The advantages of renting a home are numerous. One advantage is that tenants do not have to worry about making required repairs to the property. Renters may choose to relocate at the end of their lease term, giving them great flexibility when it comes time to move. When renting a home, renters must be conscious of a number of duties and responsibilities. Here are 10 things that all tenants should do when they move into a rental unit.
Look at The Community Before Moving in
Make sure to research the area before agreeing to a rental to see if it’s safe and convenient to reside in. Look up to see what the town has to offer like food, grocers, gas stations, and everything else you would need to live day by day. There are several online city reports you would be able to view by entering the zip code.
Review Your Lease
Read the lease carefully before you sign it. It’s a good idea to hire a realtor or an attorney to double-check that everything is correct. Examine your pet rules (if any), maintenance and upkeep obligations, when and how much to pay rent, and so on. A home is a major investment, so you’ll want to protect yourself from any potential problems. Before signing an official lease, make sure you’ve read all of the conditions regarding your security deposit returned and subletting the property (if you intend to depart for part of the year).
Visit And Inspect The Space Beforehand
If you want your security deposit back, make sure you note any and all pre-existing damage to the property. Take photographs and submit them to the landlord as evidence. You may also want to request a move-in/move-out checklist from your landlord. Everything on this list is something that they will look at for damage when you move out. This is essential because it informs the landlord about any damage that occurred during the tenant’s stay. It also exempts the tenant from having to pay for pre-existing damage.
Get Renters Insurance
When you move into a new rental, you can never be sure what will occur. Even in the most secure part of town, unexpected problems still happen. Natural catastrophes, such as fires and floods, are just two examples of unfavorable events that happen all too often. The best thing you can do is be prepared by purchasing renters insurance. A landlord’s insurance may cover the building as a whole, but it is unlikely it will cover your individual belongings in the case of damage or theft. If you are harmed while at work or suffer property losses due to accidents, you will need renter’s insurance.
Use Automatic Payments For Your Rent
More renters are turning to digital automatic payments for their rent so they don’t miss paying their landlord. You’ll never miss a rent or utility payment if you use recurring payments to pay your bills on time. It will also save you time throughout the month if your landlord refuses to take automated payments via internet banking and wants paper checks, set reminders on your calendar every month.
Stay on Top of Maintenance
You should never put off resolving plumbing or electrical issues. If anything breaks inside the property, contact your landlord right away. Typically, it is the landlord’s duty to pay for these repairs; however, you may need to locate and schedule the repairman to come to the location. After the problem is resolved, notify your landlord immediately.
Thoroughly Clean The Space
When you move into a rental, you should do a thorough cleaning of the property right away. After all, you don’t know who lived in the house before you arrived. In fact, you have no idea how long it’s been since the home was truly cleaned. It never hurts to do so yourself.
Inquire About Customization Rules
Before painting any walls or hanging decorations, you should discuss any and all modifications you want to make to the property with the landlord. In fact, if the changes are essential for you, we recommend discussing them before signing the lease. Many landlords are fine with tenants painting walls as long as they pay to have them repainted after they move out.
Be a Good Tenant
While you don’t need to be buddies with your landlord, at the very least, you should attempt to have a civil and courteous relationship with them. Not only will this help you communicate about concerns with the property, but it will also make your landlord more inclined to work with you in the future. Having a good rapport with your landlord will help you live in a problem-free environment.
Ask For Your Security Deposit
When you leave your apartment, don’t forget to ask for your security deposit back. While landlords are typically obliged to return deposits within a certain time frame, they frequently forget or get delayed with arrangements. Asking your landlord to conduct a walk-through of the property before you depart may help you speed things up. This way, you can look over any issues as a group. If your landlord discovers damage to the home, you could be able to negotiate how much of the deposit will go towards repairs.