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The
best way to win over a prospective landlord is to
be prepared.
1.
The best way to win over a prospective landlord is
to be prepared. Bringing the following information
when you meet prospective landlords will give you
a competitive edge over other applicants: a completed
rental application; written references from landlords,
employers, friends and colleagues; and a current copy
of your credit report. See Tenant Selection and Housing
Discrimination for more on the application process.
2.
Carefully review all the important conditions of the
tenancy before you sign on the dotted line. Your lease
or rental agreement may contain a provision that you
find unacceptable -- for example, restrictions on
guests, pets, design alterations or running a home
business.
3.
To avoid disputes or misunderstandings with your landlord,
get everything in writing. Keep copies of any correspondence
and follow up an oral agreement with a letter, setting
out your understanding. For example, if you ask your
landlord to make repairs, put your request in writing
and keep a copy for yourself. If the landlord agrees
orally, send a letter confirming this.
4.
Protect your privacy rights. Next to disputes over
rent or security deposits, one of the most common
and emotion-filled misunderstandings arises over the
tension between a landlord's right to enter a rental
unit and a tenant's right to be left alone. If you
understand your privacy rights (for example, the amount
of notice your landlord must provide before entering),
it will be easier to protect them.
5.
Know your rights to live in a habitable rental unit
-- and don't give them up. The vast majority of landlords
are required to offer their tenants livable premises,
including adequate weatherproofing; heat, water and
electricity; and clean, sanitary and structurally
safe premises. If your rental unit is not kept in
good repair, you have a number of options, ranging
from withholding a portion of the rent, to paying
for repairs and deducting the cost from your rent,
to calling the building inspector (who may order the
landlord to make repairs), to moving out without liability
for your future rent. See Repairs and Privacy Issues
and Landlord Liability for Tenant Injuries for more
on tenant rights in this area.
6.
Keep communication open with your landlord. If there's
a problem -- for example, if the landlord is slow
to make repairs -- talk it over to see if the issue
can be resolved short of a nasty legal battle. Landlord-Tenant
Dispute Resolution provides some advice.
7.
Purchase renters' insurance to cover your valuables.
Your landlord's insurance policy will not cover your
losses. Renters' insurance typically costs $350 a
year for a $50,000 policy that covers loss due to
theft or damage caused by other people or natural
disasters. It also covers you if you're sued by someone
who claims to have been injured in your rental due
to your carelessness.
8.
Make sure the security deposit refund procedures are
spelled out in your lease or rental agreement. To
protect yourself and avoid any misunderstandings,
make sure your lease or rental agreement is clear
on the use and refund of security deposits, including
allowable deductions.
9.
Learn whether your building and neighborhood are safe,
and what you can expect your landlord to do about
it if they aren't. Get copies of any state or local
laws that require safety devices such as deadbolts
and window locks, check out the property's vulnerability
to intrusion by a criminal and learn whether criminal
incidents have already occurred on the property or
nearby. If a crime is highly likely, your landlord
may be obligated to take some steps to protect you.
See Landlord Liability for Criminal Acts and Activities
FAQ for more on this subject.
10.
Know when to fight an eviction notice -- and when
to move. Unless you have the law and provable facts
on your side, fighting an eviction notice is usually
short-sighted. If you lose an eviction lawsuit, you
may end up hundreds (even thousands) of dollars in
debt, which will damage your credit rating and ability
to easily rent from future landlords.
Copyright
© 2003 Nolo
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