It's not just home prices soaring, rents are going up this year, too! But now we are hearing from a landlord, as to some of the reasons why.
Amanda Barger was evicted earlier this year after she was unable to pay her rising rent at her mobile home. She returned home one day to find her stuff removed, sitting in a pile out front.
"I know this is a business, but they could have a little kindness," Amanda Barger.
Meanwhile, Barbara Hill Kelley said her rent was raised over $100 dollars a month.
Stories like this can make landlords look like the boogeyman. However, several have contacted Don't Waste Your Money to say it has been a difficult year for them too, with rising water bills and property taxes and tenants missing payments.
"We struggled along with everyone else in the pandemic," said Deborah Collins, who manages 25 apartments and several rental homes.
She said many landlords lost income last year.
"We canceled all late fees for the year. We worked on payment plans for any residents that were behind," Collins said.
The eviction moratorium, she says, meant they had to allow tenants to go months without paying rent.
"A lot of housing providers are trying to recoup those losses, and are doing it with a rental price hike," Collins said.
Collins said most landlords are just trying to make themselves whole again and are not price gouging.
Of course, that's little consolation to people like Kelley, who is struggling to accept a rent hike that could force her to move.
Collins advice to tenants: Be king and try to negotiate a rent increase.
She said most landlords would rather keep a good tenant, then find a new one.