8 Things to Ask When Renting for the First Time

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by Ice Artificio • Feb 07, 2019 • General

Renting your own personal space can be a huge move.

Whether you will be getting your own place or sharing space with friends or family, the searching process can be a little bit tricky.

Finding the perfect place to rent is like finding a good relationship.

Remember they are entrusting their property to you while you sleep and live in their place, that may not always work out for both parties.

To avoid wasting your time (and theirs too), there should always be clear and open dialogue between lessors and potential tenants.

Before signing your contract of lease, here are a few things you may want to ask your broker or landlord to know if the place will work out for you.

Are there Association Dues or Maintenance Fees?

Condominiums and large apartments usually charge their tenants a fee to help maintain common areas and utilities like hallway lights, elevator maintenance, garbage disposal, janitorial and security services.

These charges are on top of rent and security deposits. While these are all important to keep your communal living spaces, the extra cost can make a dent on your wallet.

It helps to know what you need to pay off every month so you can adjust your budget accordingly

Bills Payment

Ask how you will settle rent and utility bills for electricity and water.

Your lessors usually have a system in place to make it easy for them (and for you) to settle your accounts monthly.

Do you remit payments in their office or do you need to directly pay the utility providers?

Installation of Internet and Cable Lines

This may seem like a no brainer, but condominium establishments have different policies in place.

I’ve had the experience of having to pay extra for right of way on top of the installation fee as there were no previous lines installed.

Also, if you require fast internet, you may want to check with your provider if they have fiber lines available in the area. The same goes for wired cable providers.

How Sound Proof Will The Unit Be?

Ask how much noise can your unit contain and how much “leaking” should you expect from neighbors.

Can it tolerate crying babies? Can you play music at medium and not receive a noise complaint? Knowing how much noise you can make also gives you an idea

What Kind of Modifications Can I Make?

Lessors are worried on how much you’ll change in their spaces.

Sometimes they would require permits to drill holes, install shelves, stick wall papers, or paint walls.

Ask how the process it is like, this way if you like customizing your space or if you do any redecorating in the future, you know how to go about it.

Is the Establishment Pet-Friendly?

Your contract will usually state if the space for rent allows pets or not.

It does not specify if your potential new place have common space for pets.

Feel free to ask this especially if you or any of your roommates have allergies on pet dander.

After Services

Many rent living spaces to live closer at work or school.

This means you’ll be busy most of the time and might have limited room for washing machines or other cleaning equipment.

Ask if they have an in-house laundromat, cleaning services, or water refilling stations.

Visitor Policies

For security reasons, many condominiums require visitors to sign and even leave an identification.

Some of them require you to inform them in advance if you have guests who are staying over and using the amenities available to you as a renter.

While others may just require you to be present, some may have additional fees for your guests.

These are some of the questions I hoped I knew how to ask when I rented for the first time instead of trying to negotiate things when I was already moving in.

Take the time to know your lessor so they can also gauge if your needs match the rental space they are offering.

Got any good questions to ask lessors before deciding to rent? Let us know in the comments below!

Happy Renting!

Comments 💬

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These are basics and part of the contract / house rules. Every tenant is entitled to know all these so to avoid back and forth questions. This is too to protect one's property (of the landlord), not just for tenant.

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