Renting An Apartment : A Beginner’s Guide

Unless you happen to be really well off, you will have to rent an apartment before being able to buy your own place. There are some really great deals around though, and you can stay in places and live with people that you would not otherwise be able to. If you will be renting an apartment in the future, then keeping the following points in mind is advisable…

Private landlord vs. property management company – You need to decide whether you want to rent an apartment from a private landlord or a property management company. A private landlord is more likely to be someone hoping to get rich quickly from their real estate investment, and who will avoid making improvements / repairs whenever possible. On the other hand, a property management company is in the business for the long-term, and are more concerned with building up and maintaining a good reputation.

The lease agreement – When renting an apartment, you will need to sign a lease agreement, which is a legal document that states the terms and conditions that you and the landlord must adhere to. Your lease will probably be at least a few pages long, but you must read all of it. If any problems arise later on, you will be bound by whatever is stated in the lease, and saying that you did not read / understand parts of it is no defense.

Utilities – Check which, if any, utilities are included as part of your monthly rent. Sometimes landlords will pay the water and heating bills for you, and sometimes they will not. This is something that you should find out before signing a contract, so that you can accurately estimate your monthly budget. It is better to pay for utilities yourself if you have the option, as then the landlord cannot mark-up the price to boost their own profits.

Check for damages – You need to check your new apartment for damage on the day that you move in and let your landlord know immediately if anything is not as it should be. If you do not let them know about existing problems, then you may find yourself being held accountable for them when you leave. If you want to totally cover yourself, then take some photos to use as evidence should a dispute arise.

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