Looking for a new place to live can be an exciting, overwhelming, and rewarding task. Renting the best home for you is important, so you should make the right decision when looking for a home to rent. Check out these questions you should be asking your landlord before you rent.
1. What’s Your Policy on Pets?
If you have a pet, this is an important question to ask. This is because you want to know what the policy on pets is in order to avoid going against the rules. Apart from restrictions on the type of pet you’re allowed to keep, there may be additional fees that you need to pay in order to be allowed to keep your pet on the property with you.
Make sure that you’re comfortable with the rules and fees before you sign on the dotted line to avoid complications down the road. You may be required to install a fence in order to keep your pet safe. Note that the worldwide fencing market in 2021 was $27.88 billion, so there are many new fences being put up.
2. How Do You Handle Utilities?
You should also find out how utilities are handled by your landlord. They may have you put the utilities in your name and consequently pay for them to their companies. They could also keep the utilities in their name and add the costs to your rent every month. Find this out in advance and you have the chance to estimate whether the property fits into your budget. Make sure that you’re comfortable with the arrangement that’s used so there are no issues down the road.
3. Are There Other Fees?
Find out early on if there are other fees that you should know about before you get on board. While rent and utilities may be affordable for you, it’s important for you to find out all other fees that apply. These may drive the monthly costs up considerably. These fees may include a homeowners’ association fee and a deposit for having a pet on the property, which may or may not be refundable. Note that most homeowners will pay around $4,640 for repairing issues with the foundation. It’s important to find out if you’ll have to do repairs yourself or if you’ll have to contact the landlord directly.
4. How Long Is the Lease?
It’s also important to know how long your lease is set for. While most leases are 12 months long, some can be negotiated on a month-to-month basis or even six months. Knowing this will help you know if the property is right for you, especially if you don’t intend to live in the property for a very long time.
5. What Maintenance Is Mine to Handle?
Finally, it goes without saying that a home will need to be maintained on a regular basis in order to keep everything presentable. You need to know the policy on this and find out whether maintenance is up to you or the landlord. From changing broken bulbs to maintaining the yard, it’s good to identify from the start who is in charge of the maintenance. If they’re your responsibility, you may need to know about equipment and tool rentals as you may need to rent equipment every now and then. Note that the global market for rental equipment generated a revenue of $87 billion in 2019. This is another issue that may drive your rental costs up, so be sure to double-check with your landlord.
Make sure you’re clear on all these questions and you’ll have a good chance of being a satisfied tenant. You’ll make the right plans and get the most out of your tenancy, enjoying your space for months to come.
