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>Apartment
Life
>How to Look for an Apartment
How to Look for An
Apartment
Follow these steps to help find the right place
to rent:
Questions
To Ask
What
To Notice
Final
Steps in Securing an Apartment
BEFORE You Sign A
Lease!
Questions
To Ask
-
Be
sure to ask which utilities are included in the rent (if any) and
which you must pay on your own. This information might make a huge
difference in the amount you pay for an apartment. If utilities
are included in the rent, then the landlord pays the bills no
matter how high or low they are. If you pay for utilities, then
you will have to deal with fluctuating bills (especially in the
winter).
-
How
big is the hot water heater? Does the apartment share a water
heater with other apartments? This is an important question. If
the hot water heater is not very big, you could run out of hot
water in the middle of a shower. The average size of a water
heater for a 1-4 bedroom apartment is 40 gallons. If you expect a
lot of activity within a 30-minute period then you would want a
50-gallon heater.
-
How
is the heat broken up? Are the stove, hot water tank, heating
ducts, etc., heated by gas or electricity? It is important to know
what you are paying for if you are paying utilities (for an
explanation on this, see Utilities).
-
How
much is the security deposit? You will get this money back after
you move out if you leave the apartment in the same condition it
was in when you moved in.
- How
long is the lease? Is subleasing allowed?
What
To Notice
-
Make
sure there are sufficient safety features such as smoke detectors
and fire extinguishers (especially in the bedroom).
-
If
this is an apartment complex, check the laundry room. Is it
well-maintained? Are there enough machines, and do they all work?
-
Look
at the SPECIFIC unit you want to rent, not another one down the
hall. Be clear with the landlord about which apartment you are
renting.
-
If
an apartment is in bad condition when you look at it, the landlord
is probably used to keeping it in that condition. Ask the landlord
if s/he is planning on doing any repair work. Even if s/he
says yes, there is still no guarantee that the repairs will be
made. The only way to hold a landlord to that kind of commitment
is to get a written agreement from him/her that specifies exactly
what will be fixed and by what date. Have the landlord sign and
date this agreement. The landlord might be reluctant to do this.
-
If
the apartment is in an old house and the landlord keeps assuring
you that everything works perfectly, then the landlord is not being
honest! Use common sense when talking to landlords. Be respectful
but suspicious at the same time.
- You
usually cannot rely on any kind of verbal agreement from a
landlord. Get it in WRITING!
- Here
are some possible damages to notice:
-
Leaky
plumbing (toilets, faucets, pipes, etc.)
-
Make
sure water faucets, toilets, and showers work and have good water
pressure. How hot / cold can you get the water?
-
Major
Holes or Cracks in the Walls, Ceilings or floors
-
Missing
or Broken Windows and Screens
-
Defective
Appliances – Check the stove, oven, refrigerator and any other
appliances to make sure they work.
-
Defective
Wiring (Switches, Outlets, etc.) – Turn on ceiling lights to
make sure they come on. Ask
about or check all cable, phone, and electric sockets to see which
ones work.
-
Doors
that are Damaged or don’t Fit Properly (this is especially
important with doors that go to the outside)
-
Inspect
the locks on all outside doors. Are they sturdy? Make sure there
are deadbolts on each one. Are the doors and hinges themselves
sturdy?
-
Evidence
of Insects / Rodents
-
Peeling
Paint or Wallpaper
-
If
the apartment is on the top floor, the ceiling may be wet or
bowing where rain might be leaking in
-
Feel
around the windows. How drafty could they get in the winter?
Larger, taller windows are the draftiest. Look for cracks in the
window itself as well as around the window.
-
Ask
to see the furnace and water heater. Look for rust chips, rocks or
other types of debris around them. This debris can indicate carbon
monoxide problems (including poisonings).
Be thorough
and specific when inspecting. You need to decide for yourself what
damages you are willing to live with for the price you would be paying
for the apartment.
Final
Steps in Securing an Apartment
You
should:
-
Call
utility companies (if you will have to pay for utilities) and ask
for a record of utility bills paid on that specific apartment by
former tenants. Most utility companies keep this information.
This will give you an idea of how much extra utilities will cost
you. Apartments with high ceilings and bad insulation
will be extremely expensive to heat in the winter. (These prices
all depend on how many people are living in the apartment. See Utilities
for more.)
-
Ask
the landlord for some references (phone numbers of current or
previous tenants). Or, get a phone number from the current tenants
when you go to look at the apartment. Don’t be shy to ask
current tenants about the landlord. This is a common and wise
practice. Here are some questions you can ask:
-
Why
are you moving out?
-
How
much are your utility bills? (including summer and winter)
-
Are
you usually cold during the winter? Or is the apartment well
insulated?
-
Do
you run out of hot water in the shower very often?
-
Is
there anything you really hate about this apartment?
-
How
well does the landlord maintain the apartment? Is s/he prompt
with requests for repairs?
-
How
much do you like the landlord?
-
Do
you have any other advice?
-
To officially claim the apartment, you
will need to give the landlord a security deposit (you will get this
money back after you move out if you leave the apartment in the same
condition it was in when you moved in). Some landlords also require
you to pay the first month’s rent. Be sure to look over Security
Deposits before paying the landlord.
-
The landlord
may also run a
credit check on you.
-
When you move into the apartment you
will do a “walk through.” Be sure to read Damage
Lists for information about the “walk through.”
BEFORE
You Sign A Lease!
Once you have
paid a deposit or signed a
Lease,
you are locked into an agreement. Be sure that this is the place you want, that
you can afford it, and that the lease is for the correct length of
time.
READ LEASE BEFORE
signing anything! Here are a few key things to consider before signing
a lease:
- Read
The Lease And Understand It--There is no such thing as a
"standard lease." If you do not understand a clause, do
not sign the lease until you do. All parts of a lease are open to
negotiation until the lease is signed!
- Know
The Duration of Your Lease--Don't sign a one-year lease if you
plan on staying for nine months. Negotiate with your landlord for
a shorter term or look for another apartment with a shorter lease.
DO NOT expect to be able to sublease unless it is okay with the
landlord.
- Know
Your Roommates--If you sign a lease with others roommates, you
are legally responsible for both you AND your roommate's share of
the rent (i.e. “Joint and Several Liability”). Make sure your
roommates are reliable and plan to stay for the entire term. Get
your understanding with your roommates in writing regardless of
how well you know each other. Better yet, see if your landlord
will sign individual leases with each tenant. See Sharing
An Apartment.
- Don't
Rely On Oral Promises--If your landlord promises to do things
to your apartment such as paint it, repair it, or carpet it, GET
IT IN WRITING before signing the lease. If the landlord is sincere
about the promise, s/he shouldn't object to writing it down.
Specify the DATE the repair or improvement is to be completed.
Have both you and your landlord SIGN the agreement. If your
landlord says s/he won't hold you to a certain clause in the
lease, CROSS IT OUT AND HAVE ALL PARTIES INITIAL next to the
clause.
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