Home Decor | Housing | Real Estate

Those who live in a rental property may have questions regarding how they should care for their domicile. While treating the property with respect and not intentionally doing damage to the property should be understood there are other gray areas where renters may not be sure what their rights and responsibilities are in the rental situation. In most of these cases, these questions can be resolved by carefully reviewing the rental agreement. This can provide the renter a great deal of insight regarding which items will be corrected by the leasing agent and which items are the responsibilities of the renter.

Treat the Property Like it Is Your Home

The heading to this subsection is certainly appropriate in theory but in reality it may not be true. The theory behind treating a rental property like it is your home is that you should treat the rental property in the same way you would treat your own home. This means the renter should not intentionally damage or otherwise neglect the rental property. It also implies that the renter should care for the rental property by making necessary repairs as they arise.

However, the reality of this heading is not true because renters are often not free to treat a rental property like it was their home. Homeowners are free to make modifications at any time to their property. Renters do not have this option and are only allowed to make modifications which are permitted by the contract agreement. These permissible modifications are usually rather insignificant in nature.

Seek Assistance from the Property Manager When Warranted

Renters should also seek assistance from the property manager when there are repairs which fall under the jurisdiction of the property owner or manager. Such repairs might include items such as unclogging drains, fixing appliances and making modifications to the residence such as installing lighting features. Although the renter may be capable of performing some or all of these actions, the rental agreement may specify these items are the responsibility of the property owner or manager. Renters who attempt to fix these items may be held liable for damages which occur during these attempts.

Similarly, the rental agreement may imply, by omission, that certain items are the responsibility of the renter. These may be small items such as changing light bulbs or similar items. In these cases the renter is free to make the adjustments. However, in other situations where the rental agreement specifies the apartment manager will handle certain complaints, these complaints should be called to the attention of management.

When the Property Manager Isn’t Doing His Job

Renters may encounter a problem where the apartment manager is not being responsive to his complaints and is not addressing situations which are brought to his attention. When this occurs the renter may have no choice but to bring this to the attention of the property manager’s supervisor. When a property manager is required to make certain repairs and address certain issues and fails to do so, he is creating a hazard for the members of the community. This is why the renter should not allow these transgressions to occur. The renter should also not be fearful of retaliation by the property manager because the contract will likely specify the renter’s rights to complain to a higher authority about the quality of service they are receiving.

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Renters who are viewing apartment complexes are often led to furnished models which have been tastefully decorated. Although the furnishings in these model apartments are usually very aesthetically appealing they also usually serve another purpose as well. This other purpose is to make the room appear larger than it is. There are decorator and furnishing techniques which can make a room in an apartment appear considerably larger than it really is. The size of the bed, the amount of furniture and the layout of the furniture are all items which should be carefully considered when viewing model apartments. This article will cover these three items and will provide useful information for renters who are trying to evaluate furnished apartments.

The Size of the Bed

Determining the size of the bed in a model apartment is important for the purposes of evaluating the apartment. If you are unsure of the size of the bed used in the model, ask the leasing agent for clarification. This is important because if the bed used in the model is a full size bed and your own bed is a king size bed, it will be difficult to make assumptions about the size of the bedroom. The differences in a full size bed and a queen size bed may not be as noticeable but renters should be aware a queen bed will result in less free space in the room. If the bed used in the model is not the same size as your own bed, take measurements to determine how well your own bed will fit in the room.

Is There Enough Furniture?

When viewing a furnished, model important it is important to note whether or not there is enough furniture in the room. For example there may be a kitchen table and only two chairs instead of four. This may make the room appear larger to those who are viewing the apartment but they are likely going to be disappointed when they move in.

Consider the furniture in other rooms as well. For example a bedroom which only has a bed and a nightstand will be decidedly less crowded than a bedroom which has a bed, two nightstands and a dresser. Your furniture may not be exactly the same size as the model furniture but there should be comparable items in each room.

Does the Layout Make Sense?

Renters should also carefully consider the layout of the furniture when visiting a furnished apartment. An apartment may feature all of the pieces of furniture the renter expects to see in the room but may position these pieces of furniture in a way that is not logical. Consider the family room as an example. There may be a couch, an entertainment center, a television set, a coffee table and two end tables but if these items are positioned strangely it can be deceiving. Most renters arrange their living room furniture in a manner which makes the area conducive to conversations as well as viewing of the television. If the television is positioned where it is not viewable from any of the seating options, the layout of the room is somewhat unnatural. It is not likely to be similar to the layout used by the renter and therefore does not offer an accurate representation of how the space will likely be used.

Renting an apartment is a very serious decision which warrants a great deal of attention before a final decision is made. When choosing an apartment to rent, renters have a variety of factors to consider including, but not limited to, price, size, location, amenities, whether or not they want a roommate and how long they want to stay in the apartment. Those who plan to rent an apartment should consider all of their options before making a decision to ensure they are making the best possible decision. This article will discuss the importance of considering all of the possible options as well as the possibility of having roommates and the importance of reading contracts carefully.

Consider All of the Possible Options

When renting an apartment, the renter should first investigate all of the options available to him to ensure he is able to make an informed decision. This is important because the renter may not even be aware of all of the available options until he starts to for an apartment. The best way to find out what type of apartments are available is to do some research on the Internet and in newspapers and rental magazines and then start visiting apartments which seem interesting. In visiting the apartments the renter will get a better idea of the size and types of amenities which are available in his price range. He will also begin to learn more about the types of amenities available. This is important because not all apartments will offer the same amenities. Renters may not find what they are looking for unless they visit a few places before making a decision.

Consider the Possibility of Roommates

Deciding whether or not to have a roommate or multiple roommates is one of the important decisions a renter will have to make. This is an important decision because roommates can make a living situation either significantly better or significantly worse depending on a number of factors. These factors may include compatibility of the roommates, ability to pay the rent and ability to assist in the household activities.

Having roommates can make an apartment more affordable. Often larger apartments may be more affordable for two people than a smaller apartment would be for one renter. Additionally, apartments designed for two or more people often have a larger overall living space with a larger kitchen, dining room and family room. This makes the possibility of roommates very appealing to some renters.

However, there are some caveats to making the decision to live with a roommate. Care should be taken to carefully screen potential roommates to ensure they are not potentially harmful. Strangers do not present the only potential roommate problems. Problems may even occur when the roommate is a trusted friend. In these cases, compatible living styles may be the issue. For example, if one roommate likes to stay up late and listen to music or watch television and the other roommate likes to go to sleep early there can be some conflicts if compromises are not made. Also, if one of the roommates is particularly neat and the other rather messy, conflicts may arise.

Read the Contract Carefully

Whether a renter opts to have a roommate or not and regardless of the type of apartment they select, the renter should be careful to read the contract before signing it. This is important because a rental agreement is a legal document and the renter should understand this document before they sign the agreement. Many renters may never need to know the exact information in their contract document but if a dispute arises, the renter should be aware of his rights. Additionally, the renter should pay special attention to any sections of the contract which specify the landlord’s ability to evict the tenant. Contract sections specifying the requirements of the renter are also very important. This may include requirements for breaking the lease agreement in the event that the renter has to move before the lease period ends.

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