Mentioned below are certain pointers that one needs to check and ask before renting a house.
About the locality: before you finalise a house, do check and research about the locality that house is located in. Check if there are easy transportation and amenities like hospitals, grocery stores, shops nearby.
Check white goods: if the white goods are also included in the agreement then the tenant must check the inventory and get in written from the tenant that all the goods are functioning. The white goods mostly include fridge, washing, machine, microwave etc. Also, make sure that the tenant gets those items repaired if any defect is found in them before one takes possession.
Well painted walls: ensure that the house has well-painted walls and if they are not and one can ask the landlord to do so or else the tenant can do it himself and ask the landlord to deduct it from the amount of rent.
Check water supply: know about the supply of water in the locality and also while you are inspecting check for the pressure of water and if there is a problem then the tenant can negotiate with the landlord regarding the issue.
Security: today when crimes like theft are at its peak, a tenant must check deadlock, window locks for security, one should also check the main doors and in the case of defect found the tenant should inform the landlords about it.
It is also important to do a background check of the landlord you are finalising the deal with. Do a thorough research on him or her.
Agreement details: this should be marked as one crucial point on a tenant’s checklist. A tenant should go through the rental agreement and check the amount of rent mentioned and the tenure. Check for the deposit that one needs to pay and the conditions in which the landlord will deduct money from the deposit. Confirm for the other bills that a tenant is liable to pay like electricity bill, water bill, maintenance etc.
Read carefully: renting requires a lot of documentation and legal procedure. Hence is highly advisable to the tenant to not sign any documents without giving a thorough read of it, in order to avoid future troubles.
Keeping these points in your mind before sealing the deal will help you get a good rented home. Also, if you are a pet lover and have or plan on adopting a pet, do ensure about the same with the landlord. As some landlords are not really pet lovers!