Moving Into a Rental House
Those renting a place to live need something with enough room, which is usually the biggest consideration when someone looks for a new rental property. Those that have no children are often very comfortable with an apartment, but for families, the time comes when a rental house is the best option. Before you move into your new home, or even your new apartment, there are some considerations and things that you must do to protect your family. You may even find that the best rental homes are not all that they are cracked up to be.
Who are your neighbors going to be when you move into a particular rental house? There are many great neighbors out there, and then there are some that are going to make your life miserable. Look around at the houses surrounding where you may rent. Are the lawns and homes cared for or do you see untidy and littered grass? Are there people everywhere or does it seem relatively quiet? How do you feel about the various dogs you may see living in the area? These are all small things that can add up to very big annoyances in some areas where a rental house may be available.
You also have to look at traffic patterns and the parking situation around your rental house. Those that have children have to think about the traffic on the street. Some areas are just not safe for children. You could even talk to the neighbors to see if the traffic is so bad that it may cause a problem. Sometimes, a rental house comes with parking, but if not, you will have to park on the street. This is not always a problem, but in an area dense with rental apartments, parking could be hard to come by. You may have to park a few blocks away on some days. You may be okay with that on most days, but not when you have groceries to unload.
If you feel that everything is fine and you have decided you want to take the rental house, do a few things to protect yourself before you move in. Walk through the rental with the landlord and talk about the things that you see. Take photographs of any flaws in the home so that you can not be charged for them when you move out. You can always take a sheet, write things down, and you and the landlord can both sign off on what you have seen and what is in the photos. Not doing this can be a huge mistake if you want to get your security deposit back when you eventually move somewhere else.
After you have moved into your rental house, be sure to document everything. Some renters are too trusting and throw away rent receipts and other things that they may need later on. Always save proof of paying your rent, and remember to email or write to your landlord on occasion if something goes wrong that needs fixed. Emails can prove that you told your landlord what was going on with a rental house and what they say in response. If you have problems, don't withhold rent without the advice of an attorney. Instead, choose other means to resolve the problem so no fault lies with you.
