Home | List of Articles | Submit an Article | Contact Us

Questions To Ask The Landlord Before Renting His Apartment

Apartment hunting is not the easiest thing around. You may find places not suited to your tastes or those which do are not to your budget. Eventually, you may have to settle for something a little less than perfect or if you’re lucky, you may just find a home you love. However, before you finalise on the apartment, there are a few questions you need to ask the landlord so that there is no reason for disagreement later on during the lease period. In fact, some of the points mentioned below may also be included in the agreement for your safety so that the landlord doesn’t go back on his word.

When will the unit be available for occupation? If it’s ready to occupy and it’s impractical for you to move in immediately, you may have to negotiate with the landlord so that you don’t pay for unoccupied time.
How much is the rent payable and when is it due every month? How much is the security deposit and is it fully refundable?
Is there a penalty fee for late payment of the rent?
What are the terms for renewing the lease?
Are pets allowed and if not, would it be possible to have pets if you paid a pet deposit? If a pet-deposit policy is in place, is it refundable if there's no damage caused to be found when you move out?
What are the conditions if you have to move out before the lease expires? Even if you may think you won’t have to move out for a long time, it’s better to keep your options safe and negotiate secure terms should you need to move out earlier than the expiry of the lease period.
Are any utilities included in your agreement? What are typical bill amounts in different seasons?
Are you allowed to share your unit with roommates and what is the policy on subletting the place?
Can you paint the walls or make other decorating changes?
Are you allowed to run a home business from your apartment?
Who will be responsible for property maintenance?
Who are your neighbours?
How close is the nearest post office, grocery store, bank, restaurant and public transportation?

Asking these questions only avoids any cause for disagreement in the future between you and your landlord.

Sameer S Panjwani is the CEO of ChoiceOfHomes.com - Buy / Sell / Rent Homes Online

Related Articles:

New FICO Scores A Boon To Landlords - Fair Isaac Corporation is the creator of the FICO credit score that is used today by most lenders to evaluate consumer credit risk. FICO scores range from a poor credit low of 500 to a best credit rating of 850. The higher the FICO score the lower the interest rates offered by most lenders. For example here is a look at how ...

YOUR BEHIND ON YOUR RENT-CAN THE LANDLORD JUST LOCK YOU OUT? - Your landlord can't evict you unless he has has gone to court and proved that you did something wrong that justifies ending the tenancy. And your landlord can't proceed with an eviction lawsuit without terminating the tenancy first. This usually means giving you adequate written notice, in a specified way and form. If you don't move after pr ...

The Landlording Follies - You are the landlord of a small apartment building that you are offering for sale. You find a buyer and a sale is arranged. The tenants learn of the sale and ask if they will be forced to move. How do you answer? You explain that it depends upon the lease agreement. If the tenant signed a lease they have the right to remain in the uni ...

DOES THE LANDLORD HAVE TO CLEAN THE APARTMENT BEFORE I MOVE IN? - QUESTION: What can I do about a landlord who promised a clean and newly painted apartment before we moved in, but didn't deliver? We have moved in because we had nowhere else to go, but I am concerned about our children's health and the total well-being of our family. Can I report the unhealthy living conditions to the health department? Ple ...

WHAT A LANDLORD MUST THINK ABOUT BEFORE HE ALLOWS PETS - People always ask what kind of deposit does a landlord request if the tenant has a pet. There is no set amount or set rules to determine how much because every situation is different. The size of the dog, the breed of the dog all this goes into determining the amount of the deposit. A landlord must consider his other tenants and neighbors be ...

WHEN CAN YOUR LANDLORD ENTER YOUR APARTMENT? - In renting an apartment or a house you will lose some of your privacy rights. Anyone Home? Your landlord will be able to enter your home to make repairs and in certain cases to make inspections. Your lease should outline when and how your landlord will be able to enter your apartment. If your lease does not specify this your landlord may be ...

For a Complete list of Articles with summaries Click Here