Top Ten Tips When Renting
It would seem that renting a home or an apartment is easy; just find a place, sign the lease and begin making payments. Nothing could be further than the truth. There are many points to consider, some of which we have outlined below.
- Have your papers ready: When you meet with your landlord, make sure you have the following papers:
- Rental application completed
- References: Letters and/or complete contact information from past landlords and employers
- An up-to-date personal credit report
- Before you sign that lease: You need to review the lease because it could include a provision you may not want to accept.
- Avoid landlord disputes ahead of time: Make sure all promises and agreements are in writing.
- Learn about your privacy rights: Even as a renter you have certain privacy rights including know how much time your landlord must give you before entering your apartment or home.
- Who is responsible for repairs?: In most cases, it's the landlord who is responsible for repairs, but make sure you know what will be repaired and maintained by him/her.
- Communicate with your landlord. If you need to report an issue with your landlord, by all means do it.
- Renters' insurance is a worthwhile investment. In the event of theft or fire, your landlord will not be responsible. Therefore, to be safe, it's a good idea to buy a renter's insurance policy.
- About that security deposit: Before you sign the lease agreement, check out the section about your landlord's use and refund of your security deposit.
- Is the building and neighborhood safe?: One of the first things you should do before even the initial talk with the landlord is to explore the neighborhood to see how safe it might be. Find out if there has been recent crime in the area and what your landlord can do in case there's a safety issue.
- In case of an eviction notice. Under certain circumstances, it may pay to fight an eviction notice, but then again, it may be time to pack and move. Know your rights.
