My imaginary apartment...

100+ Questions to Ask Before Renting an Apartment

I’ve moved a lot in the last 10 years. I’ve lived in tiny dumps and large “luxury” apartment complexes. Over the years I’ve encountered a number of problems and surprise amenities. This is my checklist when I am looking for a new place to live. Feel free to send me questions you ask. I’ll add them here.

General

• How much is the rent?
• Do they need a security deposit? How much?
• Do they need first month’s rent? How about last month’s rent?
• How long is the lease?
• What is the penalty for terminating the lease early?
• Is there an application fee? How much?
• Are utilities included?
• Can you sublet?
• Do the people in the rental office seem intelligent / seem like they care?
• Who does apartment maintenance and how do they handle it? Are they on call 24/7?

The Apartment Building

• Are the floors wood beam supported or concrete? (bouncy/not bouncy)
• Central Air? Radiators? Electric Heat? In wall AC? AC at all?
• Elevator?
• Smoke alarms? Carbon Monoxide Detectors? When were they last tested?
• Where do we go if there is severe weather?
• Sprinklers?
• Alarms tied to Fire Station?
• Do windows open?
• Does the roof leak?
• Are the windows drafty?
• What condition are the floors in? Is the carpet soft/clean? Is the hardwood splintering?
• Has the apartment been professionally cleaned after the previous tenant moved out? Does the complex pay for this service, and who do they use?
• What were the last tenants like? How long did they live there and why did they move out?
• Is there enough closet space?
• Where will you store your vacuum cleaner?
• what is the policy on trash disposal? Is recycling available?
• Where will you store your bicycle?
• Can you have a grill on your balcony?
• Does the fireplace work?
• Can you control the heat?
• Can you have a real Christmas tree?
• is there a screen door slide on the balcony?
• Does the slider lock securely?
• Is there a peep hole on the door?
• How do you let someone into the building?
• Can you monitor the front door / lobby from the apartment?
• Can you paint the walls?
• Am I allowed to hang pictures with nails?
• Am I allowed to have overnight guests?
• Who do you work with or recommend for renters insurance? Is it required
• Do they allow pets? How about fish tanks? Is there a pet fee?
• Do they allow water beds?
• Is there a storage room? How big? How much does it cost?
• Is there laundry in the building/complex? What is the cost?
• How and where are UPS/FedEx deliveries left?
• Will your couch fit through the door?
• How about your box spring?

Kitchen

• Gas or Electric Stove?
• Kitchen sink disposal?
• Kitchen Sink sprayer?
• Microwave included in kitchen?
• How old are the appliances?
• How loud is the dishwasher?

Bathroom

• Is there a bathtub or just shower?
• Does the bathroom vent effectively?
• If the bathroom door is open, can you see the toilet from the living room?
• Are there enough towel racks in the bathroom?
• Is there enough shelf space in the bathroom?
• Are the vanity lights bright enough to shave cleanly / apply makeup effectively?

Home Office

• Are there enough outlets to plug stuff in?
• Is broadband/DSL available?
• What cable company services the city?
• Can you have 2 phone lines? (separate fax line)

Parking

• Is parking included?
• How much for a parking spot?
• Is it assigned?
• Permit from city required to park?
• What about guest parking?
• Who plows the snow?
• Is it tandem parking and will you have to coordinate parking times with the other tenants?

Neighborhood

• Do you get cell phone reception?
• Car insurance rates higher/lower?
• When is trash pickup?
• Near public transportation?
• Near a grocery store?
• Near a gas station?
• Walking distance to a bar?
• Are there sidewalks to run on?
• Is there a health club? Does it suck? When is it open? Can you bring a guest?
• Is there a pool? Does it suck? When is it open? Can you bring a guest?
• Are there tennis/basketball/volleyball courts? Do they suck? When are they open? Can you bring a guest?
• Is there a playground? Is it safe? Is it near a road? Can you hear it from your apartment?
• Is the area fully developed? Are they going to put up a new building across the street and ruin your view?
• Is it easy to get to a highway?
• What are the traffic patterns during rush hour?
• Is the apartment address easy to find?
• Are there good take-out places nearby?
• Where is the nearest cleaners?
• Where is the nearest 24 hour drug store?
• Where is the nearest House of worship?
• Where is the nearest Wal-Mart?
• Where is the nearest laundromat?
• Is there a history of theft, vandalism or other crimes?

Potential Nuisances

• How much noise comes through the walls? Are they party walls?
• Do headlights come in the windows from passing traffic?
• Do street lights shine in the bedroom windows?
• Can you hear people in the hallway?
• Can you hear the elevator?
• What are the other tenants like? (look at the cars in the lot)
• How noisy are they?
• Do they have children?
• Do kids live upstairs who will run around early in the morning on weekends and wake you up?
• Are there students living in the building?
• Are there businesses across the street that open early (before you want to wake up) and make a lot of noise?
• Is there an intersection nearby that causes traffic to back up with the result of people honking their horns in front of your windows?
• Can you hear traffic from nearby roads/highways?
• Do airplanes constantly fly over your roof?
• Can you hear the guy who lives below you snore all night?
• Are there bugs?
• Is the building old and require constant maintenance?
• Do the people with the balcony below/above/next to the apartment smoke? Does that smoke come into the apartment?
• Do the people with the balcony below/above/next to the apartment sit on their balcony on their phone constantly?
• Is there a bar across the street that has live music at night? Do they leave the door open so the whole neighborhood can hear the music?
• Are there dogs nearby that bark constantly?
• Are you near a park that will cause people to take your parking spot and turn around in your driveway?
• Is the apartment on a street that is a commuters’ shortcut?
• Have there been mold or mildew problems in the apartment or adjacent apartments?

Tips

• Avoid the cheapest place available. There will be riff-raff, dents in your car doors, broken beer bottles, and screaming kids.

Questions to Ask a Landlord

August 7th, 2006 by aptsherpa

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It happens to all of us: we think of a thousand questions the day after looking at an apartment, and wish we’d had better presence of mind in the moment. Here’s a list of questions, loosely categorized by topic that you may wish to ask a potential landlord about your apartment. Remember to ask questions respectfully and refrain from gasping at any answer, even if it seems outrageous. If this isn’t the apartment for you, just move on. If you’re not sure you understand the answer to a question, don’t hesitate to rephrase or ask a follow-up question. This list assumes you’ve already actually seen the apartment and don’t need to ask the basic questions (where in the complex is it located?, how many bedrooms/square feet?, etc.). Keep in mind that this list designed as a guideline to help you remember to ask about what’s important to you. It’s not a litany of questions you must ask in every situation.

Business Matters

• When is rent due? Is there a grace period?
• What are the late fees? When do they take effect?
• How should I pay rent? Can I pay with cash? With a credit card?
• Is rent collected at the office?
• Are any utilities included in the rent?
• What is the approximate cost for utilities that are not included in the rent?
• Do I need to set up my own electrical or other services?
• Are utilities charged to individual apartments or averaged between residents?
• How long have you been in business? Do you manage other properties?
• Where can I submit a complaint about management or maintenance, if I have one?
• Are there any move-in specials on rent? Any special gifts for new tenants?
• Do I get reduced rent if I refer a friend?

Maintenance Issues

• How large is the maintenance staff?
• How do I file a request for maintenance services?
• How long does it usually take for services to be completed?
• How does management staff handle complaints about maintenance?
• What are your most common maintenance requests?
• When is the last time the unit I’m looking at was updated or remodeled?
• What modifications do you make to units between tenants?
• How do you handle pest control? What are your most common pests?
• Does maintenance ever enter apartments without giving notice?

Community Affairs

• What types of people live in the complex?
• Does management organize any community events? What types?
• What facilities are offered (pool, gym, business center)? What are the hours?
• Do I need passes to use these facilities? Can my guests use these facilities?
• How often do you update your facilities? How often is the pool cleaned?
• How can I submit a request to have the facilities cleaned or updated?
• Is there a community bulletin board or other way for residents to communicate?
• How can I report problems with another resident? How do you handle such issues?
• What is the most common complaint by residents about other residents?
• Are there many children in the complex? Are they well-attended?
• Are there community baby-sitting services?

Parking Problems

• How is the parking situation?
• Do residents have assigned spots?
• Do I need a parking pass?
• Can I get covered parking? A garage?
• Are car break-ins a problem?
• Is the lot monitored by cameras?

Safety Issues

• How safe is the apartment?
• Is the community gated? Does the gate open with a code, a card, or another method?
• Have you had any break-ins in the past year? How did you address them?
• What is the most common safety complaint of residents?
• Do the windows lock? Can I have my windows barred?
• Does the door have a deadbolt? Can I have one installed?
• How can I verify that you’ve changed the locks between residents?

Tip: contact the police department to get complete information about crime in the area. Landlords will likely try to downplay any criminal incidents, but the police should have full statistics on any situations that have happened in the area. They should also be able to let you know if any registered sex offenders or other tracked felons live in or near the apartment complex.

After asking all—or even just some—of these questions, you should have an excellent idea of whether or not an apartment is for you. If you haven’t exhausted the landlord (which you might if you go through all of these questions in order!), feel free to ask follow-up questions regarding any topics that concern or interest you. Do keep in mind that this list is to help you remember to ask about particular subjects; don’t just become a drone reciting a list of questions. At the same time, it is a landlord’s job to answer questions and convince you that you want to live in this particular apartment. If you don’t feel that the person you’re talking to is truly receptive to your questions and concerns, you may want to move on—even if the answers to some questions were acceptable. When you’ve gathered all the appropriate information and learned how your potential landlord deals with people, you should be able to decide whether this apartment is right for you.

First Apartment Essentials Checklist 

ladle

tupperware sectional 

potato masher

funnel

muffin tin

egg poacher

cheese slicer

parlor palm

self explanatory

mirrors that i plan on painting

picture frames

bath mat 

bath towels