subject: Cheap Apartments For Rent [print this page] The ad claims that they have cheap apartments for rent. Great, you say, I want in. Not so fast though. There are all kinds of hurdles before you can rent a cheap apartment. First off, make sure your credit rating is in good order. Especially in today's market, it is virtually unheard of for an apartment to be offered for rent without a credit check being done. This is also becoming very commonplace for jobs by the way, so it's important to make sure that your credit history is as clear as possible.
In addition, what you need to do when you rent that apartment is to ask the landlord to come along, before you sign your lease and do a walk through with you. What that means is that you look the place over. And when I say look it over, I mean thoroughly. There is nothing too small to notice. Is the paint chipped somewhere? Make a note of it. Is the refrigerator working properly? How about the stove? Are there stains on any of the carpets in the apartment? If there is furniture, what condition are they in? Note any major damage to them. For light fixtures, make sure they all work. Check the windows and make sure they all open and close and have no chips. Check the radiators to make sure they work.
Why do I mention these things as important when looking at cheap apartments for rent? American landlords are typically responsible for keeping these things in good working order (i.e. the paint, the fixtures, appliances, etc.). However, if something was broken when you moved in and it was obviously broken, two things could happen: One, you could potentially be charged with having caused the damage and be liable for repairing it. Or two: you could be dealing with a landlord who doesn't keep his property in good repair and you would then be in a real pickle.
You should also make sure that the landlord does not have any kind of odd clauses in the lease. Typically, the landlord would do the painting once you move out. However, some leases specify that you must pay for painting. Make sure that you check who is responsible for these things.
So the next time you are considering one of those deals on a cheap apartment for rent, be sure to check the fine print. Check all the details. You'll thank me later.
by: Richard Cunningham
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