Tag Archives: tenant advice

What do first-time renters need to know before moving in?

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Handing keys to first-time renterThe key to a successful stay in a rental home or apartment is knowing exactly what you are getting into. That means the tenant needs to spend some time with the rental agreement, with the landlord, and with other people that have experienced renting in the past. If it is a complicated lease or a commercial lease, it is probably best to let a legal expert take a look at it. It is easy to let the excitement of getting out on your own overshadow the responsibilities of being a tenant for the first time. Here are some tips to consider.

1. Don’t skip over the details. Many first-time renters look at the monthly payment and lease terms then gloss over the rest of their lease agreement. As they say, the ‘devil is in the details’. Even though it might say lease ‘agreement’ at the top of the page, it is definitely a binding legal ‘contract’. Pay special attention to the late fee charges and security deposit disposition. Regarding the late fee, how much is it, what is the grace period, and can it grow indefinitely? What happens if you go to pay rent on the last day of the grace period and the office is closed for a holiday? For the security deposit, how quickly will you get it back when you leave? What do you have to do in order to get all of your deposit back? What are the pet policies and the policy for having a friend spend the night? Where should they park?

2. Repair and Maintenance questions often cause conflicts between tenants and landlords. When can the landlord or maintenance person walk in to your apartment to work on something? What are your responsibilities to maintain your air conditioning filters or light bulbs? How quickly does your landlord need to respond to your repair request? These are questions you need to know about.

3. What are your rights? Maybe you didn’t know that your next door neighbor is in a rock band that practices at night. As a tenant, you should have the right to ‘quiet and peaceful enjoyment’ of your rental property. Find out the procedure to enforce that right. The landlord might decide to remodel the rental next door, so take a look around and make sure that there is nothing that would disturb your peace. You also have the right to not be asked any questions that might violate the fair housing laws. These questions involve race, religion, sex, country of origin, disability and familial status. You should do an Internet search and be familiar with that before talking to your landlord.

Lastly, go into this binding agreement with your eyes wide open and ask lots of questions. If your landlord avoids answering, you should be concerned. However, if the agreement is thoroughly discussed and you are aware of everything you are signing, you can expect a good relationship with your landlord. After all, your landlord wants a happy tenant that might stay a long time, provide good references and reviews, pay the rent promptly, and take care of the property. Know exactly what you are getting into and your first-time renting experience can be a great one!

Moving On Out

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Your lease is ending, you’ve already found your new home…what’s next?! MOVING! 

The process of moving is very exciting, (you’re gonna live in a new place!) but also requires a lot of work and proper planning to make it easy on you. Here at tenant.rentals we’ve put together some tips to make your move as smooth as possible.moving

LABEL EVERYTHING! We cannot stress enough the importance of labeling every single box, bag, or container that you plan on moving. If your stuff isn’t labeled, how will you know where it goes? Labels should ask be as specific as possible, so that you can put things exactly where they need to be. For example, if you label a box ‘bedroom’ how will you know which bedroom it belongs in? You’ll end up having to sift through the boxes to figure out what goes where. You also need to be clear on which boxes have fragile items and which don’t, skipping this step may cost you a lot.

  • Don’t take every single box at once. Yes, making multiple trips does seem like it’ll be a pain, but it will make the process easier on you. If you take all your stuff at once, you’re gonna end up with stacks of boxes everywhere and very little room to move. Try taking things by sections, maybe you can do a few rooms of the house at a time so that all boxes are situated in their respective areas. This way you’re also clearing up space to keep moving in more things.
  • Use what you already have at home before spending tons on packing supplies. Things like shoes and clothes don’t need to go in fancy boxes from Home Depot, you can use trash bags for items like these. You can separate shoes depending on style and put them into different bags to avoid messing them up. For clothes it’s also really simple; keep all of your stuff on hangers,  make a hole in the bottom of a big trash bag, and put the hangers through…you’ve just made your very own garment bag! Use suitcases to pack books or items that require folding as well.
  • If you do end up needing some extra boxes, don’t buy them! Hit up your local grocery store or stores like Walmart and Target in the early mornings. Usually, these kinds of stores have tons of boxes laying around from the days shipments, and they’re pretty much up for grabs for anyone!
  • Teamwork makes the dream work! Enlist in the help of friends and family to make your move as smooth and quick as possible. Maybe while you’re moving boxes from point A to point B someone else can be unpacking your stuff in your new home. Whatever way you decide to do, having more people on board will definitely make the process go a lot smoother.

Good luck moving!

Should you have renter’s insurance?

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In the realm of insurance, the renter’s variety is typically overlooked. Renter’s insurance provides you with liability protection while also covering your personal items that may have a risk of being damaged or stolen for various reasons. Some landlords and property management companies require renter’s insurance, while others leave it up to your discretion. However, if you’re not required to get renter’s insurance, you should definitely look into it. If you’re renting a property, it’s not your job to insure the property structure, it’s the homeowners.  Even though you’re not responsible for the structure, you are responsible for all of your belongings inside

So,  you’re probably asking yourself if renter’s insurance is actually worth it. Well, imagine that the home you’re renting is broken into, and your expensive television is stolen, if you don’t have renter’s insurance, you’re at a loss…but if you do, it’ll cover it! Renter’s insurance covers things like theft, vandalism, fire, etc. It’s not your landlords responsibility to reimburse you if something happens to your belongings; by law they’re not the liable party, you are.

insurance Of course, the topic of financials is also highly important to consider. Much like car insurance, you can receive a discount on renter’s insurance if you pay it all in a lump sum for the entire year. The biggest financial plus about renter’s insurance is that it’ll cover your belongings if something happens to them. You won’t need to dish out a ton of money to replace whatever was damaged or stolen.

Consider your possessions, and possible liabilities, and think about whether or not renter’s insurance is for you.

To get a pet, or not to get a pet? That is the question

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We all know that having a pet can be a lot of fun, but it can also be costly. Pets are a huge responsibility in a lot of different ways; you need to make sure they’re fed, bathed, have a place to sleep, the list goes on. If you’re considering getting a pet, there are a few things you should think about before making the big decision.

First of all, are you financially capable of taking on the responsibility? You need to figure out all the costs that you’re going to incur and see where you stand with your personal finances. Aside from your normal financial obligations, you’re going to have to make sure that you can take on vet bills, buying food, and the basic cost of owning a pet (grooming, toys, etc.). A big financial matter that you also need to consider is your rent; is your landlord going to charge more because you now have a dog or cat? Landlords are fully entitled to ask for a pet deposit or increase your rent if you decide to get a pet, because the liability increases on the rental.

Aside from the financial investment, you’re going to have to be willing to invest your time, too. Normally, people keep their pets for a long time, so that’ll be something you need to be sure you can do. If you plan on moving in the near future, it may not be the best time for you to get a pet because you don’t know where you’ll be living next and if pets are even allowed.

These are just a few basic things to consider, be sure to look at your specific lifestyle and see if you’re truly ready to have a pet before you end up doing something you can’t handle.

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