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Started 3 months ago by stephentszuter
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stephentszuter
Downtown Columbus
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I was discussing with my brother an issue that he found pretty surprising, from his time living in Chicago.

I told him that after the first year of rent at my current apartment, the landlord, and the lease for that matter, state that I can go month-to-month after my first contract is up, if I wish, but the monthly rent would raise by $50.

He then told me that in Illinois, and many other states, it is the law that the landlord let you go month-to-month after the first year, with no increase (or large increase) in rent.

I'm sure that changes after a few years due to shifts in demand/supply/et cetera...

Is it time that Ohio (or even Columbus) had some tenant rights in place like this?

Here's an example of Chicago tenant rights.

Posted 3 months ago #
peter
Downtown
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I would support expanding tenant's rights in Ohio.

That being said, might be worth reviewing the laws we already have in place protecting tenants (Ohio is considered a fairly tenant-friendly state):

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/5321

Posted 3 months ago #
peter
Downtown
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Tenants need a membership organization, IMO. A group that can provide education, advice, and lobby on their behalf.

Homeowners also need such a group (The NAR represents real estate agents and brokers, not homeowners).

Posted 3 months ago #
kit444
Elsewhere
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stephentszuter said:
He then told me that in Illinois, and many other states, it is the law that the landlord let you go month-to-month after the first year, with no increase (or large increase) in rent.
Here's an example of Chicago tenant rights.

That wasn't the case when I lived in Chicago, and it's not what that document says:

"You have the right to move out, when your lease expires. Some landlords and tenants agree not to sign another lease, and continue with a month-to-month rental agreement."

"If your landlord does not want to have you live there after the end date of your lease, the landlord must give you a written notice at least 30 days prior to the end of the lease. If the landlord does not give you this notice 30 days before the end of the lease, you have the right to stay in the apartment 60 days from the time you do receive the notice, at the same rent and terms."

They have to provide 30 days notice to terminate, but if that notice is given before the natural end of the lease, then there's no month-to-month tenancy. I can see where that would be misinterpreted if the notice comes after the initial lease term ends.

Posted 3 months ago #
stephentszuter
Downtown Columbus
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Regardless, I know most places won't increase rent as much as my landlord did when I started month-to-month, but I feel that we should be able to go month-to-month after the first year without being knuckled into another year-long contract.

Although, the contract that I was "knuckled" into after the first year was $5 more than the last contract. Which I'm fine with... demand is increasing.

In the end, I finished a year of being an always-on-time, clean tenant, and they penalized me for going month-to-month, then increased my rent when I resigned the contract.

It's really not that big of a deal, because if it really bothered me, I could always go somewhere else, but it's not enough of an annoyance for me to leave, but the fear would be that it might happen at the next place anyway.

Posted 3 months ago #
Snarf
Dystopia
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$5 a month increase to go month to month warrants complaining?

Posted 3 months ago #
ToddAnders

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As an owner of properties, if someone wants to go month to month after the lease is up, I up the rent $75/month and let the tenant know that I will be actively showing the property. So, I think you got off easy :)

In the end, all a reasonable landlord wants is a good tenant to pay fair rent on time. I had a tenant in a building that sold who was with me for years and I never once raised the rent. We just signed a new lease every year; he knew what to expect and so did I.

Posted 3 months ago #
peter
Downtown
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they penalized me for going month-to-month, then increased my rent when I resigned the contract.

Don't take it personally; the landlord wasn't trying to penalize or punish you. He is probably just trying to keep up with market rates for rent. As others have pointed out, that's actually an extremely reasonable deal!

Posted 3 months ago #
bucki12
wp
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It is a rarity, but going month to month also means the landlord can move you out before you are ready. A friend of mine went on month to month and 4 months in the landlord pushed him out. It really caught him off guard.

In the choice areas it might be best to have the security of a lease.

Posted 3 months ago #
gramarye
In Exile
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I think a lot of people never even consider asking for anything in between month-to-month and a full year. There's no reason you shouldn't at least ask for a 3-month or 6-month lease, especially if you're thinking about moving but not necessarily moving in a huge hurry.

I agree with peter that Ohio's tenant laws aren't particularly onerous. I didn't know we were considered particularly tenant-friendly, but I'd have guessed we were pretty much average. The one issue I remember seeing that I might be inclined to change is the law on auto-renewals, but it's been so long ago now that I can't even remember what I found to be potentially problematic.

Posted 3 months ago #
stephentszuter
Downtown Columbus
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Snarf said:
$5 a month increase to go month to month warrants complaining?

Did you even read my comments?

Although, the contract that I was "knuckled" into after the first year was $5 more than the last contract. Which I'm fine with... demand is increasing.

Complaining about not being able to go month-to-month on previously-agreed-upon price (or including a small increase) without a large increase.

Why can't we just go month-to-month without penalty?

I'll give you an example of why this is aggravating... I am in building X, and my lease is up in, let's say, one month. Building Y is currently under construction and will be completed in nine months.

I get a job near building Y, want to move into building Y, and have been a perfect tenant in building X. I want to go month-to-month, so, under current Ohio law, landlord has the right to charge me whatever the heck they want unless I sign another year-long contract...

There are eight months in between move-in period of building Y and end-of-contract in building X.

It would be cheaper for me to just sign a year-long contract with building X and break the contract with them than it would be for me to go month-to-month in building Y.

So it's less beneficial for both the tenant and the landlord.

I've even heard several central-Ohioans gasp at the idea that they would charge me more for going month-to-month.

Posted 3 months ago #
Snarf
Dystopia
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It would be cheaper for you to potentially blow four months rent on breaking a contract versus spending $40 over eight months on a month to month lease?

Intriguing.

Posted 3 months ago #
stephentszuter
Downtown Columbus
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Snarf said:
It would be cheaper for you to potentially blow four months rent on breaking a contract versus spending $40 over eight months on a month to month lease?

Intriguing.

Who said $40? Man from above said $75. It could be $100 for all I know.

Mine was $50. For eight months. $50 x 8 = $400.

I read that it was $375 to break a contract. Or maybe that was in Chicago? Where they have a limit?

If that's not the case, then it could cost me thousands.

That's not the point.

Posted 3 months ago #
ricospaz

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Really? without a contract, you could move out at any time. that's why they charge you more. hassle factor

Posted 3 months ago #
stephentszuter
Downtown Columbus
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So everyone is in agreement that it's a good thing that we don't have the right to go month-to-month at a reasonable increase in price?

I'll just shut up then.

Posted 3 months ago #
peter
Downtown
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Why can't we just go month-to-month without penalty?

Because the value of the space you are occupying has gone up while you lived there. What you're asking for is a rent-stabilized apartment a la NYC. Highly unlikely and undesirable (IMO) in Columbus.

You're certainly free to negotiate with your landlord if you want to stay for an extra 9 months. They might even be open to signing a lease. But turnovers (especially when unexpected) cost the landlord a lot of money, which is why they discourage it and charge a premium for flexibility. Why would anyone ever sign a lease otherwise?

If you're month-to-month, that means you can leave at any time with 30-days notice and the landlord has to scramble to find someone to take your place. That's why they charge you extra, to help recoup those costs and encourage you to sign a lease. Make sense?

I don't know of any state that requires landlords to allow a year-long lease to automatically convert to month-to-month at the same rate. Otherwise you'd have an entire cottage industry of people subletting their apartments and essentially never moving.

Posted 3 months ago #
bucki12
wp
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stephentszuter said:

I read that it was $375 to break a contract. Or maybe that was in Chicago? Where they have a limit?

If that's not the case, then it could cost me thousands.

In Ohio you are on the hook for the rest of the lease amount unless they can find another tenant.

Posted 3 months ago #
peter
Downtown
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So everyone is in agreement that it's a good thing that we don't have the right to go month-to-month at a reasonable increase in price?

Define "reasonable". Do you really want lawmakers legislating prices?

Posted 3 months ago #
ToddAnders

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If I were you, I would approach the landlord, let him/her know of your intentions of moving in 8 months and move forward. Then they can plan on when to get a new tenant and you can plan on your move to the new building.

All landlords want are as much certainty as is possible. Even "bad news" of a tenant leaving is not bad given you have notice. This is why month to month doesn't work without an increase in rent.

Posted 3 months ago #
stephentszuter
Downtown Columbus
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With downtown (where I live) at nearly 100% occupancy and high-demand, there is no problem finding tenants... you'd think they would be a little more lenient than increasing my rent by $50/month.

It's just something that I wanted to throw out there. I'm not necessarily arguing for rent stabilization, either. Just healthy increases in rent when desiring to go month-to-month.

I just find it aggravating that I have to schedule my life around a year-long contract instead of month-long contracts.

Either way, I'm only giving the landlord 30-days notice. There's no difference...

I'll just continue to arrange my life around the year-long contract.

Posted 3 months ago #