imthanick_a
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Ohio
Just curious what other people would do in my situation - I know what I'm going to do but want to see other points of view
TL;DR: My apartment is making me pay for renters insurance and the garage I don't use, for an apartment that I no longer have any belongings/residence in.
Story time for the bored ones who want to read
I bought a house, closed May 31st and had the keys in hand June 1. Moved in that weekend. I tried to cancel my lease on my apartment in June, gave a heads up and asked if I could terminate my lease after June was over. They said I could, but I would have to pay the rest of the months of rent (770 a month, pay for July and August since the last day of my lease is August 26th) and on top of that an "early cleaning fee" of the equivalent of 1 months rent. My other option was to just continue to pay rent until my lease was up. "Sorry, but thats policy and we cant let you terminate early without fees". And they wouldn't let me sublet either. So I went with the latter and just sucked it up.
So I then asked "Since I'm not living here, can I at least turn in my garage door opener so I don't have to pay 70 bucks for the June, July, and August?" Their answer was maybe, send it in writing in an email. Turned in my opener since I didnt need it and then sent it in email the next day that I'd like to cancel. They again said, "No, its policy." Then I started getting mad. I went and got my opener back so they couldnt rent out my garage from under me since they knew I longer lived there (garage is a separate building from the apartment units so they are not "personal" garages.)
After all my stuff was out, I turned off the main breaker to the unit and turned off all gas connections and terminated my electric and gas accounts for that place, as well as terminated my renters insurance policy since I had nothing there that needed covered. Renters insurance policy was already paid for until august 6th.
Today I get an email saying that "You need to have an active policy while you are an active tenant blah blah blah" To which I responded - I'm not an active tenant, and have no belongings in the unit that need covered". They then insisted I get a policy. I'm not doing it. I told them I refuse to pay renters insurance for 20 days on an apartment that I am not using.
I am not going to pay it unless they threaten legal action. I know its only like 20 bucks for the insurance policy so it's not worth fighting. My worry now is they will see I cancelled my utilities then get on me for that too, even though there is zero chance that any electric or gas is being used in that apartment so there should be no charge. (minus whatever upkeep charges they always mark on the statements)
Am I wrong for thinking its a complete highway robbery that I can't stop the payments for the garage and renters insurance? They have no problem renting out garage spaces. I was on a waiting list to get both spaces under one door (you can rent one space and share a two car garage with someone but I wanted both spaces for my two cars) for two months before I finally got my garage. And if I have no belongings there, and no residency, then why do I need renters insurance, besides "policy"?
I'm probably going to get a lot of shit from people "it's in your lease so you need to do what they say" but when I applied for the garage I was told that I could get rid of the garage whenever I wanted. Just didn't get it in writing because I didn't think it would ever be an issue
EDIT: Was just told that I need to re-open my utility accounts. For one month. For utilities that are turned off immediately downstream of the meters.
TL;DR: My apartment is making me pay for renters insurance and the garage I don't use, for an apartment that I no longer have any belongings/residence in.
Story time for the bored ones who want to read
I bought a house, closed May 31st and had the keys in hand June 1. Moved in that weekend. I tried to cancel my lease on my apartment in June, gave a heads up and asked if I could terminate my lease after June was over. They said I could, but I would have to pay the rest of the months of rent (770 a month, pay for July and August since the last day of my lease is August 26th) and on top of that an "early cleaning fee" of the equivalent of 1 months rent. My other option was to just continue to pay rent until my lease was up. "Sorry, but thats policy and we cant let you terminate early without fees". And they wouldn't let me sublet either. So I went with the latter and just sucked it up.
So I then asked "Since I'm not living here, can I at least turn in my garage door opener so I don't have to pay 70 bucks for the June, July, and August?" Their answer was maybe, send it in writing in an email. Turned in my opener since I didnt need it and then sent it in email the next day that I'd like to cancel. They again said, "No, its policy." Then I started getting mad. I went and got my opener back so they couldnt rent out my garage from under me since they knew I longer lived there (garage is a separate building from the apartment units so they are not "personal" garages.)
After all my stuff was out, I turned off the main breaker to the unit and turned off all gas connections and terminated my electric and gas accounts for that place, as well as terminated my renters insurance policy since I had nothing there that needed covered. Renters insurance policy was already paid for until august 6th.
Today I get an email saying that "You need to have an active policy while you are an active tenant blah blah blah" To which I responded - I'm not an active tenant, and have no belongings in the unit that need covered". They then insisted I get a policy. I'm not doing it. I told them I refuse to pay renters insurance for 20 days on an apartment that I am not using.
I am not going to pay it unless they threaten legal action. I know its only like 20 bucks for the insurance policy so it's not worth fighting. My worry now is they will see I cancelled my utilities then get on me for that too, even though there is zero chance that any electric or gas is being used in that apartment so there should be no charge. (minus whatever upkeep charges they always mark on the statements)
Am I wrong for thinking its a complete highway robbery that I can't stop the payments for the garage and renters insurance? They have no problem renting out garage spaces. I was on a waiting list to get both spaces under one door (you can rent one space and share a two car garage with someone but I wanted both spaces for my two cars) for two months before I finally got my garage. And if I have no belongings there, and no residency, then why do I need renters insurance, besides "policy"?
I'm probably going to get a lot of shit from people "it's in your lease so you need to do what they say" but when I applied for the garage I was told that I could get rid of the garage whenever I wanted. Just didn't get it in writing because I didn't think it would ever be an issue
EDIT: Was just told that I need to re-open my utility accounts. For one month. For utilities that are turned off immediately downstream of the meters.
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