Okay, problem.

[camwyn]

1. I sign my lease Monday.
2. Apartment is available starting 1 February- Tuesday.
3. Apartment company charges a move-in fee, according to the realtor. This is more common than you'd think; I've found that quite a lot of NJ property owners do this, as do property owners in other states.
4. The move-in fee is $300 if I move on a weekday and $500 if I move on a weekend.
5. My father cannot help me move stuff on a weekday.
6. My building has no elevator.
7. I cannot move my own desk by myself. My bed, maybe. One plank at a time. But not my desk. And my boxes of books, well, they're big too.

If any of you are in the New York City area- or rather, the northern New Jersey area, specifically Jersey City- and can somehow help me move on Thursday, I would be soooooooooo grateful. Please? Anyone I actually know?

Comments

[ocean-song.livejournal.com]

move-in fee??? WTF?

I'm so sorry I can't help you darlin! Is the fee only if they help you move or what? Maybe you can just move the stuff you can handle on your own, and do the desk later?

*hugs* and *good wishes*

[camwyn]

No, the fee is there no matter what you do. It seems to be rental companies' idea of how to protect themselves against gits who ding up the building as they go, or something. I don't think it's refundable. And the woman who could answer my questions isn't there on weekends. adammit.

[xianghua.livejournal.com]

Sounds typical NY/NJ stupidity. I'm fairly certain this is NOT usual in other parts of the country, and it might be worth checking to make SURE it's usual there (as in, pick some random apartment ads out of the paper, call them, and ask if there IS a move in fee.)

[camwyn]

I did a search for apartments with move-in fees in northern New Jersey last night on Google. They were depressingly common. You saw it more in condos, but regular apartments suffered from it too.

[derien.livejournal.com]

If I was in your area I'd take the day off and help you. Being five (at least, I guess) hours away that doesn't seem to make sense. :(

[dragonwhishes.livejournal.com]

*whispers* Move to Michigan... Live with us...

Maybe I can convince mom to let us run there. Maybe. If I get her drunk first. Really drunk. Agree To Anything type drunk. Right now.

[camwyn]

I just got this job in NYC. I can't telecommute all the time, hon.

[kyrielle]

Know any college students? I've often found college students are willing to be paid relatively small amounts for that sort of thing, especially if there's pizza afterwards.

Or you could see if you could get a moving company to do just the furniture; Scott and I did that moving from the apartment to the house and it didn't cost a whole lot because of the short distance and just furniture (no having to box up anyone's possessions). Granted, that means making sure you get everything else out of the furniture's way first, but....

[ahmeemee.livejournal.com]

Damn. I totally sympathise, but I'm too far away and the folks I know near your place I don't know well enough to volunteer for your cause. Any relatives you can conscript for your cause?

[lots42.livejournal.com]

Move in fees? Wow.

It's like 'FUCK YOU for trying to do business with us'.

Man.