Knowledge is Power

So far this month, it’s been unusually quiet here on the complex.

Eerie quiet.

Ominously quiet.

Only time will tell if this quiet period is good or bad.

Driving the long way around out of the complex this morning, checking for further Halloween patio decorations, other than those previously mentioned, I found none.

What a bunch of bores.

Having had that Recertification Appointment with Assistant Manager this afternoon, submitted requested paperwork, proved I’m still poor enough to qualify to renew the lease, unless I win the lottery and can move to reside with a livelier group, looks like I’ll be blogging about these bores for another year.

While in the session, I did not bring up the issue of the Laundry Rooms.

One has to know when to hold ‘em when to fold ‘em around here. So it was in my best interest to not let management know I know what’s going on.

Besides, after checking the lease, I learned laundry rooms are not a given. Laundry rooms are listed as an Amenity on the website, but as a Common Area Amenity that may or may not be available on the property in the lease, with rules about usage.

However, I did learn Community Manager was dead wrong in telling residents it is their responsibility to contact the company that services the laundry rooms about the out-of-service equipment because Section 35 of the lease clearly specifies "Should you have any trouble with the laundry equipment, please report to the Community Manager".

Her lazy arse just doesn’t want to be bothered doing her job; but now that I know, should I need to report out-of-service equipment, CM won’t be able to brush me off as easily as done with other residents. I’ll have no problem directing her to Section 35.

Knowledge is power.

I did question this latest rent increase, which Assistant Manager says I misunderstood the paperwork I’d been given. The increase won’t take effect until the current Recertification period expires in February.

That was good news except, during the week, something led me to check just exactly what the rules on rent increases are.

Googling "rent increase San Bernardino County" landed me on the Housing Authority’s website, where I read "The Tenant Protection Act caps rent increases to 10% total or 5% plus the percentage change in the cost of living — whichever is lower — over a 12-month period".

Inasmuch as my last increase was this past July, management by law cannot raise my rent until July 2024.

Knowledge is power.

I didn’t bring up what I learned about February's increase in the session. I’m going to sit on it, spring it on management when that time comes that they can’t double-dip, cannot legally raise my rent for five more months, which would be July 2024 when they do their regular annual increases.

I don’t think management has tried this with those supported by the County, because the County would know it’s a violation of the Act. It must be a something they’ve been running on those of us not on the County role.

I can’t but wonder how many residents have been saddled with illegal double increases and whether it’s unknowingly previously happened to me.

It’s not worth the time and effort for me to backtrack, try to figure out if management owes me money — refund for overcharging. I’ll just take what I now know, make sure it doesn’t happen in the future.