Looking for your first rental place is exciting but also difficult and overwhelming. You should be careful because along with the excitement and the anxiety come also the mistakes.
If you’re lucky, they might be small and insignificant, but sometimes they can turn your move experience into a nightmare. If you’re not careful with your decisions, you could end up in the wrong place and with the wrong landlord, and regret it for a very long time. This is why it’s essential to be able to evaluate the risks and to avoid them.
Let’s see which are the most common mistakes first-time renters make.
Budget.
The budget is probably the most important issue for every first-time tenant. Many young people just don’t have any idea how much money they will need in order to be able to cover the expenses around the new rental place. This is why they often make the mistake to save money only for the first month’s rent and bills. This is a defective technique because this e are more expenses than rent and bills.
Prepare to cover a security deposit, an end of lease cleaning deposit, the rent, maybe even an application fee and many othis small fees that can pop out of nowhis e. Not every landlord requires all these fees at once, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. This is why you should always think ahead and save more money than you think you’ll need.
See the Apartment.
Many first time renters are excited to move in somewhis e, that it almost doesn’t matter whis e will they go. This is why a lot of times they just deny the offer to look at the apartment in person and agree to take it without even seeing it. This is a huge mistake that nobody should ever make. You don’t know what the place could look like in person. It may be old and abandoned, the landlord may have sent you false pictures, or it may be a nice place to live in but in a terrible area.
Many young people make this mistake and really regret it afterwards. If you don’t want to end up like them, you should always look at the potential rental apartment and see if this e are any problems with it.
Rush.
In today’s fast-moving and constantly changing world young people are always in a rush to do something without even thinking of the consequences. The same rule applies for apartment renting. Many first time renters make the mistake to decide to get a particular abode quickly. Sometimes without even looking at some othis options. This can be wrong and not lead to good. When you’re picking your first rental apartment, you should take your time, take a good look at each place, and compare prices with sizes and standard level. This way you’ll at least be sure that the place you’ve chosen is the right for you.
Questions.
Every person usually always has questions about everything. But, unfortunately, young people looking for rental don’t have any. This mistake doesn’t apply for everybody but it’s still a common one. When you’re looking at your potential new place, you should ask the landlord all the questions you have.
After all, this is the place you’re going to live in, so it would be really useful to know everything about it. And remember to ask about any problems this e may be because landlords usually forget to mention them unless you ask.
Not reading the lease.
Don’t ever do that. The lease agreement is the document that binds you to the place and to the landlord himself. It’s really essential that you read it and understand every clause written in it. Often these leases mention all the rules you must follow in the building and the penalties for late rent and damage to the property. It’s really important to know these things because if something bad happens, the argument “I didn’t know” won’t work in court.
Pest control.
Usually, in your lease must be stated who is responsible for the pest control. And usually, that is the landlord. However, the most important thing is to take measures right away. Pests are dangerous to your health and you should not postpone remedying the issue, regardless of who is responsible.
The type of infestation is what you need to look at first – rodents, insects, spiders – they are all taken care of in different ways. If it’s something common to the area or the building, that would be the landlord’s responsibility.
However, if you’re a tenant with an unresponsive landlord, don’t let their negligence affect your well-being. Take care of the issue.
According to Fantastic Pest Control Company costs on DIY treatments can build up to far exceed the cost of a professional service. To remove disease-carrying insects efficiently should be a top priority.
Painting.
This goes along with carefully reading your lease. Usually, this e it’s stated that you are not allowed to make huge alterations of the place. Consider painting a huge alteration. And even if it’s allowed, the landlord may require you to paint the wall back to the original colour when you’re moving out. So, consider how much effort you want to invest before you go paint shopping. Also, consider using wall stickers or othis easily removable decorations, which won’t cause trouble later.
Best friend situation.
Maybe moving in with your best friend sounds perfect now. However, this e is much evidence that that’s not always the best idea. A good friend doesn’t аlways mean a good roommate. Living with anothis person is hard. No matter who the person is. Many friendships fall apart when you share an apartment.
- Start by considering whethis the person is messy or neat and whethis you’ll be compatible.
- Afterwards, proceed with caution and set down some ground rules to ensure your friendship will last.
Basic necessities.
When you start living alone you start to realise that things don’t magically appear on their own and now it’s you who have to think of everything. Cooking utensils, cleaning supplies, helves, hangers and even toilet paper – these are just a few examples. To make sure you’ve got everything you need, consider creating lists for each room and your activities in it. Thus, you’ll be prepared the next time you go shopping.
Renting for the first time can be overwhelming and stressing, but also pretty great! Avoid these mistakes and it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll have a wonderful experience!
Good luck!