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Renting a Place – Use this Walkthrough Check List |
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Once you have decided to live in a rented or leased home you must choose the place with care. Whether brand new or used you need to ensure that you do not sign a contract on a place that will become living hell with peeling walls, dripping faucets, or odors.
Advanced property management companies provide a ready to use check list which you can use during your walkthrough. This will ensure that you are not responsible for any pre-existing problems or faults. Most home owners or managers will do a move-out walkthrough to ensure that the leased or rented home is left by you in good condition. If any major damages are noted then you will have to pay for setting right the problem.
When you examine an apartment or house be vigilant and look for:
• Leakages. Try and see if there are any wet walls, peeling walls, or cracks. Even if there is a fresh coat of paint you will be able to feel damp on walls by placing your hands on different parts of the walls. Look for stains in the paint these are sure indications of water damage.
• Check that all appliances are in working order. Check utilities like gas, electricity, and water. Make sure there are no leaking faucets, clogged drains, or malfunctioning sinks or toilets.
• The front door and all other doors must be solid and not hollow, shut well, and have secured latching systems. Read through safety recommendations given by police departments and keep the recommendations in mind while checking doors, windows, and so on.
• Look for pests and mold infestations. Check wooden doors and cupboards for smells and fungi.
• Check whether the rental place has sufficient storage space and shelves for your books, clothes, and nick-knacks. Make note of existing furniture so that you can then decide what to bring with you and what to store.
Note down how many rooms the place has, whether there is a basement for laundry and any common areas like a patio or terrace. Find out whether tenants are permitted to store things in the basement area. Ask about secure parking, whether plants and pets are welcome, and security arrangements.
Important things are: the condition of the neighborhood, the crime rate, who stays next door, what the tenancy rules are, transportation and proximity to schools, colleges, hospitals, and parks.
Ask old tenants, colleagues, as well as neighbors about the apartment. Casually chat with locals, shop owners, and restaurant owners or waitresses about living in the area. Be smart and look for clues in their answers. For extra safety, check with the police about how safe the neighborhood is. These days one cannot be too careful and crime rates are on the rise.
As a renter you need to weigh the pros and cons carefully and ensure that the apartment or house really meets all your requirements.
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