One-Stop Resource Solves Moving HasslesWritten by dan the roommate man
You've just received news that you're being transferred to another branch office in another state ... in two weeks. In excitement and stress of selecting a new home, selling, subletting, or simply preparing to leave your old one, packing, and worrying about your new role in company, you hardly have time to consider who you need to contact about your forthcoming change of address. Most of us have so many monthly bills (credit cards, student loans, and car insurance, for example) to pay that just notifying those companies is a day's work in itself. But your work doesn't stop there. Your utility companies need to be notified, you need to change your personal information for voter registration, you're going to need new license plates ... and all of this pressure arrives at precisely time when you're knee deep in boxes. You may not even know where your phone book is located. There's a solution to this madness: Don't pack your computer just yet. Instead, log onto Utility Connections, Inc., a one-stop change-of-address center both for residential and commercial moves.Utility Connections, based in North Miami Beach, Fla., is an online database that enables movers to notify in a matter of minutes their electric, telephone, long distance, water, cable/satellite, sewer, gas, garbage, change of postal address, voter's registration, driver's license, auto tags, vehicle registration, and others. Utility Connections also assumes responsibility of handling your connections, disconnections, and transfers of service. It's an online godsend for all of us overwhelmed movers. Another bonus of using Utility Connections: You don't have to stand in line to change your address -- for example, at Post Office or your local Department of Public Safety. Such offices typically are open only during business hours, meaning that you have to reshuffle your schedule at office and take time away to take care of these little responsibilities that eat up valuable personal time when you need it most. The company offers its residential customers continued services after they are settled in their new homes; Utility Connections expands its available services to its customers, offering low-cost options, and may serve as customers' point of contact if they choose to purchase additional services in future. Initial residential service includes various option packages -- disconnection, connection, transfer of service, and change of address for electricity, telephone, water/sewer, gas, local newspaper, cable/satellite, garbage/waste removal, change of postal address, voter's registration, driver's license, vehicle registration, and auto tags. Option packages are priced according to number of services client selects.
| | Understanding Your LeaseWritten by dan the roommate man
Maybe you'll sign lease, move in to your new apartment, and everything will go as you desired. There's a chance that you will never have any lease problems. However, there's also a chance that by signing lease without scrutinizing it, you missed paragraph five, section "b" which informed you that if a rental payment is one week late, you will be evicted, your tires will be slashed and your first born child will be stolen and sold to gypsies. Don't let this happen to you!Suzie, perky, blonde representative of Miscellaneous Apartment Village hands you lease and a pen. You're excited about moving in to your new apartment, and begin skimming over billions of tiny letters. Smiling, representative beams, "Just sign and date bottom and we'll get you moved right in." Sounds easy enough, right? Why should you sit there and waste 30 minutes trying to understand this sea of words? Suzie's a nice lady, and you're sure there isn't anything in lease that you haven't already spoken with her about. Maybe you'll sign lease, move in, and everything will go as you desired. There's a chance that you will never have problems with lease. However, there's also a chance that by signing lease without scrutinizing it, you missed paragraph five, section "b", and you're really going to miss your first born. Realize that landlords are allowed to include any provisions they want. And once you sign lease, terms (in most cases) are legally binding. Take extra time to completely understand this document, and don't feel awkward if representative stands impatiently over you. You are in control. They aren't paying you, you're paying them... so if they're too impatient to wait for you to sign lease... then take your business elsewhere. When you get lease, analyze every word. Some of it may be confusing. Take your time. If you don't understand a clause, ask for clarifications. If you don't agree with a provision, see if you and your landlord can compromise. If you do feel it's necessary to make changes to lease, these changes should be initialed by both you and landlord. Do not settle for oral agreements. An oral agreement will not hold up in court. Every agreement should be written, dated, initialed and saved.
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