Whats reasonable in allowing apt showing?

Does your lease say anything about this? Usually they have some sort of clause about reasonableness, I think (but could be wrong). I believe the landlord only has the limited rights to use the property that are granted under the lease -- you're still paying rent, and still deserve quiet enjoyment of the property. So I'd check your lease and see what it says.

In any event, I don't understand you to have any obligation to clean the place up for all these showings. It's nice of you to do so -- but if they're not showing you the courtesy of giving you some warning, then it's their problem if you don't have time to show them the courtesy of tidying up. They may be trying to rent it, but you still get to live there.

(Here's an interesting question for the more experienced. What if they schedule an open house during a football game you really want to see. Can you sit on the couch, drink your beer, watch the game, and make them hold the thing around you?)

Get a backbone. If you are paying rent, I don't believe you have to allow showings at all unless it states so in your contract. If you are renting from a friend who is trying to sell apt, then work something out but this is excessive.

Thanks for the comments. I am always quite busy and do not have the time to tidy up the place all the time. The contract states reasonable showing is needed but I feel as though this is getting excessive because its been a month and they still havent found someone.

if it's not tidy don't worry about it

If there is less than 24 hrs notice -- and you are flexible -- tell them you do not want to hear word ONE about the tidy factor.

We viewed an apartment to purchase. It was being sublet to some college kids while the owner was overseas. It was smelly and disgusting. I couldn't believe the broker didn't make them clean it up before. I wanted to email the poor owner to let them know how filthy the apartment was.

The point I'm making is that if they're having trouble renting, and your place is really messy, maybe next time they will give you advance notice.

LMAO. Do what I'd do, look for the clause in the rental agreement. Then be a real within law "dick." Enjoy... spread the cheer.. in this bear mkt.

I agree with the others: why do you care about being tidy? (unless your being "tidy" means hiding your drugs, paraphernalia or porn collection....). The funny thing I have noticed over the years is that usually tenants who are worried about this, when they tell you the place can't be shown because they haven't had time to make it tidy, you go and the place is perfectly showable, but the one's who DON'T tell you it's not tidy (i.e. think it's fine) are a mess with a full sink of dishes, garbage overflowing, and presents in the bathroom.

It is messy (at least I consider messy). The broker wanted everything to be clean like a show unit. Most of all, I hate the foot prints on my floor every time I come back even though I have told them to not to wear shoes inside. I am also in process of slow packing for my move in 2 weeks so boxes are everywhere.

When we rented, the LL was eager to rent it out ASAP. Because he had been so flexible in terms of our lease, we got our place cleaned on a Friday, OH on Sunday and it was rented immediately.

Lest it was a bubble case exception, the same apt was re-rented a couple of months ago with the same strategy. Current tenants allowed an OH on Sunday, place was rerented immediately.

My point isn't clear - I think the issue isn't so much that you're not messy or flexible (3 OHs and 10 showings is a lot) but that the apt is mispriced. You should definitely push back.

How messy is messy? You aren't obligated to make the place look like a 'show unit'. That's absurd. But, it doesn't take long to do a quick tidy. Personally I cannot leave the apartment unless bed is made and dishes are done, but I'm a bit OCD when it comes to that stuff...

One suggestion might be to keep a box or two that you can toss errant junk into each morning before you leave--things that have gone astray that you don't have time to put away properly. A shoe-box in the bathroom, a larger box in living room and bedroom should help. Also--make the bed! It takes all of 30 seconds and makes a huge difference. If in a pinch you could *cringe* toss stray unwashed dishes in the fridge so they're not sitting in the sink all day.

buyingnow just leave a giant Dildo on the table next time

Dildo - I made one into a lamp; quite a conversation piece! If you're packing up anyway, 'messy' is probably a relative term. I'd say to try to be flexible because the energy you give out, comes back. You say that you get upset about footprints in the rug & want them to take off their shoes??? Puh leeze - get a grip! You'll be out soon!

I just dont want them to enter my apartment with out giving me notice. Thats what the landlord is proposing. Access to apartment 7 days a week with out notice in min 10 hours a day.

I wouldn't even allow my parents to visit with 10 minutes notice. 24 hours is more than reasonable.

Is it possible to put an additional lock on the door & then they only have access to the unit when you leave it unlocked?

>>Is it possible to put an additional lock on the door & then they only have access to the unit when you leave it unlocked?<<

No. Landlord needs to have full access.

I don't think your lease allows full access 24 hours a day.

Squid - would you like to come by our place too and make the beds/do dishes on your way to work? Would be greatly appreciated...

Btw, about the beer/football, is there anything that specifically says you can't be in the apartment when it is being shown? As a seller, I think buyers might be able to have a more "honest" dialogue with potential buyers if I'm not around. I don't think the same applies when the occupant is a tenant and not an owner. I went to see a place where the woman just renewed the lease and then decided to sell it. The tenant was furious and not only did not clean up, she did not leave (and had her kids in strollers and a large play pen blocking the living room floor) and completely restricted the showings. She gave the broker a 1-2 hour window on a specific day where she and her husband were rotating people in an out of the apartment and would complain to anyone who would listen about being wronged on her lease. It was quite a zoo!

An open house of an hour and a half every other weekend, plus scattered open houses that last two hours on an early weekend evening, are reasonable, as are appointment showings with 24 hours notice. In practice, few people have the consideration to call 24 hours before (really, did you when you were looking?) so honestly, 18 hours advance notice is probably pretty reasonable.

You should be able, negotiating with the broker, to get them to steer showings towards just a couple of days a week to make your life easier still, or two completely ban one or two days per week ("You should know Wednesdays are just impossible for me.") And for heaven's sake, your request that visitors not wear shoes in the apartment should be honored.

3 open houses and 10 indidvidual showings in a month is a lot, but in my opinion, it's not "unreasonable."

In return, when you leave the apartment you should have made the bed, not have clothes and shoes scattered on the floor, have all curtains drawn and blinds open, take out the garbarge, and not leave any dishes in the sink. That's a reasonable expectation of "tidy," and I've even seen one landlord write those in as rider provisions.

On the other hand, vaccuuming, washing windows, having the papers straight on the desk -- not your problem. Boxes -- well, you should herd 'em into a corner, but obviously you're going to have them.

I'll never forget the first apartment that I sold, where the tenant's definition of "tidy" was to put the bong away.

ali r.
{downtown broker}

>>Squid - would you like to come by our place too and make the beds/do dishes on your way to work? Would be greatly appreciated...<<

Certainly! But I don't do windows... ;)

I hope the rent you agreed to is commensurate with the aggravation inherent in your situation.

I've seen people get very low rents when it is understood from the beginning that the landlord will be trying to sell the apartment while the tenant is there. Such low rent is only fair.

I've always felt that if I were to rent someone's condo I'd want such a low rent as there would be a good chance that they would be soon looking to sell it.

"buyingnow just leave a giant Dildo on the table next time"

Actually had an owner on West 9th St who constantly left her vibrator and lube on her nightstand even though she knew we would be showing. Also had a unit at 111 4th where the owner was a serious fetishist and had all these photos of younger men in various states of.......... My dear departed ex-co-worker and resident/board member in the building lived next door and said "Living next to ?forgot his name" I got a sexual education I never wanted" (the walls were a bit thin I guess).

Then there was the loft at 708 Greenwich with the big dog cage in it. People were constantly noting how clean and fresh smelling the unit was for a place with such a large dog. Except for the few who saw the photo of the 2 guys who owned it, one with the dog collar on..........

>>Then there was the loft at 708 Greenwich with the big dog cage in it. People were constantly noting how clean and fresh smelling the unit was for a place with such a large dog. Except for the few who saw the photo of the 2 guys who owned it, one with the dog collar on..........<<

REO--was that unit 1A by any chance? Ground/basement level duplex? If so, sheesh. Blast from the past. I knew the place 20 years ago when a sweet little family lived there...

Ah, back when that end of the Village was transgressional. There's the building at the west end of Christopher that used to be called "The Leather Flats."

It's weird that you don't get a 24-hr-notice before the open house. You should remind them that there is a tenant (you) and no one has been informing you of the OH--and they may want to start tellin you about OH in order to facilitate their sales efforts by givin you the opportunity to tidy up and be out of the apt. Meanwhile, though, you might just want to protect yourself by checking the listing weekly to see when the next OH is scheduled.

Also, about individual showings, most of the time, it's not the landload's fault. As a seller, I have had too many realtors routinely showing up at the door w/ buyers unannounced, when I had specifically told them not to do so AND explained why (w/ kids, home office full of confidential paperwork, etc.). So, there is little the landload (seller) can do to control what the realtors do.

"There's the building at the west end of Christopher that used to be called "The Leather Flats."

165 Christopher. Chaim Babad. http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/26/nyregion/neighborhood-report-greenwich-village-ops-fret-tenants-sue-corporate-renters.html

Squid - i don't think so.

They generally call me 1 or 2 hour before they want to show or sometimes have the doorman call me to say people are waiting.

BTW< this is for rental not for selling.

I found out the out of 10 showings, the broker and potential tenant only showed up 3 times, according to the visitor's list.

People are waiting? "LET THEM WAIT" - forever. No notice, no show; so effen sorry.

Seriously ... once you start putting your foot down, they'll start acting more serious. Or you can continue acting like a doormat. Make it clear (in writing) that you need them to ASK you 48 hours in advance, and you can defer them if it's not a convenient night.

And don't clean up, beyond trying to prevent theft. Any potential lessee who's serious will be looking at the apartment, not your stuff.

Is this a real landlord/sponsor owned, or a unit-owner?

Does qwerty own it?

is the bathroom caulked and moldy?

hahahah