Mike Akerly

Q. I'm planning on moving to a new rental this winter. I'd really like to avoid paying a broker fee or, at the very least, negotiate down from 15 percent. During the slow months, how open are brokers to negotiating their fees? And also, any suggestions on how to convince a broker to do it?

Q. My wife and I have rented a condo for nearly two years as good tenants. We are expecting our first child at the end of January so decided we needed to move into a larger space before the baby is born. We move December 20th, but our lease does not expire until the end of February. The owner has a two-month security deposit and December’s rent has been paid.

Q. My wife and I recently broke our lease after a job change that required a move. Our landlord informed us that there would be an $800 fee involved and that we would be responsible for the rent until a new tenant started paying it. We actually had an acquaintance willing to take over the lease. After having paid the $800 fee, the landlord failed to acknowledge our proposed tenant's calls requesting a showing of the apartment and instead listed the apartment for $650 per month more than our current rent. They also advertised it as a two bedroom (we had installed a wall at our own expense) and advertised that the apartment would undergo a significant renovation before the next tenant moves in. Why should we be responsible for the rent if the landlord rejected an offer to take over the lease on the same terms we currently have? Also, shouldn’t they have to compensate us for raising the rent since we put the wall in?

Q. A friend of ours told my wife and I about an opening in their building and gave us the number of their super. We called him, he showed us the apartment, we loved it, and told him we wanted to apply.

Q. Can the building management for my apartment keep insisting that I have a guarantor after seventeen years of good tenancy? If so, and if I can no longer use this guarantor, what are my options? A. Anytime that your lease expires and you and your landlord wish to enter into a renewal lease, the landlord has the option of reassessing your creditworthiness in advance of extending the lease. If in the past you required a guarantor in order to qualify for the apartment, the landlord would be reasonable in insisting that they continue to guarantee the lease.

Q. I recently rented an apartment in a co-op that is rather strict in their application policies. Because they are so strict, my girlfriend and I decided that I would apply alone. My application was accepted and I am now preparing to move-in. However, I would still like my girlfriend to live with me. Is she permitted to move in even though she is not on the lease? Can the landlord or the co-op kick her out if she does? A. In all likelihood, your girlfriend is entitled to move in with you and neither your landlord (the apartment owner/shareholder) nor the co-op could legally evict her without cause.