Before You Rent: A Renter’s Checklist
September 17, 2009 – 11:48 pm
Before you decide to rent out an apartment, condo or even a home, you need to do some detective work and find out if this is really a safe place for you to be renting out. The landlord should have put some preventative security measures in place, but you have to make sure that these devices are there and that they’re also working. You don’t want to rent if you’re belongings might be stolen or if your family’s safety is at risk.
When you’re talking to the landlord and gathering the facts about the building, you should have a checklist to refer to. This will help you cover all of the bases, and you should also be taking notes. If the landlord says that there is a security system, make sure it exists and is working when you check out the place in person. Below are some common security measures to find out about.
- The parking lot or garage, sidewalks, stairs, laundry facility, hallways and all entrances should be well-lit. The light should be on 24 hours a day, because on gloomy days, it would be difficult to see someone staking out in your parking lot. These lighted areas also act as a deterrent, because there won’t be any shadows for the criminals to hide in.
- Does the apartment complex or condo community have a secure admittance system? You should have to use a key or a security code to enter. If it’s a gated condo community, there should be an intercom system for when you’re expecting guests.
- Have the locks been changed since the last tenant moved out? Sometimes it’s hard to know whether the landlord is lying, so if you end up renting, it’s wise to pay and get the locks changed. Depending on the agreement/contract, you might have to inform your landlord that you’re doing this.
- Check out the fire escapes and make sure that they are above the ground floor. This makes it harder for people on the outside to access them. However, you also need to lock the fire escape on the inside to ensure that no one will be able to get into your home.
- Find out if the mailboxes are well-lit and equipped with quality locks. You don’t want to risk identity theft.
- Ask other tenants about the landlord to find out if he/she is reliable when it comes to fixing maintenance problems such as burned out lights.
These are just a few things you will want to look out for before you commit to renting a certain place. Also, don’t forget to purchase renter’s insurance, so you can protect your belongings if you would get robbed.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Tags: apartment safety, before you rent, checklist for renting