A juncture.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:49 pm

I gave my apartment notice today. Most places have a 30 day notice and an extra month lease break fee.

This place, turns out, has a 60 day notice, the extra month AFTER that, and then $150 for each month I've been here (because I got a 'special rate' when I signed up.)

All totalled, then, we're looking at about $4300, just to get the hell outta here.

So. What to do.

I've come up with three options. Weigh in with your opinion, won't you?

Option 1: Give 'em the keys and sneak out under the cover of darkness, leaving them high and dry.

Option 2: Give 'em the keys and the (single) extra month's rent, leaving them about mid-height, and only slightly moist.

Option 3: Bow down to the MAN, and give 'em everything they want, like a whimpering maggot.

Generally, when I have broken leases with outrageous lease-breakage penalties (like this one), I have gone with Option 2, and nothing bad has ever come from it.

What say you, oh wise denizens of JC BBS?

Casual Observer · Post by **Casual Observer** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:14 pm

What, no poll? How are we supposed to quanitfy the results? I think you should leave them with the plastic palm trees and nothing else.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:15 pm

Okay, so far (including off-line responses), we have 2 for "fuck 'em", and 0 for anything else.

k. roo · Post by **k. roo** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:32 pm

fuck'em

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:33 pm

Okay, 3 to 0 to 0.

But aren't you "fuck 'em" people at all concerned about financial (or other) repercussions from this? (I mean, pretending that I'm someone you care even the slightest bit about, you understand.)

Jack Straw · Post by **Jack Straw** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:51 pm

You could find someone to take the remainder of the lease over for ya... they would keep the security but you wouldn't be paying Jack Shit, let alone >$4,000...

Casual Observer · Post by **Casual Observer** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 3:02 pm

pinback wrote:Okay, 3 to 0 to 0.

But aren't you "fuck 'em" people at all concerned about financial (or other) repercussions from this? (I mean, pretending that I'm someone you care even the slightest bit about, you understand.)

You're moving to another state right? It's going to be real tough for them to get that from you, going through the trouble of hiring a local (to you) law firm to pursue you in court. I'd bet they don't get a judgement within the 7 years they have to collect. I can't see it hurting your credit as the rich man that you are.

AArdvark · Post by **AArdvark** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 4:07 pm

Under the cover of darkness a lone lumpy figure is sillouetted against the distant arc lights of a Virginia parking lot. A closer inspection reveals the somewhat lumpy shape to be a person carrying what appears to be a plastic palm tree and two small grey kittens. The figure stumbles and a half full bottle of bacardi rum is dislodged from under one arm and smashes on the pavement. A muttered curse word floats through the night as the figure reaches his destination, a rented U-Haul truck.
At first light on the morrow, the only traces of Pinback's life in Virginia would be a broken liquor bottle in a handicapped parking space and furniture marks in the industrial carpeting upstairs. Even the light bulbs and the electrical outlets would be gone, much to the Super's dismay.

Bail out, dude. They won't find you and won't do anything about it if they did.

THE
PHANTOM
AARDVARK

ChainGangGuy · Post by **ChainGangGuy** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:50 pm

I'm leaning towards Option #2. It has worked well in the past, why not now?

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:06 pm

ChainGangGuy wrote:I'm leaning towards Option #2. It has worked well in the past, why not now?

I think my head is with #2, but my heart is with him leaving them nothing at all. I'm really sick of hearing about and living in places that seem to think that they're doing YOU a favor by locking you into a year long lease. If the Philadelphia Eagles can release Terrell Owens in the 2nd year of a 7 year deal then I can release my landlord (or "apartment complex company") similarly. I don't agree that rents should be $500 if you sign for a year and $900 if you don't.

But I don't want to live in some place where I can pay monthly and get to hear someone's bass beat thumpin' daily.

k. roo · Post by **k. roo** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 8:27 am

I'm with the #3 people, as indicated.

That said, here is why I wouldn't do it myself. Every place I've moved into required references - like the landlords from the last three places I've lived. I've actually missed out on one apt. I was eyeing, because I didn't have this information on me when I talked to the owner. So, wouldn't this be quite a predicament when you can't tell the new owner about the previous owners because you really don't want any business with them any more? I wouldn't know how to handle that, because I'm a loser.

Only because I think that the Ben has the balls have I voted #3 because that's where my heart is and I have a dream.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 12:01 pm

My new apartment will have called my old apartment before I move out. So they will not know of my dastardly plans when they give 'em the "OK" sign.

k. roo · Post by **k. roo** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 2:41 pm

Well then, as long as only the most recent landlord is required as reference, it's #3 all the way, baby.

Not to sound gushy here (everyone knows that I hate Ben's guts and wish he'd impale himself on the obelisk before he leaves the general vicinity of DC so that the face of god's great earth be once and for all rid of his abomination) but I wish you best of luck. You won't find what you are looking for in LA or elsewhere, but you will find some of it in moving there. As long as you don't lose the urge to go out and change things, you're alive, and that is more than many fine folks can say for themselves.

Thank you for sharing todays Hallmark(TM) moment.