Things to ask yourself before you sign a lease..

[Ellie]

Me and DF are moving soon, and here are some questions I drew up to check before we sign a lease, decided to share. Mods, feel free to move this, I wasn't sure where to put it.

How much is rent?
What's the neighborhood like?
Where is the nearest grocery store/bank/post office?
Are there enough windows?(The more natural light the better for cutting down on electricity)
How much closet space is available?
Is there enough storage space?
Are there any pet restrictions?
How big are the rooms? Will all my belongings fit?
How old is the wiring (if there are few outlets and they are all 2-pronged it could mean the wiring is old, which can lead to a potential safety hazard)
Is there parking? Do I have to pay for it?
Check for insects and rodents, look in cuboards and in corners for any signs of visitors
Does it need any repairs/repainting?
How close is it to work?
How friendly is the landlord? Do I feel comfortable around them?
How old/new is the apartment?
What are the amenities? (e.g. equiped kitchen, military clause
On average how much are utilities each month?
Are you allowed to decorate?
Does it look like mould or moisture are in the walls?
How well insulated is it?

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by Ellie Me and DF are moving soon, and here are some questions I drew up to check before we sign a lease, decided to share. Mods, feel free to move this, I wasn't sure where to put it. How much is rent? What's the neighborhood like? Where is the nearest grocery store/bank/post office? Are there enough windows?(The more natural light the better for cutting down on electricity) How much closet space is available? Is there enough storage space? Are there any pet restrictions? How big are the rooms? Will all my belongings fit? How old is the wiring (if there are few outlets and they are all 2-pronged it could mean the wiring is old, which can lead to a potential safety hazard) Is there parking? Do I have to pay for it? Check for insects and rodents, look in cuboards and in corners for any signs of visitors Does it need any repairs/repainting? How close is it to work? How friendly is the landlord? Do I feel comfortable around them? How old/new is the apartment? What are the amenities? (e.g. equiped kitchen, military clause On average how much are utilities each month? Are you allowed to decorate? Does it look like mould or moisture are in the walls? How well insulated is it?

It is also recommended to have military legal review the lease prior to signing it.

[leftover]

My sister always took pictures before she signed her lease of all the damage in the rental house. Then she had her landlord sign and date the back. That way he couldn't blame the stains on the carpet or the mold on the windows on her.

[KristinD]

Originally Posted by leftover My sister always took pictures before she signed her lease of all the damage in the rental house. Then she had her landlord sign and date the back. That way he couldn't blame the stains on the carpet or the mold on the windows on her.

Excellent advice!

[Jayo]

Multiple windows is a plus but make sure they are properly insulated. Place your hand around them, do you feel a draft? Take a lighter and lite and hold in front, does it flicker. Same around the front door/back door. Also, check the gasket around the fridge. Place a dollar in the door and close..can you pull it out? Might just need an adjustment.

Also, what about laundry facilities? Security? Garbage? Are you responsible for all utilities? (heat/water/sewer/garbage/electric).

[StaceyB]

Something I wish I had thought about when I was looking for a place was paying attention to if the windows are single pane or double. Now that we have had a major snow storm I have realized the error in this lack of observation. I need to put plastic on the windows to try to help, but I have two little kids who think I put that up for their amussment. Even on a mild day like today I can tell that the insulation sucks because when I put my hand on an outside wall it is cold.

If looking at an apartment take some time to walk around and maybe talk to a few residents there to see if they would do it all over again or if they are counting down until their lease is up. Spend sime time just sitting and watching the people who come and go to get a true feel for the neighborhood. Any landlord will tell you it is a wonderful, super safe, quiet area just to get the place rented.

Most local police departments will give you a report of any incidents in the area to give you a heads up on crime. I would also go to the sex offender search site and just see if there are any registered offenders any where near the area.

Good luck and happy house hunting!!

[Del]

All good things.

I went around this apartment for like three hours signing and dating all the little spots on the carpet with the landlord. (Though, pics wouldn't've been a bad idea. It was a busy week, didn't occur to me.)

Thankfully our landlords are really cool and I was totally comfortable and he put up with me and gamely marked everything down, so we're all good.

And they were very understanding about the military clause and that if DB left, I would be too (even though that's not usually a part of the military clause).

So I definitely recommend making sure you're comfortable with your landlord. It helps a lot with all kinds of things.

[Luzenza]

Originally Posted by leftover My sister always took pictures before she signed her lease of all the damage in the rental house. Then she had her landlord sign and date the back. That way he couldn't blame the stains on the carpet or the mold on the windows on her.

And most places we've rented had a checklist for the new tenants to fill out on anything that was marred, damaged, or dirty.