What Tenants Need to Know Before Renting

What Tenants need to know before renting

The best ways in which to impress a new landlord is to be prepared have all of your information when you meet with the new landlord. By having a completed rental application, written references from your previous landlords, employers, friends and colleagues and if have a copy of your current credit report this information will make the process go faster.

Check your rental agreement carefully read all of the restrictions on pets, guest, design alterations and if you can run a home based business from your rental.

If you want to avoid any misunderstanding put your request in writing this will be helpful when needing repairs or asking permission for extra guest, pets, smoking etc. If you talk to your landlord over the phone and he gives you permission, put it in writing and mail it off, it will be a good backup if needed and make sure you date all letters sent. If it’s an ongoing issue send your letter citified.

Many times repairs need to done in your rental so it’s important that there are no misunderstandings, the landlord should give you a 24 hr. notice in writing before entering your apt, so be sure that it is written in your agreement. You have a right to privacy.

Landlords are required to make sure that you are living in a place that has heat or working furnace, water and electricity and that your rental is clean.

If you feel like your rental is not in good repair you have a few options, one is withholding part of rent until repairs are made, putting the repairs in writing and if these methods don’t work then contacting the building inspector will help the landlord to understand what he has to do in order to continue renting, many landlords don’t want to see this happen because the landlord could be fined.

Your landlords insurance will not cover any of your items, if something was to go wrong, like a fire or water damage and thief so it is wise to include in your budget about $25 dollars a month for $50 thousand in rental insurance coverage.

Check your agreement for a clear understanding of how you will get your security deposit back; most contracts now hold funds for cleaning and damages, so check out your lease agreement carefully. Check out the time limit on when you will receive your deposit and if you are charged for cleaning & damages the landlord should provide you with a list that would include the prices for the repairs.

If you feel that you are being charged wrongly then you will probably have to take your landlord to small claims court to get your security deposit back.

Make sure that you feel safe in your rental, check for deadbolts, locks on windows, and check with local police to see if the rental has had any break ins, in your unit or any in the area.

Try to avoid getting an eviction notice this could cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars and leave you with a negative credit rating making it harder to rent in a new place.


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