Finding the best apartment for your needs requires some level-headedness. It would be a bad idea to settle for the first apartment that you like. Before you sign any lease agreement, you should ask the following questions:
What Are the Lease Terms?
Before you even look at the place, you need to know when the lease starts and ends. You should find out how much the unit will cost per month in terms of utilities and rent. Does the manager have a policy on late rent and does he offer a grace period?
Are there other lease terms that you should know about such as quietness after a certain time or painting restrictions? Make sure that you look into how to end the lease. Knowing how to break a lease in advance will come in handy if things go wrong.
What Is the Cost of Moving In?
If you are looking to move into apartments that are something like these San Pedro apartments, you need to know how much moving will cost. Every apartment has different rules for moving. For example, will the property manager ask for the last and first month of rent in advance?
Do you also need to provide a security deposit? If the cost of moving is too high, you should find another apartment.
What Is the Pet Policy?
Whether you have a pet or want to adopt one, you need to inquire about the pet policy. If you are looking for a flat to rent in LA, for instance, you need to find out whether it allows pets. What are the fees and deposits that you need to pay?
Pet policies vary from one apartment building to the next. However, most apartments will charge a pet deposit that is non-refundable – it covers the cost of cleanup after you move.
What Is Your Guest Policy?
Different apartments have different pet policies. For instance, some apartments do not allow you to have visitors for longer than a fortnight. Aside from limiting the time your friends can stay over, a strict guest policy can also affect people who want to rent out some rooms.
Depending on your lease, you might not be allowed to rent out any room of your apartment. Before you try anything, you should make sure that you read the guest policy.
Do You Need Renter’s Insurance?
While hunting, you should write them down. If you’re renting from a company that have multiple properties, you could always check their site such as www.global-guardians.co.uk/. Their site will have all the information you need in case you miss it on the viewing. You need to consider renter’s insurance, which provides coverage in case of fire, theft, or floods. This insurance might also cover any injuries that occur within your apartment. Because renter’s insurance costs very little per month, you should consider getting it even if the property manager does not require it.
However, you still need to ask about renter’s insurance to avoid last minute problems. You do not want to be rushing to purchase renter’s insurance on the day before your move.
How Will I Pay Rent?
The price of rent is not the only thing that you need to consider when apartment hunting. You also need to think about how you will pay the rent. Most property owners offer a number of choices such as a check, online payments, and cash.
Is Property Secure?
You should ask your property manager about the security features that the apartment has – buzzer system, door attendant, and cameras. You should also scope out the neighborhood to know whether it is safe. Look for the crime statistics of that area and walk around to get a feel.
Conclusion
Of course, you can always ask more questions but these are very important. To avoid getting caught off-guard when apartment hunting, you should write them down.
