Does it sound like you are living underneath or above a herd of elephants, is it party central or just thin walls?
When it comes to renting apartments, it’s the luck of the draw hen it comes to neighbors, sometimes you have good luck but sometimes you can be stuck with the neighbor from hell.
It is a common occurrence, but how do you deal with it? And are there any noise laws in Texas that directly address this issue at your disposal?
The actual act confronting your neighbor can be more stressful than anticipated because you don’t know how they will react.
We are going to look at two possibilities that can help you with the noise at hand.
It seems like the simple and obvious solution right? Well not always, like we have already highlighted you cannot predict how your neighbor will respond to your complaint. Nine times out of ten you will have an empathetic and understanding neighbor, but occasionally you may have that neighbor who may take it the wrong way completely…which could be quite difficult, especially if you are in an apartment where you are bound to cross paths on a regular basis--Two completely different outcomes.
Before lashing out at your neighbors, even if the noise levels have been ridiculous, going in with a level-headed calm approach will guarantee a far better result than if you go in ‘hot’ headed…where you are more likely to receive the same unfriendly response in return, no matter how justified you may be.
So if you approach your neighbor in a calm and polite manner, you have a far better chance to get him/her to keep it quieter or at least work on a compromise.
If speaking to your neighbors has crashed and failed, then the next option is going to your landlord/manager directly. He/she may speak to the noisy one on your behalf, because at the end of the day it’s the apartment responsibility to keep the peace between neighboring tenants, so it is in their interest to remedy the problem.
Also, you will find in most tenancy agreements in Texas there are certain noise limitations and restrictions, particularly in apartment complexes. Your landlord/manager should be well aware of state laws as well as their own bylaws at the specific complex and deal with the issue accordingly on your behalf.
However, whether you approach your neighbor directly or inform your landlord, you should make one or both aware of the problem. Too many times, renters tend to just “let it slide” as to avoid being labeled the “complaining tenant/neighbor” but you pay good rent, work hard and more than deserve peace and quiet in your own home.Doug Spector/broker
It can be easy to let your floor get dirty and dusty over time, but try not to allow this to happen! When dirt gets embedded into carpets and rugs, you can quickly begin to ruin the carpet itself. Wooden/laminate floors aren’t safe either, as dirt can easily cause scratches and discoloration in the wood, all of which tend to lend themselves to an unhappy landlord! Placing “welcome” mats around the entrance to your apartment may help to reduce dirt on your floors. Nevertheless, clean and vacuum your floors regularly, sweeping on a daily basis and mopping on a weekly basis.
When renting an apartment in a climate such as Houston, TX, you’re going to be encountering heat levels which might not be common in other parts of the country. As a result, it is imperative that you look after your heating and A/C units accordingly. The best way to do this, as a general rule, is to ensure that they are receiving proper airflow to all of their parts. Every now and then, it may be a good idea to vacuum your vents, as this prevents the air from getting dusty and unpleasant. If the filters need to be changed, don’t wait to do so! If you think that your HVAC units may need a professional clean/maintenance, don’t be afraid to contact your landlord.
Keeping your drains clear of sticky debris is the easiest way to extend their lifecycle and avoid things such as leaks or blockages. Avoid pouring things into your pipes which could block them; they already have enough to deal with in terms of food debris and shower-hair! On that note, if your shower plug is clogged with hair, remove this hair before it makes its way down the drain completely. You should also ensure that your toilet is kept clear, using a plunger to remove any unsanitary clogs.Keeping your Houston, TX apartment well-maintained is one of the easiest ways to ensure that you build a positive rapport with your landlord, so be sure to use these tips on a regular basis!713-783-1441
Tips When Applying For An Apartment in Houston
Doug Spector/broker
After asking numerous Houston apartment managers what advice they might have for anyone wanting to rent an apartment at their complex, the number one answer they gave was that the applicant be "upfront and honest."
Chances are, in this "information age", that there's a great chance that any falsified information given either verbally or written on the application, will be caught anyway. And if that happens, the person applying will most likely lose their application fee, admin fee and many times even their deposit.
Most managers are helpful when the applicant is upfront about any previous rental or credit problems. They can usually tell the person right away whether their past issue(s) would prevent them from being approved at their place, thus saving time and money. Also, managers can possibly assist by referring them to another property they might know that would work with them or refer a good reputable Houston apartment locator.
Something else potential renters should do when applying for an apartment, is to fill-out the application as thoroughly as possible, leaving little to none of the questions blank.
" Leaving a lot of blanks sets off red flags," says Charles Bruce, manager at Tanglewood Place Apartments. Another manager at the Whittfield Apartments, strongly advises to fill out the entire application, both current and previous information that is requested. "We have a point system and sometimes you need the previous info to have enough points [to qualify]; having to keep calling to get info holds up the application."
Manager Charles Bruce also suggests to be "neat" on the application. By "neat" he means, try not make mistakes when entering information... this may come back as a negative result which could delay the application approval.
He also says it's a good idea to bring 2-3 recent check stubs or financial information and current ID . Obviously, this not only speeds up the whole process but it also impresses the leasing and property manager staff as it shows the applicant is a serious candidate and deserves quick service in return.
When the applicant tours the property and later fills-out the application to rent, whether on the same day or not, it never hurts to dress nicely. You know...first impressions! Applying for an apartment should be taken almost as serious as applying for a job...both could be viewed as "selling yourself."
Doug Spector
"ALL BILLS PAID" ARE YOU SERIOUS?
Back in the 60’s & early 70’s, seeing apartments in Houston with signs and banners advertising their rental prices along with the words “All Bills Paid” (ABP) or “Utilities Included” was commonplace. These days however, apartments that still boast of such deals are few and far between.
If I had to guess as to why the change, I’d suppose the main reason probably was it just started getting too expensive for apartment owners. They saw electric prices steadily soar from only $.02-$.04 cents per kilowatt hour from the 60’s thru the early 80’s up to $.12 cents and higher in the following three decades.
Also, it’s a fact that most tenants knowing that their electric and water are “on the house,” they tend not to be too concerned about conserving energy…you know like letting the a/c run all day and not turning off lights when not needed. I remember as a kid growing up in my parents’ house that it was 'law' to turn off the lights and if I ever forgot, I’d get the same lecture that always started with, “do you know how much money it cost to run the lights… It’s not free little man”With this in mind, in 1973 the Texas legislature passed a law that there could be no more "All Bills Paid" apartments. This was because of the oil embargo and energy crisis that was going on. Some properties that were already ABP were grandfathered so they could stay ABP. This is why you never find ABP properties built after 1973.Also in the early 2000's the legislature mandated that properties had to charge for water and that's why most apartments charge for water now.With all that said, believe it or not, there are still a few apartments in the Houston and surrounding areas that include all utilities. My recent count that include both water and electric is 24 complexes (three of which are in the Galleria area) and 9 others with the free electric but not the free water.
For a list of these rare Houston apartments still offering No Electric Bills, some with No Water Bills also, contact a good reputable Houston Apartment Locator who knows about these and other great apartment deals in general.
How Important is Rental History Anyway?
When applying to rent an apartment in Houston, your rental history is super important being at the top of the criteria list of what management companies and owners look for when considering you as a potential tenant. In terms of importance, rental history ranks just below criminal history. The main reason why your rental history is so major is mainly because apartment management figures that whatever you’ve done in the past, you’re prone to repeat and thus sees you as a higher risk than someone with ‘good’ to ‘excellent’ rental history. You could be the nicest, kindest and greatest person in the world but if you have bad rental history, those wonderful traits most likely will be overshadowed by the simple fact that you also unfortunately possess a flawed rental background.
BROKEN LEASES-
They’ll also take notice if you broke your lease owing money to any previous landlords. If you don’t owe anything, then your chances are a whole lot better; however, if you do have an outstanding balance, that makes things worse. The new place certainly doesn't want the same kind of treatment.
If you’ve broken a lease in the past and know you still owe that landlord, then it’s a good idea to pay it off first before even applying for another rental somewhere else. If you’re unsure if you owe anything or don’t know the amount, simply contact the manager where you broke the lease and ask. Also, if you’re unable to pay the amount in full, ask if you can start a payment plan.
Either way, complete payoff or payment plan, be sure to get it in writing and signed. Then bring that receipt or letter (as proof) with you to the new complex you’re applying for...it will make a huge difference in your favor!
There’s no guarantee that any given complex will approve you with a broken lease even if you follow the advice above but it will definitely improve the probability greatly!
Also, if you have a broken lease, it never hurts to have someone go to bat for you and speak kind words on your behalf. A good reputable Houston apartment locator who has a good rapport with lots of management companies, would be the perfect choice for that situation.
EVICTIONS-
If you’ve been evicted (asked to vacate a property) in the past, that is much harder to negotiate than a broken lease. Once again, be up front about it. In either case, a broken lease or eviction, if you try to “slide it by them” by omitting it on your application, the likelihood of their "catching it" is high, especially these days with advanced technology and shared databases. And if they find out that you've falsified that vital information on the application, they’ll probably keep your app fee along with your deposit. Trying to get your money refunded, will probably be an uphill battle which you’ll most likely lose.
But even with an eviction, there’s still hope. Once again and more than ever, you’ll want the help of a good reputable Houston apartment locator who already knows which management companies and complexes might work with that situation and save you time, money and lots of aggravation--but still no guaranties.
Also, in either the case of a prior broken lease or eviction, once you find favor with an apartment willing to give second chances, don’t be surprised if they ask for a higher deposit and/or two or more month’s rent up front.
It is so important to always do everything possible to protect your rental history. Keep open communications in a friendly civilized manner with your manager/landlord before breaking a lease or getting evicted (even if you feel justified at the time). Try to work things out first. If that still goes nowhere, then you might contact The Houston Apartment Association (https://www.haaonline.org) or file an online complaint with them at: https://www.haaonline.org/Custom/RR_Complaint_Form/default.aspx. You may also consider obtaining legal counsel.
Simply put, try to avoid at all costs getting bad rental history--it will most likely come back to haunt you if and when you ever want to rent any type of home again, not only in Houston but the entire country.
Apartment Living Locators
A credit score is a statistical number that depicts a person's creditworthiness. Scores range from the worst being 300 and the best being 850.
Credit score is a number assigned to a person that indicates to lenders their capacity to repay a loan. Originally, this was used in the housing market for obtaining mortgage loans. Then it started being utilized in the vehicle purchasing and leasing industry.
--And now, guess where it’s being used…In the Apartment Rental Business.
Many Apartments in Houston are now using credit scores to determine the likelihood of a potential tenant to pay his/her rent in full, on time, and throughout the life of the lease.
It is not a personal attack. It's simply a business decision. Most individuals or companies renting Houston apartments want credit scores from applicants to be around 620 or higher.
On occasion, complexes might make exceptions if you were to fall slightly short. Some might ask for a higher deposit, others might offer for you to pay two months rent up front and still some could possibly ask you to get a cosigner. It never hurts to ask if they fail to offer.
There are ways to improve your credit score but that usually takes quite some time—months and even years. Get more information about repairing credit by visiting myFICO.com. Also, you can review all of your credit reports for free each year at annualcreditreport.com.
If you're not sure if you'll qualify to rent an apartment because of low, bad or borderline credit, call a good apartment locator in Houston. They can possibly assist in overcoming credit issues you might have by talking to and/or working a deal with the apartment manager on your behalf. Also, a good locator, will also know places that aren’t as strict about credit scores and might be willing to work with it pending other positive attributes such as good job security, long time employment, good income, good rental history, etc. In my next blog post on Qualifying For Renting A Houston Apartment, I'll discuss how previous rental history can affect your chances of qualifying, both positively and negatively. Stay tuned.....
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