Tenants worry over planned rent increase for renovations
Tenants living at the Continental Apartments were recently caught in what the management of the complex is calling a misunderstanding.
Tenants of the complex, located at 729 E. 900 North in Logan, received a notice detailing improvements the new managers plan to make to the facilities in the future, including the addition of a hot tub, a theater room and a clubhouse, as well as upgrades to individual units. Apartment manager Stacy Hess said it shouldn’t be unexpected these improvements will lead to an increase in rent.
But tenants took the notice to mean their rent would increase in spite of a previously signed contract that guaranteed a lower rate. Renters automatically assume the worst and are running with it instead of actually getting with the source of the information, according to Hess.
“I think there was a miscommunication,” Hess said. “I think everybody who has gotten notices from us, they’re kind of tunnel-visioned if you will, so immediately when they see the notices they are just thinking the negative and not thinking everything through.”
Hess, who managed the Meadow View apartments for six years prior to taking over duties for Continental, said she isn’t looking to inconvenience any tenants – neither current nor future – but wants to make it clear the only way accommodations can be made is if everyone involved comes to an agreement.
“We definitely want to come in and do some changes to Continental and take it to the next level,” Hess said. “With that, obviously, there is going to be an increase in rent. We completely understand that, you know, people have signed contracts and we will do everything we can to try and accommodate and meet middle ground for everyone involved. The people who have signed a contract, we have every intention of working with them.”
Feedback from all tenants is important, Hess said, because direct communication between management and tenants will give her the opportunity to calm any worries renters might have.
Still, Hess is confident these proposed changes are the right decision.
“Half of the students there are excited about the change and are fine with an increase in rent,” she said. “It’s not that they either increase the rent or they are out. It has nothing to do with that and I think that that’s a lot of what these people are thinking.”
Any feedback, complaints or questions from tenants will be presented to the owners of the Continental Apartments, Hess said, but it is most important for tenants and management to find common ground on this issue so confusion can be remedied.
“We totally understand the feedback that we’ve gotten and people that have actually taken the time to come talk to me,” Hess said. “It’s just more getting that common, getting that feedback so that we can all say, ‘OK, if people are more in this area, then maybe we won’t do all the improvements but we’ll do some of them so that it is equal across the board for everybody involved.'”
Many tenants feel the notice they received was confusing. David Cottle, a junior majoring in psychology, said it wasn’t made clear who would be affected by the rent hike.
“I was mad when I thought it was being raised across the board,” Cottle said. “But after the situation was clear, I was fine. It was just poor communication and tenants overreacting mostly.”
Hess agreed the information wasn’t conveyed in a clear manner. She said much of the information could have been made clear if students had contacted her before tenant-dispersed emails began circulating, causing a “rivalry” between tenants and management.
“I think they are kind of going a step too far in the fact that they should have come to me first and should have talked and got all the details – because they don’t have all the details,” Hess said.
Hess said management plans to finish the improvements to at least one unit at Continental before spring semester ends so everybody there can go and take a look at what the upgrades are going to be.
Some residents are still confused, but Hess is trying to do what she can to mend the situation.
“They’re honoring the contracts and only people signing up now are at the higher price,” Cottle said. “The manager came around and talked to the apartments and explained a few days ago.”
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