House & Garden

The 8 Things You Must Know Before Renting a New House

Renting a new house is often exciting, but sometimes you can feel nervous about the whole process. After all, there are lots of questions you need to be answered, new areas to navigate and the monthly bill. Most of the first-time renters go in blind. 

Landlords can sometimes be a nightmare if you aren’t aware of your rights. A few set their terms and conditions or increase the rent annually. Below are eight things you must know before renting a new house.

Rent and increment

There are several factors that determine the amount of rent that you should pay for the new house. Before renting a new house, ensure you know the rent and increment rates. In most cases, the landlord and the tenant determine the rent increase. Check out the regulations created by the state to regulate the local rent increase.

If you live in Boulder, you can seek Boulder property management services to help you get an affordable house. Evernest, Mynd, Keyrenter and APM can get you a good deal and help you understand how to pay your rent on time and what to pay before you move into the new house. Whether looking for a single-family house, small apartment or condo, you will get great help finding the best house.

Deposit

In most states, landlords often ask for a security deposit which is sometimes refundable at the end of the contract. It depends on whether you have adhered to the terms and conditions of the contract.

Depending on the state and the quality of the house, the amount of deposit paid can be as high as several months of rent. Before you sign the contract, ensure that the deposit is mentioned in the rent agreement. 

Flat upkeep

When renting a new house, you need to understand it’s the responsibility of the landlord to pay for the maintenance costs and any other related charges. Though, lots of residential property managers often collect maintenance fees from the tenants.

That is why you need to get clarity from the landlord and know the charges you can incur and under what circumstances. Sometimes these charges can be paid separately or factored into the total amount of the rent to be paid by the tenant.

Basic amenities

Before you rent a new house, you need to understand clearly that it’s the landlord’s responsibility to make sure basic amenities like electricity and water are available. If there is an issue with water or electricity and the supply is disconnected, you have the right to sue the landlord.

If the new house is under the housing society, you can approach the welfare association for mediation depending on the agreement signed. You don’t have to rush to court when you can solve things amicably.

Rent agreement

When moving into a new house, you need to understand that the rent agreement is one of the vital documents, and it has to be made watertight. Ensure that terms like termination, duration and extension are incorporated into the rent agreement document.

The amount of rent to be paid should be stated clearly, and the inspection rights of the landlord. Ensure that the agreement is stamped and registered with the state authorities. In case of a dispute, the state housing laws will protect your interests.

Eviction

Under what circumstances should you be evicted from the house? Before you rent a new house, you need to understand the terms and conditions that, if violated, can lead to eviction. This could be a misuse of the appliances fitted in the house, failing to pay the rent on time and subletting the premises.

In case of eviction, a notice is first given depending on the contract signed between you and the landlord. There are strict notices that can take as little as three business days for the tenant to vacate or pay rent, while others can take more than two weeks.

Landlord access to the house

In most agreements signed by the landlord and tenant, the house belongs to the tenant, and the landlord has no right to enter the house without the tenant’s consent. Even if the landlord is carrying out routine maintenance, they should ensure that they contact you and ask for permission. 

New landlord

When moving to a new house, you must understand that the landlord has full rights to sell the house. So, does this mean you will have to sign a new agreement after some days? In most cases, the tenancy continues, and the signed agreement is assumed to have been assigned to the new landlord.

And this means that the terms and conditions of the existing agreement will continue to hold. The new landlord should therefore honor and respect these terms of the agreement. If the new landlord wants the tenants to vacate, they should issue a notice.