6 Questions to Ask Before Moving to a Studio Apartment
Apartment-hunting can be fun and exciting, but doing a little research is essential if you want to find that perfect place to call home. Here’s what every renter should ask before moving into a studio apartment.
How does the tenant pay rent?
How rent payments are made varies from place to place. Most communities provide online payment options as they’re more convenient, but it’s important that you check whether using their online payment system comes with additional fees. Checks are still widely accepted in many communities, and most landlords prefer their tenants paying their monthly rent using personal checks. While this form of payment is quite common, you want to check this information prior to moving in so you bring your checkbook with you.
Should any late payments occur, you can expect to pay either a certain fee – it can be a daily late fee, percentage late fee, or flat fee. Check this with your potential landlord before moving in so you know what to expect.
What is included in the rent?
What your monthly rent includes will also vary from apartment to apartment. Therefore, it is essential that you ask a couple of questions before signing the lease. Sometimes, renting a studio apartment will mean paying a monthly rent that is all inclusive of utilities, Wi-Fi, housekeeping, linen change, etc. This approach is more convenient as it allows you to focus on your daily tasks, whether you’re working or studying.
Other times, the rent will include just some of the utilities, and there may be some hidden costs as well. This is why you want to do your research and ask and double-check everything so you can draw a comparison between the apartments you’re considering and make the right choice.
You should also ask about the deposit and additional fees for pets, as well as whether you’ll be provided with free parking and/or a garage.
What is the lease term and what period of time does it cover?
Lease terms can be fixed and flexible. Fixed ones can range from one year to eighteen months to two years while flexible ones that allow you to rent an apartment for one month at a time. Before you put down your signature, you have to make sure that you understand the lease term completely.
Also, you want to know exactly how long the minimum rental period is. After it expires, you can either extend the lease or move out (provided that you’ve given proper notice to your landlord). It is important to note that opting for longer leases means you’ll be saving some money as the rent might be slightly reduced, so keep that in mind if you’re planning on settling down for longer.
What is the guest policy?
Some guest policies are strict while others tend to be more lenient. While some may limit the visitors’ stay to two weeks, others can be much more tolerant when it comes to their guest policy and let you have guests stay over for up to four weeks.
Certain policies will also require guests to sign in and register every time they stay overnight. To learn more about the rules about having overnight guests, check your lease agreement as it should cover this information in detail. That way, you can familiarize yourself with all the rules so you don’t run the risk of breaking the lease and facing eviction.
What is the pet policy of the apartment building?
Aside from guests, there are also rules for bringing pets into the apartment building. Just because a rental apartment is pet-friendly doesn’t mean that there aren’t any restrictions. Whether your pet is allowed into the building will depend on its type, size, and breed.
Certain communities will also limit the number of pets that are staying with you, so be sure to check in advance. Moving in with a pet will also mean paying additional fees (monthly, one-time, pet deposit) that are determined by the apartment building’s pet policy.
Can any changes be made to the apartment?
Moving into a new place you can call home often means adding personal touches and modifying it to your liking. However, before you install any wall art or change the color of the walls, make sure your landlord is on board with this.
In some apartments, making these types of changes is not allowed, and when it is, it usually requires you to pay a fee or paint the walls white after your lease expires and you move out. Before you sign the lease, make sure that you ask your landlord if you can make any changes to the apartment.
That way, you can make sure that your new place is tailored to your preferences and feels more like a home without causing any disputes and dealing with unpleasantries.
Conclusion
Making sure that your new apartment checks all your boxes is essential before signing the lease. If you ask all the right questions early on, you won’t have trouble finding that one place you’ll love living in.