There can be some big challenges in living in an apartment complex. Sometimes, situations will arise that will make you want to move from the apartment you are in now, to a different one in the same complex.
You really like the complex you are living in, but something is wrong to the extent where you want to ask your landlord to switch apartments.
This actually happens more than people think, and for a wide variety of reasons.
If you want to learn how to CHEAPLY and EASILY switch to a different apartment in the same complex, be sure to read to the end of the article as we have a LEGIT money-saving tip for you.
Show The Manager Your Reasons Why You Want To Transfer
If you want to move apartments, but stay in the complex without breaking your lease, the first thing you need to do is show the landlord that you have a legitimate reason to move units. And there are a ton of reasons why you would want to do so.
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Bad Neighbors
Terrible neighbors can make life absolutely miserable. Maybe they are noisy and partying when you are trying to sleep, or up stomping around on the floor at 6 AM on Sunday morning when you are trying to get some sleep. Maybe they are just obnoxious and inconsiderate of other people around them.
Whatever the case may be, you aren’t paying for a miserable experience in your apartment.
If you want to be moved because of conflict with one or more neighbors, you will need to have brought this to the attention of the landlord at some point to show them a track record of their behavior.
If the bad neighbors aren’t explicitly breaking the lease but are still causing you worry and discomfort, you can explain this to the landlord. But having a track record of your complaints is going to help convince them that your gripe is real and worth addressing.
Change In Finances
Sometimes, a change in the financial situation happens where the tenant wants a different sized apartment. This can happen both ways. If you lost your job and money is tight, you may want to consider moving into a smaller apartment where you have less of a financial obligation than you do right now.
In the same way, maybe you got a raise or promotion, in which case you are looking to upgrade your apartment to one that has more room or more amenities.
Either way, explain to your landlord why you want to make the change. If you show you are willing to stay and not break your lease, regardless of whether you want to move to a bigger or smaller apartment, they are going to be more willing to work with you.
Change In Family Size
Perhaps you had another child, or two. Or maybe your girlfriend or boyfriend moved in with you, or maybe you got married and merged two families.
Whatever the case may be, you now have more people living in your apartment than you originally planned for.
Or it could be that your roommate or significant other moved out, and now you don’t really want, or maybe can’t afford the size of the place you had when there were more people living there.
Let your landlord know about the situation and your desire to stay in the complex but just move units.
What Does Your Lease Say About Transfers
Because this is a situation that arises at apartment complexes, many times the lease will address the issue directly. Commonly, the lease will have a provision in it that says if you are not happy with your apartment for legitimate reasons, that you have the right to move to another unit.
Again, not all leases are going to spell out what those conditions are, but generally, it is going to include a provision that you have some sort of minimum standard for satisfaction for you in your unit.
You can’t know future problems and issues are going to happen until they do, and you aren’t paying to be miserable. Check your lease to see what terms they have included before you talk to your landlord.
Transfer Fees
Regardless of the reason you want to move, more than likely your landlord is going to insist that you pay some sort of transfer fee to get into a new apartment.
Why do they want this? Because they are going to have to spend time and money to get your old unit back and ready to rent to someone else. This process isn’t cheap or easy, so if you want to have a chance at avoiding a transfer fee or them potentially keeping your entire security deposit, make sure your apartment is as clean and absent of any repairs so they can quickly turn the apartment around.
Just know that no matter what the reason for your move, it is going to cost the landlord money out of their pocket, even if the neighbors are obnoxious, so be prepared to counter their complaints with good, rational arguments.
Why Your Landlord Is Hesitant To Let Your Transfer Apartments
But why can’t the landlord just let me move to a different unit?
Well, there are a few reasons why they are going to be hesitant in just letting you move your things to an open unit.
Renting Your Old Apartment
The first thing the landlord is going to think about is getting your old unit ready to rent out to someone else. It’s not so much the issue of you moving to another unit, it is the time and money that is going to have to be spent, by the landlord, to get your unit ready to rent out again.
If you are moving to a new unit in the same complex, no doubt they already have that unit listed online ready to rent to someone else. You are going to have to show them the benefit of letting you move, and how you can both work to get your old unit ready to go.
Because even if you left it virtually perfect inside, they are going to have to spend money cleaning the carpets and doing touch up cleaning to make it move-in ready. That is usually what the security deposit covers.
The unit that you are going to move into is going to already be perfect and ready to go to someone new. Your old unit more than likely isn’t going to be in quite as good of shape, and so it is going to take some work to get it ready to go. Your landlord is going to see this as his biggest obstacle in letting you move units.
That new unit is more than likely going to be much easier to rent than the one you are coming out of, especially if you are moving due to some problems with obnoxious neighbors or other negative issues.
This is also going to be a lot more work for the landlord. They are going to have to do all new paperwork, perhaps have you sign a new lease, and change everything they have in their system just to have you move units. While this may not seem like a big deal to the tenant, it is more work for the landlord, work they weren’t expecting to deal with.
Help Your Landlord Help You
If you want to have a serious chance at moving units, you are going to have to show the landlord that it is in their best interest to help you move. Remember, you have signed a lease for the unit that you are in, not for another unit in the complex, and technically, barring any safety issues with your unit or neighbors, they are able to collect rent from you until the end of your lease, problems or not.
Their biggest objection to you moving is your old apartment. Make sure that your apartment is as clean as it possibly can be and promise to make any necessary repairs before you move out.
Talk with them about how you are going to get the apartment ready to rent out to someone else before you move.
Also, if you don’t want to pay a straight-up Transfer Fee, be willing to negotiate with them on perhaps paying for the carpets to be cleaned, or the cleaners to come in for a few hours and do some detail work.
If you are willing to work with them on overcoming their biggest objection, you are going to have a much better shot at allowing you to move.
Additionally, show them that you still want to live in the complex and that you are trying to help them fill the unit, both with the rent you are going to pay on the new unit, and what you are going to do to your old unit to help them get it rented out again.
Be willing to sign a new lease for the unit that you are wanting to move into in an effort to show you are serious about still living at the complex.
If you are moving into a bigger unit, show the landlord that they are going to be receiving more money in rent from you by letting you move into a larger unit.
Whatever you end up talking to your landlord about, make sure to bring up the ways that letting you change apartments is going to help them!
Address and Utility Changes
Once you do finally move, you are going to have to do the same things you did when you moved into your first unit.
You are going to have to go to the utility companies and apply for a change in address. This may come with some transfer fees as well, as they are going to be starting service for you in a new location, so be prepared for that.
In the same way, you are also going to need to change your mailing address, as well as the address for yourself on all your other bills. This is going to be a bit of a headache, no doubt, but again, you are going to want to make sure you receive all your bills on time and not have a stack of mail in a building across the complex.
Whether you are having an issue with the apartment that you are living in or simply want to upgrade or downsize, make sure that when you are asking your landlord to move apartments that you show them the ways in which it will benefit them.
Showing them how you are going to help them both remove a current problem and minimize a future issue by getting your old apartment ready to rent out again is going to go a long way in convincing your landlord to let you move units.
Boxes For Moving Apartments
Once you have talked your landlord into letting you move units, you will STILL need some way to get all of your things from one unit to another.
Check out Usedcardboardboxes.com. This company will not only SAVE you money, but it will also save you time in simply deciding what you should get to move and pack all of your things.
One of the best features about this company is that they have Moving Kits. These Moving Kits are completely set up to move whatever size apartment or condo you have. For instance, if you have a 2-bedroom apartment, all you need to do is choose the “2-Bedroom Moving Kit” and they will send you everything you need to move your ENTIRE apartment.
You don’t have to choose what kind of boxes to get, how many of what size, tape, markers… EVERYTHING is included with these Moving Kits.
And with “One-Bedroom Moving Kits” running around $80… SHIPPED straight to your door…..you aren’t going to be able to find a better deal than this ANYWHERE!!
If you have made the decision to move apartments, try out Usedcardboardboxes.com, you are going to get the best deal out there, shipped straight to your door without wondering how many of each box to get, and you’ll be helping the environment at the same time!!
