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Before You Sign the Lease
Before you sign the lease or give a landlord any money for fees or deposits
do a thorough inspection of the premises you plan to lease, and find out about
your credit rating. NEVER sign a lease or even put a deposit down on an apartment
or house until you have seen the exact place you will be renting. Some apartment
complexes will show you a model apartment. Often, the apartment you actually
get will not be as nice as the model. When you inspect the place you may rent,
look it over carefully.
Questions to Ask the Landlord Before Signing the Lease
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How much is the rent? When/Where must
it be paid? If it's late, will you get charged a fee? If so, how much? |
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What is included in the rent, what must
you pay? |
Shared Responsibilities between You and Your Landlord
Find out and include in the lease prior to move in, if the landlord will clean
the carpeting or paint the apartment. If you are planning to paint the apartment,
obtain written permission in advance from the landlord, this way you can avoid
being charged to repaint or losing some of your security deposit. If the landlord
verbally agrees to fix something, make sure it is included in writing in the
lease, or he/she will not be required to fix it.
Rental Application
Sometimes you will be asked to fill out a Rental Application before being
presented with a lease. This is more common with apartment complexes. Be sure
to ask:
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Do you have to submit an application
for a lease? |
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Is there a fee? What happens
to that money? |
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If you submit an application do you
have to then sign a lease? |
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If your application is accepted what
do you have to do? |
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Can you see a copy of the lease at this
time? |
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Will your credit report be checked by
the landlord or property manager? |
The Lease
A lease (oral or written) is a contract. In this case, it is an agreement
between a landlord offering the use of his/her property to a tenant in exchange
for rental payment. The lease also regulates the relationship between the
landlord and tenant by establishing the rights and responsibilities of both
parties. In order for the lease to be valid, it must include: the complete
names and signatures of the landlord and tenant(s), the date of the signing,
the exact location of the property, the term of the lease (including beginning
and ending dates), and a description of the consideration (a detailed account
of what is included in the rent, such as utilities and furniture). The parties
on the lease (the landlord and tenants) should each get a signed copy of the
lease and any additional pages, such as appended schedules.
The Deposit
Depending on your lease agreement, there will typically be a deposit requirement
between $0 and 1 months rent, typically. Colorado law requires the landlord
return the security deposit or an itemized statement of the deductions and
balance, if any, to the tenant within 30 days after termination of the lease
or the surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever occurs last. This
time period may be extended up to sixty days if specified in the lease. The
landlord must either deliver or mail the full deposit or a statement of deductions
and the balance of the deposit to the last known address of the tenant. If
the landlord fails to provide a written statement of deductions and the balance
of the deposit in full within the specified time, the landlord forfeits his/her
right to withhold any portion of the security deposit.
The Move
Coming Soon
Move In Check List
Before you move in and sign your lease agreement, check the following items.
Remember, once you sign your lease agreement, the lease is legally binding.
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Do all the appliances work? (Fridge, Microwave, Oven, Stove,
Dishwasher, Lights, Heater, etc) |
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Are the locks on the entrance door of the building and
on the door to the apartment in reasonable condition? Check the doors
for signs of break-ins. As it is impossible to determine who has a key
to your apartment, the lock on the apartment door should be changed when
you move in (this is usually at the tenant's expense). |
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Check the taps for hot water and the water pressure. Are
the drains clogged? |
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Are any of the sinks and or the bath-tub cracked or leaking?
Check for water damage. |
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Do the pipes freeze in the winter? Rust in the sinks, mould
on pipes, and leaking faucets are all evidence of poor plumbing. |
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If the apartment or room is furnished, is the furniture
in reasonable condition? Does it belong to the landlord or to the previous
tenant? |
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Are there three-pronged electrical outlets in every room?
Are there enough electrical outlets for all of your lamps and appliances?
How would you shut off the electricity and the water in case of an emergency? |
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Is heat included in the rent, or does the tenant pay for
it? Is the apartment heated with gas or with electricity? Does the apartment
have its own thermostat? Are there radiators or heating ducts in each
room? If you are responsible for the costs of heating the apartment, make
sure that you do not simply accept an approximation of what these costs
are likely to be from the landlord. |
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Is the apartment well insulated? Check to see if the windows
fit properly. The number of outside faces (roof, outer walls) the apartment
has will also affect heating costs. |
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Is there proper ventilation? Do all the windows in the
unit open? Are there locks on windows that are at street level? |
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Are there fire exits in the back and front of the building?
How would one get out of the building in case of fire? Make sure that
fire exits are not blocked or used as storage space. Is there a smoke
detector in the apartment or hallway? |
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Are janitorial services offered? Find out from someone
in the building how responsive the landlord is to problems with the dwelling. |
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Is there enough storage space? If there is a locker in the basement,
find out who has access to that area, and what kind of lock is on the
door?
Determine an evacuation route in case of emergency; know alternative
routes to exit the building. Familiarize yourself with where fire alarms
and fire extinguishers are located within the building.
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