Fantastic apartment/cozy neighborhood/nosy landlord
Pros
The apartment is *huge* for the price. The balcony is fantastic and can fit a whole dinner party. The neighborhood is quaint and quiet. And SO CLOSE to danis pizza. Close to the trains and to everything you need. This apartment is very private and comfortable. There is a private driveway. There is more than adequate storage space, closets, pantry, a walk in closet in the master bedroom. It was a perfect home for my partner and I, each having our own studio, and sharing a bedroom, living room, and kitchen. It’s just a great place to come home to, have a dinner party, or take a trip to the park.
Cons
The landlord(s) are kind and generous however, they have a very abrasive personality. Conversations felt condescending, belittling, and often just plain strange. They are truly ‘doing the most’ and frequently panic about innocuous and common occurrences. Luckily, interactions are limited so the frustrating and arduous task of trying to communicate with them whilst retaining your sanity is not a daily requirement. The application process was more invasive than what I consider to be standard. If you are younger than 30 it is highly likely they will ask for a guarantor even if you’re income, credit, and rental history are in perfect order. And then they will ask you invasive questions about the guarantors. Just be prepared for a lot of paperwork. The landlord will ask you not to flush toilet paper AFTER you’ve already signed the lease. They will ask you this in a manner which suggests they don’t find it to be a strange request. (which will make it that much weirder) Yes, I do believe this is illegal as it poses a health hazard but I did not argue them on it. I feel that they would not listen to any counter anyway. Something about the “pipes being too thin.” They also have a strange fear of being ticketed for improper garbage disposal and did not provide us with trashcans for the street. If you bring a garbage bag to the street too early, the Forest Park raccoons will tear it open and leave a mess on the sidewalk. They deducted 10% from our security deposit despite there being no damages to the apartment, stating that the windows and floor weren’t mopped to their liking. When asked to provide a receipt for the cleaning service they charged us for, they told us there would be no receipt. The red flags from the landlords almost prevented us from ever moving in. I’m glad it all worked out because the apartment was definitely worth the hassle, but it was a close call. Now as a more experienced renter, I question wether or not I would be able to handle having landlords like this again.
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