So you’re signing a new lease! Moving into a new house is an exciting time. You’ve seen the new place, you’ve fallen in love at first sight, you’re already planning where you’ll put all your furniture, and you’re ready to get on with the business of moving in. But hold on, before you rush headlong into unknown territory by signing a new lease, you should take the time to look it over. We’ve combed through the lease after the lease and picked out seven vital things to consider and understand before you sign that lease.
There are several things that any new lessee (the person signing the lease) should know to look out for. They may be worded in unique ways, hidden deep in the text that looks like it’s of minor importance, or appear in places you wouldn’t expect, but these are things you must look carefully for and take note of. Take a company like Tripalink, their goal is to make sure that people are prepared for what comes with taking on the renting of a property, and have even bought out an app to keep the entire leasing process digital for an easy renting experience.
1. What Is Included In Your Rent
There can be some nasty surprises if you aren’t sure of what you’re signing up for! The first, and some would say most important, thing to know before you sign your new lease is what is included in the rental price. The lease may be clear upfront, or there may be some murky wording. What you need to look for is the word “utilities.” This refers to water and electricity, in general, but may also refer to a laundry room, parking fee, and maintenance fee. Read through the text completely until you come to these terms and note down the cost of each and if it will be an extra fee or if it is included in the full price.
2. The Property Condition
When you search “rooms for rent near me” or hop onto your favorite property rental page and spot something that screams your name, don’t get too excited before you see it in person. Checking out the condition of the property before signing anything is an essential step in the leasing process. Many leases will make a note of the condition the property is in before the new tenant takes possession.
They may note that several things still need fixing or tweaking and mention that maintenance will do this work or if there was a prior agreement, that the tenant may need to do this work themselves. If there is no mention of the property condition in the lease and you haven’t seen it in person before signing, we advise that you ask to inspect the property yourself. If you notice property defects after you have signed the lease, it may fall on you to fix them before moving out, or it may impact your getting your deposit back.
3. Allowance for Property Changes
Some landlords may allow tenants to make minor changes, like putting in a new or different cabinet or painting the walls a different color, while others may be vehemently opposed to the idea of you even putting up pictures on the wall. It’s exciting to make your new space your own, but don’t get caught up in that excitement and overstep your bounds, as you may be asked to vacate or risk losing your security deposit when you do eventually move.
4. Pets
This is something to be sure about very early on. This is more than likely a question you will ask long before you get to the lease signing stage or one that the agent or owner showing the property will inform you of. It is still good practice to check your lease, either way, to ensure that the text accurately reflects the information that you were given.
5. Subletting or Roommates
If you think there is a chance that you may eventually wish to share your home with someone whose name does not appear on the list, check for terms and conditions for language that would either prevent or allow that. It may seem simple to have or not have someone else in your space, but to a landlord, that is a potential problem waiting to happen. Since the person in question did not sign the lease with you, they are not technically bound by its terms and conditions, and that could pose a problem for the landlord.
6. Inspection Clauses
This is a particularly important one. If you don’t correctly interpret the language in your lease about inspection clauses, you could find your privacy destroyed with less than a moment’s notice. Some landlords may have unannounced inspection clauses worked into the leases that allow them to visit the property unannounced at any time to check on the state of the property. Others may state that the landlord must notify the tenant before they pay a visit.
7. Termination
You need to be sure to know the rules around lease termination, either from your end or on the part of the landlord. If things are unpleasant, do you have a way out? Does the landlord have to give you two weeks or a month’s notice to terminate? Do they need to offer written warnings beforehand? Understand these terms so that you don’t get a nasty surprise down the line.
Wrap Up
If you understand the ins and outs of these topics, you’ll move into your new home more securely. Just take care and take your time reading through your lease before you sign.