What is...?
What is the 30% rent rule?
True or false: The behaviors of the guests you have over to your apartment can get you evicted.
True.
The apartment isn't close to a bus stop/your friends or family/a part of town you're familiar with, etc.
While that's not always a dealbreaker, it can be hard to be isolated, especially if you don't have transportation of your own
What is the most common fast food restaurant in Tennessee?
Subway
Where do you go to find apartment listings if you're interested in seeing what's available or thinking about moving?
Zillow, Apartments.com, HotPads, or similar websites, plus Google searches for "apartments near me". You can also ask your Oasis case manager for property ideas!
What is a ledger?
A ledger is a document you can request from a property manager that shows a total record of all the payments you have made, starting with your apartment application fee.
True or false: Landlords can change the locks to keep you out if you don't pay your rent on time.
False. If this has happened to you (or if they've shut off your utilities), contact the non-emergency police for a "civil standby" to get help regaining access. Then contact Legal Aid Society.
Apartments that require little from you to move in (no income verification, no documentation, little contact in general...)
Easy is great! But sometimes, these properties are trying to fill units quickly for a reason...
What is the national animal of Scotland?
A unicorn
Where do you go for help getting repairs taken care of at your apartment?
Look at your lease for this information: some properties have online portals to submit maintenance requests, some have dedicated phone numbers to call, others require you submit requests via email.
What is an addendum?
An addendum is a part of a lease added on to the end that outlines something specific to the unit or property. Sometimes these outline things like pet rent, lead-based paint used in the unit, or other specific rules you and the property manager have discussed during the application process.
True or false: It is basically impossible to get another apartment if you have an eviction on your record.
False. It might be more challenging but a number of properties in the area are willing to work with tenants who have "bad rental histories" -- talk to your Oasis case manager for more info.
Income-based property
How much of your body's oxygen goes to your brain?
Around 20%
Where do you go for help if you get behind on bills like rent or utilities?
Rooftop and Metro Action Commission can be helpful places to start depending on your circumstances. Talk to your Oasis case manager too!
What is the sentence "notice of termination of tenancy for non-payment of rent is hereby specifically waived" saying?
By signing a lease with the sentence "notice of termination of tenancy for non-payment of rent is hereby specifically waived", you are signing away your right to be notified that you are late in rent and/or that your property is filing an eviction, meaning you may receive an eviction notice as soon as the grace period for rent (usually the 6th of each month) is over.
False. Landlords are required to provide repairs, but withholding rent is not an appropriate solution. Continue paying to avoid eviction, and contact Legal Aid.
Promotions offering discounted/free rent for signing a lease
These deals can be misleading -- sometimes, the discounts are spread out over several months vs given at once, so you are still responsible for paying. Sometimes, you are rushed through the process and discouraged from reviewing your lease or seeing your apartment before signing.
Where was mayonnaise invented?
Spain
Where do you go for help if you think you've been given an eviction notice early or unfairly?
Legal Aid Society
What is an "early termination clause"?
An early termination clause outlines the process for getting out of a lease before the end of the contract period (usually 12 months). This varies by property but usually involves lengthy notice to your landlord and payment of a portion or all of the remaining lease.
True or false: If there are errors on your lease (typos, missing pieces of information, etc), your lease isn't valid and you don't have to pay rent.
False. You should continue paying rent as expected, and reach out to your property to get your lease corrected.
Income-limited property
A property that has limits to the amount that a household can make to live there. Leases at these properties usually contain "escalation clauses" that can mean increases in rent, sometimes in the middle of a lease.
What did Jeff Bezos originally want to name his multi-trillion dollar company, Amazon?
Relentless
Where do you go if you need reminders of any of the questions we talked about today?
Oasis Center!