Five Important Points to Consider before signing a lease

When you are ready to sign a residential lease on an apartment, these are the important points to consider

1.       Inspect the property - It is essential to inspect the property in which you are going to live for the next year or more. Most rental properties do not come furnished as shown in pictures in an advertisement. As well as this, you cannot see any damages, or problems a property may have via photos so, it is imperative to inspect the apartment and check all the facilities before signing a lease. If you fail to properly perform an inspection beforehand, it can work against you since it might be too late to mention these damages and have them fixed once you sign any documents with your landlord.

2.       Check what all is included in the Rental and what is Extra. What utilities will your rent include? Rent can cover water, electricity, gas, internet, sewer and trash. Verify what is included so you can budget accordingly for how much in expenses you owe each month. Talk with your landlord to see who is responsible for repairs on the premises as well as other maintenances. Some other hidden costs can also include a maintenance fee, parking fee, etc. 

3.       Communicate clearly with Landlord and also research about the landlord. Since, you and your landlord are going to sign an agreement and follow the terms and conditions stipulated in the contract. You need to ensure that your landlord is a gentle person with a Savory reputation. You can ask previous tenants or neighbours to ensure that you don’t encounter any troubles while you live in his/her property.

4.       Move-in fees- In addition to your first month’s rent, you may have other required fees due prior to move-in, including last month’s rent, a security deposit, administrative fees, or other specific move-in related costs. Check on what these are so that you can make sure you’re not hit with any surprises when moving day comes around.

5.       Security deposit refundable - Most of the time, security deposits are returned to tenants upon move out, provided there isn’t any major damage or mess left behind. See what the terms are so that you can be sure you maintain the apartment in such a way that you can get your security deposit back when the lease is over. To be safe, you may want to specifically ask about specific situations that would result in you not getting the deposit back. Read up on the general rules of security deposits so you know what you can expect regarding how the deposit will be used and how to make sure you get it back.