Renter's - Is it time to Renegotiate your Lease?

Apartment vacancies hit a 30-year high in the fourth quarter and left landlords scrambling to retain their existing tenants plus trying to attract new one.

The vacancy rate ended the year at 8%.  This is the highest level since a New York research tracking firm surveying the top 79 U.S. markets started to tally vacancies plus rents in 1980.  San Jose CA, Seattle, San Francisco saw rents fall 3%.


Landlords must now entice tenants to renew leases.  Incentives like Starbucks gift cards, repainting the unit and cleaning carpets are just a few of the enticements landlords are implementing.


If you are renting a place, now might be a good time to renegotiate your lease.




Linda Shank is a real estate broker w/Linda Shank and Company in the Southeast Phoenix Valley.  Contact her at LShank5179ataol.com

Utilities - To Shut Off or Not to Shut Off

Almost every landlord has wanted to shut off a tenant's utilities for one reason or another.  Unlawfully shutting off utilities can result in severe consequences to the landlord except for a few unusual circumstances.

Normally utilities cannot be shut off and Arizona State Statute allows the tenant to sue for damages and/or terminate their rental agreement.

Here is the statute that protects the tenant:

A.R.S. 33-1374  Recovery of possession limited

A landlord may not recover or take possession of the dwelling unit by action or otherwise, including willful diminution of services to the tenant by interrupting or causing the interruption of electric, gas, water or other essential service to the tenant, except in the case of abandonment, surrender or as permitted in this Chapter.