( Calexico, CA ) My landlord is rising the rent for the renewal of contract more than agreed on.
I don't really know who or what to do but I have an idea where to begin.
We are a 4 apartment building complex, we are four families and two have multiple children.
I am aware we live in California and mostly we live next to the border and right in front of a school which makes rent higher but the price this people is trying to get us beyind ridiculous.
We pay 1550 for a 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom. Renters on 1 apartment pay 100 less because they have one bathroom only.
When visiting apartment during construction it was supposed to be 1500 but because ' Surprise surprise they added another bathroom' they raised the price to 1550.
This is my first ever apartment with contract, I have only rented studios since I was 18. The ones not reported to the gov so this is news to me.
We pay all the utilities and they promised solar panels before signing the contract, promised to have them ready in 6 months and it's been almost a year with only been touched once or twice.
The issue here is they sent an email a few days ago reporting that for July they'll raise rent by $136 because we are 'below value market' which is stupid because all other apartments rent is 1200 and up, they are trying to make a buck like this is a house.
When signing contract I asked for only to be raised by $25 dollars instead of $75 so apparently they are not up to their word.
We rented her out of necessity but I don't plan to let them abuse us like this.
We don't have luxuries, is not a fenced property, people enter our space, we have deal with trespassers by our doorsteps, we had to call to have the recycled available, the mailboxes put up, the lock to recycle bin because people dumped dead animals.
They don't care about us and the building is cracking from the outside, a two floor building. Yes it is a newly made apartment and it is obviously they were desperate to rent it, when we arrived apartments were dirty with paint job, glue, cracks on tiles as they don't hold well.
Its a lot and I hope anyone has an advice for a way to solve this.
I talked to all the families and they agree this is outrageous, at this point they'll try to charge 2,000 in a blink of an eye like if we are in San Diego.
At least I have the families united to whatever we can do.
Edit to add: They don't take care of the plants they added to die for a fail of water distribution. When we got here we had to fix most issues as gas and light wasn't set up. The trash is just around and as I have mentioned pest in the past they don't fumigate either. What kills me is that I do love the place and so everyone else but the rent is already so high.
When I tried to apply for any government help with rent they told me no because at that time they only cover rents that are 900 or lower and if I don't like it I should rent an studio ( which we have a ton of illegal studios here )
I've also noted that most apartments near us pay some utilities aside from the lower rent than us.