Relocating as a renter is not easy. You must juggle movers, utilities, and roommates. On top of that, you want to make sure your future landlord is not a cheapskate. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some honest reviews to help you during the New Eastside apartment rental screening process? Yep, I thought so too, which is why I created my Independent Landlord Rating Page (coming in 2023)

Traditionally, apartment screening processes are one-sided. The prospective tenant fills out an application, submits financial information, goes through a background check, and then waits for approval. Unfortunately, the power lies completely with the landlord. The prospective tenant must rely on what they can research publicly, which is often very little. What the tenant does not know during the application process is if the landlord has a bad reputation or not.

Many landlords ask tenants to complete reference checks during the application process but do not submit references from past tenants in return. My New Eastside Independent Landlord Rating system aims to change that.

No one can guarantee a perfect tenant-landlord relationship but going into one with your eyes wide open is a great start. I represent more than 100 New Eastside neighborhood landlords. Tenants from these buildings will be invited to rate their landlords according to the following criteria:

While landlord names will be kept private, all tenants will be asked to disclose their addresses and occupancy dates. Users will be able to search by address to see what feedback has been given.

While there are no such things as perfect landlords, they are business owners and can be held accountable in a public forum. Lakeshore East is a small neighborhood in a big city – word travels fast. Reviews and insights from fellow New Eastside tenants have the power to change landlord habits. If trends begin to emerge where users “would not rent” from a specific landlord or address, vacancies could result.

On the flip side, tell the world what you love about your apartment! Rate your address and landlord highly so future tenants can see how awesome living on the New Eastside is. So many of us know how unique and special this neighborhood is but it is always wonderful to hear feedback from newcomers. A vast majority of landlords take great care of their tenants and are willing to go the extra mile. If that was your experience, honesty is always the best policy.

Moving to Lakeshore East can be daunting but tools like my New Eastside Landlord Rating page make the process easier. If you have any questions about relocating to the Lakeshore East section of Chicago, please do not hesitate to contact me for more information.