Tell Us

Tell us: Have you ever had renter’s remorse?

Tell us your apartment horror stories.

Sahi Alva unloads her U-Haul as she moves into a new place. (Lane Turner/Globe Staff)

September 19, 2023

1 minute to read

Boston breathes a sigh of relief after the chaos of September 1 lease turnovers, but just because the moving trucks are off the roads and the last of the furniture has cleared the sidewalks doesn’t mean renters are living stress-free.

In the first few weeks in a new apartment, any number of issues can come up. You may discover you have a rodent problem or the appliances in your kitchen aren’t working properly. From messes left by previous tenants to early battles with your landlord, turning your new house into a home isn’t always an easy transition.

All this can lead to renter’s remorse — that sinking feeling you get once the keys are in your hands and you wonder if it was a mistake to go through the hassle of a move. With all the work it takes to find an apartment in Boston and the stress of the move, it can be particularly disappointing when you’re dealing with headaches so soon after you start your lease.

Part of avoiding renter’s remorse is knowing what you can do to address common issues in a new apartment, including knowing your rights as a tenant and getting connected with city services. Still, even the best-planned moves run into challenges.

We want to know: What are your new apartment horror stories? Have you found yourself playing phone tag with your management company in the initial days after a move? Did you have to brush up on home repairs before you even unpacked?

Tell us if you’ve ever experienced renter’s remorse and how you got past the feeling by filling out the survey below or e-mailing us at [email protected] and we may feature your response in a future Boston.com article or social media channels.

Tell us your new apartment horror stories

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