Renting an apartment can either be an easy and pleasant experience or a troublesome experience. This depends massively on the landlord and on how you develop your relationship with them. In order to ensure that things go your way, following are a few useful tips. These will prevent you from getting into an awkward position:
Negotiate To Settle For A Price That Suits You
Some people do not negotiate over rent at all, their word is final. But if you feel like your landlord is a little easy around the edges, there is no harm in mentioning a lower rent that the expected rate. Sometimes, landlords are less interested in reducing the actual rent cost, but are open towards lowering or finishing their charges for parking cars, keeping pets or smoking in their environment.
Mention All Terms Of Agreement In A Written Contract
In order to ensure nothing troublesome is left unattended in the future, have it all written down in the contract. The clearer your contract is, the easier it becomes to deal with things. This also ensures that the things you are uncomfortable with are omitted beforehand. Once you have signed the contract it is suggested that all future changes are also decided on paper.
Know What You Are Legally Obliged To Demand
Before you move into an apartment, you should your own basic rights so if something goes wrong in the future; you understand your stance better. There are special handbooks made for tenants that are not too long and written simply to be understood best.
Read through them before agreeing on anything. You should also do a little research on your own. This helps you fight your case better, if in case something goes terribly wrong in the future. This also includes matters of legal aid.
Be Open
Just like you would expect your landlord to be honest with you, so should you be. It is important for you to be open and honest about certain problems that you are facing or have caused during your stay. You can begin with ensuring your rent is paid on time, each month. If you feel like your rent might get late a certain month, run it by the landlord to avoid issues later.
It is better to discuss everything than left it as is. This might ruin your relationship with your landlord in no time. You and your landlord should remain on good terms so that each understands the other when the situation demands it.
Check Out The Apartment
If it is possible, check out the apartment before you finalise the terms. If you live far away, you can ask the agent/landlord to give you a Skype tour of the apartment. This will ensure that you are getting what you want. Moreover, you will be able to take a look at things as they are without the landlord later on demanding money for something you broke which was already broken.
If you accidentally damage something, it is best to own up to it instead of fighting over it and making matters worse.
Jack Smith knows how daunting it is to rent apartments. This is why he writes this article to ensure you know if you are making the right decision when booking a place like the Edinburgh Pearl Apartments for a decent vacation. There are many things that have to be considered, and his article ensures you know them all.