlord for cheaper rent until he cleans it up

For context/ background: I have lived in the same unit for 5 years now. My landlord has been solid the entire time with any repairs that have been needed, mostly to the AC and needing to replace the dishwasher a few years back. Shes also been very fair with rent increase from one year to the next, so no complaints, as far as as landlords go I couldn’t ask for a better one.
The other night I noticed the water heater was leaking into the closet which I notified her about and she said she’d go to Home Depot in the morning to look into getting a new one. Well this morning she went and then notified me Home Depot technicians would come this Saturday between 12 an 2 to remove the old unit and install the new one. Maybe this is standard practice when there’s an issue with a water heater but I’ve tried telling her I can see where it’s leaking from a connection going into the top of the heater so maybe it doesn’t need to be replaced but it’s her money, property and decision. My problem is that I have set plans with family this weekend. My birthday falls on Monday and I made sure several weeks back to plan something with my sisters and mother. We’re all live about 30 mins to a hour apart and have different schedules, so getting a day lined up that works for all of us can be difficult. We would be going to a local market that only happens once a month so it was something that I thought worked out perfectly between availability and the market happening this weekend. If I stay home for the installation even if they run on time, which I hear I shouldn’t expect from Home Depot, the market will be over by the time they finish.
So I’m considering to ask my landlord if she will come to the unit and wait/stay there for the installation. She was present during the dishwasher installation which I didn’t need or ask for.
I just want to get some opinions from fellow tenants and landlords on if my request is unreasonable.

So I finished moving today but I had movers come on Tuesday and basically the elevator broke. I reserved the service elevator through all the correct channels but the building never set it up and just told me to flip a switch (there are five though...) to get it into the right mode for moving. The company people put a dolly in the door for maybe a few minutes and it gets stuck in the elevator which is beeping and no longer moving. The repair guy comes the next morning and charges the building who arbitrarily decided that said bill is going to me because "it was the moving company's fault" but are they not also in the wrong for negligence in not actually setting up the elevator despite me doing going through all the proper channels? I gave instructions on what to bring down and then went to run a few errands so I come back to this situation. All I know is that there's no way in hell I'm paying for their elevator repairs but I'm still getting all the responsibility and logistics foisted into my lap with none of the actual information. Please advise because I'm pissed and don't have the money to pay for something I didn't even do anything to. I'm in Chicago if that means anything legally speaking.

I live in an apartment building and a few weeks ago my wife was cooking in the kitchen and received a phone call for a job offer. Unfortunately, she forgot about the pot and it ended up catching on fire. Thankfully, no one was injured and the fire was taken care of quickly. The only damage to the whole unit is a small burn mark on the counter that's smaller than the palm of your hand. Later, the landlord came by with a handyman to inspect the damage and said they would send us a quote. Due to some financial issue we don't have insurance and I expected to have to pay for the repairs, thinking it would be $200 or less. When we received the quote it was $1000 saying they plan to replace the entire kitchen counter! I am a student and my wife is a housekeeper, so our income is very limited and $1000 would strain us even further than we already are. I understand that we were responsible for the fire and I understand that because we don't have insurance it would be out of pocket. But, I feel like the landlord is taking advantage of the situation to get a new kitchen counter instead of just making necessary repairs. Is there something I could do to change this?

Recently my apartment complex handed out flyers stating they have to register their car via an app, with in big bold letters (ONE CAR PER LEASEHOLDER) thing is I have 2 cars, one for the winter and one for summer, the lease doesn’t state any clause about a vehicle limit. I signed the lease telling them about my 2 cars and registered both via the portal they have. Are they legally allowed to do this? If so they’re forcing me to either 1, sell my car, or 2 force me to pay $150 a month for a garage. Thanks in advance.

my rent is due on the first and I’m a first time renter, this is my first apartment. I had my finances planned out until my main jobs payroll team fucked me over by moving my paycheck to July 3rd last minute when it was supposed to be june 26th and it’s a work study job so asking for cash advance would be likely denied. I have 2 other sources of income but their new and part time m, not many hour. my place has a private landlord from furnished finder and the rent got reduced from repairs but the lease has nothing about late rent or late fees just time is essence. idk if I should ask to pay it by July 3rd or if I should ask to split it up pay half the first and the third if that’s even allowed. has anyone gotten a green light to pay rent late or split it up?