If you decide to rent a place in or near the city, don’t forget to inquire about these important aspects of the apartment or house.
1. How’s the cell phone signal?
You don’t want to be forced to have all phone conversations while hanging out your window or a tiny corner just to pick up a signal.
2. How big are the rooms?
Bring a measuring tape. You and the landlord may have different opinions on what room size comfortably fits a queen size bed.
3. How’s the water pressure?
Don’t forget to ask the follow up, does the shower pressure ever go weak? How long does it take for the water to get hot in the morning?
4. Does the place get noisy?
Be quiet for a minute and listen for ambient noise, such as fans, generators, barking dogs, loud trucks, trains, or noisy neighbors.
5. Are there enough windows to provide you with the natural light you want?
If the curtains are closed, pull them open to check out the view. You might not want your living room facing your neighbor’s firewall.
6. Is there enough fresh air?
If you’re looking at a high rise or a garden unit, sometimes the windows can’t open or open just a bit.
7. Are there amenities?
Get the details on amenities offered as part of the rent. For example, some buildings come with public areas or workout facilities. Check the hours before you make the gym a deciding factor in your lease.
8. Who handles deliveries?
If there’s no doorman or superintendent, what will happen to all those UPS or FedEx deliveries that come while you’re at work?
9. How’s the heating?
Because people often rent during the summer, they neglect to ask about the heat. Find out if the heating is individual or shared, such as an uncontrolled radiator, and find out the costs.
10. If you’re renting a single family house instead of an apartment, you should ask who is responsible for maintaining the exterior of the property.
Some landlords expect the tenants to mow the lawn and shovel the snow, while others do it themselves so they know the property is being maintained correctly.
If all of the above are answered in the positive, all these should be spelled out in the lease contract so there’s never a question about who is supposed to do what.