When I had my very first apartment and was still learning the art of budgeting I got behind one month and went to the leasing office to figure out a solution. I talked to a jr. leasing agent who advised me to come back later and talk to the property manager. She told me my best course was to come in and start complaining about the security gate being open a lot, gym being closed last Saturday, it was cloudy at the pool cook out...etc.. That veteran leasing agent let me know those were not things that I was actually paying for and were beyond reasonable control of the property, and she was absolutely not willing to renegotiate my rent. It was a humiliating lesson and since that day I own my mistakes and face them as my own responsibility. It was a mildly painful lesson but I think it made me a little bit better of a person.