Hi everyone,

My roommate and I are looking to move. We currently live in Providence, and really love our neighborhood. We saw a spot through a real estate agency, and they asked for first months rent with the application. Has anyone experienced this before? Never ran into this, and it sounds off.

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Status_Silver_5114 t1_jathfl9 wrote on March 3, 2023 at 11:12 PM

#2,155,056

A security deposit before you’ve even applied/ seen it? Seems odd, what agency?

Odd-Cartographer-379 OP t1_jathp2a wrote on March 3, 2023 at 11:14 PM

#2,155,072

Replying to Status_Silver_5114 (#2,155,056)

Oh I should’ve clarified that I did view the property in person. It was through Samson Realty.

punkbookjockey t1_jatk250 wrote on March 3, 2023 at 11:31 PM

#2,155,165

Had to do that with my current place. Seemed off to me as well and ideally in the future I wouldn’t do it again, but we were told the place was pretty much ours and it would be refunded if our application was denied.

[deleted] t1_jatk5zp wrote on March 3, 2023 at 11:32 PM

#2,155,169

[deleted]

waninggib t1_jatlr7n wrote on March 3, 2023 at 11:44 PM

#2,155,236

Replying to Odd-Cartographer-379 (#2,155,072)

I had to do this with Samson as well. Also felt weird to me, but I’ve been here for almost a year and haven’t had any issues.

[deleted] t1_jatlx14 wrote on March 3, 2023 at 11:45 PM

#2,155,247

[deleted]

NoMoreCircles t1_jatm1tr wrote on March 3, 2023 at 11:46 PM

#2,155,252

I’ve known people who have had bad times renting with Samson. Not known to be a good company.

Status_Silver_5114 t1_jatmag4 wrote on March 3, 2023 at 11:48 PM

#2,155,268

Replying to Odd-Cartographer-379 (#2,155,072)

So they wanted a check before you said yes please let me sign a lease? Sure it’s not the deposit? So you want the place yes? If you toured and want it and want them to take it off the market taking a deposit isn’t weird. Then when you actually sign lease after you’ve read it and first months rent gets paid…. Are they suggesting first months and deposit before signing?

Jerkeyjoe t1_jatw5z3 wrote on March 4, 2023 at 1:05 AM

#2,155,705

Replying to punkbookjockey (#2,155,165)

Yes , but try to get that in writing. It's common but not universal to have to pay something upfront. I hate that it's a thing but it's to ensure you are serious/ can afford to rent a place.

waninggib t1_javgmbs wrote on March 4, 2023 at 11:16 AM

#2,157,681

Replying to Status_Silver_5114 (#2,155,268)

The check was the deposit. I gave it before officially signing the lease, and they confirmed it would be returned if I didn’t take the unit after all. I live in a newer building with high demand on the East Side, and it was to hold my place until all the docs were signed. Then first month was due before move in day.

Status_Silver_5114 t1_javgwd6 wrote on March 4, 2023 at 11:20 AM

#2,157,688

Replying to waninggib (#2,157,681)

Oh yeah that’s totally normal.

StonksGuy3000 t1_jaxtj6g wrote on March 4, 2023 at 10:13 PM

#2,161,594

Replying to NoMoreCircles (#2,155,252)

An agent from Samson represented the seller when I bought my house and gave me kinda weird vibes. Didn’t feel like the most trustworthy people

Mountain_Bill5743 t1_jb7w5q6 wrote on March 7, 2023 at 2:25 AM

#2,176,211

Replying to Jerkeyjoe (#2,155,705)

This is actually super atypical for the area until maybe now. Source: lived here for a decade in rentals.

Be warned, I've heard of one situation where someone is shown a better apartment and then (nameless company-- Not Samson) suddenly doesn't have that unit available/someone else rented it and they won't return your check or cashed your check and "want to show you what else they have." So do be careful with who you pay upfront.