I'm going on to Europe for about 2 months or so.
I am allowed to NOT stay in my apartment,
as long as I am paying the rent,it doesn't matter if I am actually staying there,right?
I don't know too many people here,but would somebody from the leasing office possibly check up on my apt. from time to time?
Just to make sure that everything is fine while I'm gone?
How can I transfer my home mail to a P.O. BOX instead?
My apartment complex is not the safest at all,
if people notice that it's somewhat vacant ....
Should I use this little thing that turns the light on and off at a certain time each day or not?
I am ONLY keeping cooking stuff and bathroom stuff in my apt. since I am going away.
P.S.
SINCE I WILL NOT BE THERE,I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WATER AND ELECTRIC UTILITIES,RIGHT?
(UNLESS I KEEP THE LIGHT ON,OF COURSE).
ONLY THE RENT!
Thanks! seems logical you can ask your renter to keep an eye out if he will agree, you can also have the police keep a look out-something i recently did- they will do a watch for you for free, or u can hire a house sitter, lol, if u cant afford one, there are plenty of moochers that will do it for free Don't worry about a thing...I'll keep watch on it...what's the address again?
Yes...get someone from the leasing office to drop by, if they will (it's not their responsibility but maybe they will be nice).
The lights on/off thing isn't a bad idea.
The post office can provide you with a temporary mail stop of or transfer form - usually takes about a week to take effect.
Tell the utility companies you're going on holiday - they may reduce your rate during that time. Have fun I am actually in the same exact situation and am doing the following: turning off all appliances etc so I do not have to worry about bills, locking up everything, and hoping all is well. To be honest, I would enjoy your trip so long your rent is paid or scheduled to be paid on time and your utilties are turned off. Hope this helps! Yes, you need to pay the rent in full. Your renting the room not yourself. Yes you should use the light thing along with maybe having your tv turn on or something that makes noise. You shouldn't have anyone check on your place except people you truley trust. Double lock as many doors as you can. Alarm the windows. Keep anything else you don't want to turn on, unplugged because of hazards. Go to your nearest post office and they will give a slip to fill out to your po box. Yup, if you are going to have to pay rent anyways, I suggest you get a friend to house-sit. As far as the utilities go, you have nothing to worry about unless you leave the lights on. You should get a friend to check in from time to time, or just ask them to house-sit. That's what I would do!
The P.O. Box thing, you just need to go to a post office and they'll give you all the info. You should tell the office that you will be gone and ask them to check up on your apt from time to time. If they agree, they will be more likely responsible for possible damages that happen while you are away.
Contact the utility companies and ask them about the bills, you might want to overpay and hold a balance just in case.
Most likely though, any criminal casing the joint would probably think the apt was vacant so you might want to make it appear as such. You will get a utility bill each month, for basic service, even if you don't ue them. The best thing is to pre-pay utilities.
As far as the rent, just prepay it.
I like your idea of the PO Box..have the Post Office to hold your mail.
Lights on a timer would be a good idea. I would not inform the leasing office that you will not be there...that isn't safe. First of all, read your lease. Some leases require you maintain the temperature in your apartment to a certain degree when it is cold out. For example, your temp must be set above a certain point to avoid freezing pipes in the winter. And you must allow the water to drip if there is a freeze so you will need to ask them (the management) to take care of that should it arise.
Then get some renter's insurance ( no matter how little you have in your apartment) if someone broke in and figured out you were gone for a while they could do serious damage and vandalism to your apartment and you might be liable for repairs. Renter's insurance is relatively inexpensive.
Place any paperwork that is important like birth certificate, etc in a safety deposit box.
Definitely purchase a few timers. One for the TV, one for each bedroom, one for the living room and one for the den or kitchen. They make all different types of timers and if you can find one of the random ones that picks the times at random for you, that is best.
Make sure you have your bills set up online so what little bills you get for utilities continue to be payed on time. Stop any deliveries such as papers or bottled water. Just call them and have it put on vacation hold a few days before you leave to make certain it does stop. Sometimes they make mistakes and it would be a shame to leave thinking it had stopped only to return to find an empty apartment as the burglars were tipped you weren't home by that stack of papers on the porch.
If you have any plants outside, be sure to bring them in or have someone come and water them. Dead plants are a big tip of to those around you that know you normally tend your plants.
If you transfer your mail to a PO Box where you are vacationing, fine. If you are talking about getting a PO Box locally (where you reside), you are wasting your money. All you have to do is fill out a form at the Post Office to place your mail on hold. They might even have it online, just go to the USPS website. Then when you return you just go down with a bag and pick up your mail and remove the hold. Be sure to start the hold a few days prior to leaving to make sure they haven't made any mistakes and continued to deliver your mail.
If you have someone you trust to check on the apt, definitely ask them to. But remind them not to slip and tell the neighbors you are gone. They might tell the wrong neighbor and you might have an empty apt when you return.
Management at the complex should definitely be informed that you will be gone. You should give them the name and number of someone who they can contact locally should any emergencies arise. You should also tell them if you are having someone come round to check on things. Give them their name and phone number. And most importantly emphasize that you will not be there should it freeze, and ask them to make the necessary adjustments to the thermostat, etc.
And do not forget to empty your fridge and turn it on the lowest setting prior to leaving. Then take all your garbage out. Vaccum and make your bed, there is nothing like coming home from a long trip to a made bed and crashing. I wouldn't worry about dusting as it will build back up in those two months. But definitely do not leave any dirty dishes in the sink or you will need a sledgehammer to break the dirt off. If you are into a clean smelling home, place out a few new air fresheners when you leave and you will return home to a soothing apt.
Make a list of all the electrical things in your home, like iron, stove, curling iron, toaster, tv, alarm clocks, etc. If it is not something like a light set with a timer, unp;lug it. Even a Tv that is turned off uses a bit of electricity. No need in feeding the beast.
And have fun. If you take the time to put things in order prior to leaving amd make a list and mark things off, you will be able to relax, knowing you have done all you can to ensure your possessions are safe and your obligations filled. you can ask the management company to keep an eye out for you, I would notify them that you are out of the country for the next two months. Put a hold on your mail at the post office rather than pay for a PO box that will get too full during that time. The post office will hold all your mail at the post office and you can pick it all up when you return.
As for your utilities even if you aren't using them you will still receive a bill each month for minimal usage, chances are your billing is a month behind so you'll still owe money on your account. Best thing to do is prepay while you're gone and not worry about it.
You can purchase timers that you set on your lights that will turn them on and off for you in the evenings so it looks like someone is home. If you have a friend maybe they can come by once a week to check on the place. Otherwise just make sure you leave nothing on while your gone.
Good luck and have fun. The property managing company I used to work for required that tenants inform us in writing if they were going to be out of the unit for 14 or more consecutive days. They were to give us contact information in case of emergency. And yes, rent was to be paid in full and on time. The same for the utilities. Ask a neighbor if they can look in on your unit, or a co-worker.
Just a thought, but you might want to turn off the water to the faucets, toilet and dishwasher/washing machine if you have those. Unplug things that don't need power (TV, VCR, computer...) but leave the fridge plugged in. That way you won't get charged for more than the basics needed to keep the place habitable when you get home.
As for your mail, go to your closest post office and fill out a PO box rental application. You'll have to chose how long you want to rent it, usually 6 or 12 months, and the size of the box. If you just want the box for the duration of your trip, fill out a 'mail hold' form at the post office. They'll hold your mail for the time you request and you can pick it up at the post office when you get back. Visit USPS.com for more information and to see if there are online versions of the form you can fill out ahead of time. You might even be able to schedule the mail hold online. |
