Questions Renters Should Be Asking Before Signing A Lease

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Questions Renters Should Be Asking
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You Have Found A Rental

• You have found a great rental and the landlord
  agrees to rent to you. Before you sign anything
  here are some important questions that every
  renter should be asking.

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Why Am I Being Asked For My Personal Information?

• Landlords and property owners may want to run a
  tenant background check on you. This is to make
  sure you are who you say you are. They may also
  be looking to see if you have an previous
  evictions and what your credit history looks
  like.

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Will A Credit Check Hurt My Credit Score?

• Some people believe that having a credit check
  run on you hurts your credit rating. If the
  rental applicant initiates the release of his or
  her own data, the resulting inquiry is considered
  a "soft hit" which does not impact his or her
  credit score. On the other hand, when a landlord
  initiates a credit check on a rental applicant,
  it results in a "hard hit" on the applicants
  credit report which can negatively impact his or
  her overall credit score.

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Are There Any Additional Fees On Top Of The Rent?

• Before signing the lease make sure that you know
  if there are any additional costs or fees you
  will be required to pay. Things like HOA fees,
  parking fees etc. can add up quickly.

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What Appliances Or Furniture Are Included?

• It is always a good thing to know what will and
  wont be included in your rental. Are all the
  appliances included and does the unit/house come
  furnished?

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Who is Responsible for Repairs?

• In any property at some point things will break.
  It is very important to find out who will be
  responsible for the repairs. In some cases
  landlords might want you to take care of the
  repairs and then reimburse you. In other cases
  the landlord might want to take care of the
  repairs himself.

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What Is The Maintenance Procedure?

• Make sure you know what the procedure is for
  regular maintenance that needs to be performed.
  How long in advance does the landlord have to
  notify you before the maintenance? Is the
  landlord allowed to enter your unit without you
  being present?

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Is There A Noise Policy?

• It may not be written in your rental agreement
  but some rentals have a noise policy in place.
  Ask the property manager if there are quiet
  hours, and how noise complaints will be dealt
  with.

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What Is The Policy for Personalizing The Space
You Rent?

• Some landlords will let you personalize the place
  you rent without penalties, other landlords will
  have strict rules about what is allowed. Make
  sure you know the limits when you are planning on
  painting or installing a satellite dish so you do
  not lose (part of) your deposit.

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What Are The Consequences For Breaking The Lease
Early?

• Most renters dont plan to have to break their
  lease, but it does happen. Breaking your rental
  contract could have serious consequences You
  could be required to pay the rent for the
  remaining months on the lease your landlord
  could take legal action or your credit report
  could be impacted if you do not pay the penalty.

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What Are The Expectations When I Move Out?

• Eventually the time may come when its time for
  you to move out. Before you move in you should
  find out what the terms are for when you move
  out.

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• This PowerPoint was put together by the team at
  RentalRoost