For Tenants

5 Costly Mistakes Tenants Should Avoid

Feb 24, 2015
Julia Nagirniak
House Renting Tips For Tenants: Top 5 Costly Mistakes You Should Avoid
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Unpleasant things happen all the time. You miss the fine print in your lease that reminds you that your rental does not allow you to keep live ducks, make holes in walls or sublet to strangers. You are responsible for everything that happens in your rental after the lease is signed. That’s why you have to make sure you fully understand it and know that it does not violate with your state law.

Look carefully through the list below, where some of the most common violations are given. Failure to comply with the lease terms can result in eviction and fines. To prevent much inconveniences, keep in mind next tips:

House Renting Tips For Tenants

About Utilities

As a tenant, you are responsible for the working condition of utilities in the unit. According to mostly composed leases, you have utilities switched on as of the date you receive your keys and they must not be switched off until the day you return the keys to the owner of the property. If you fail to follow the rules, you may get a 10 Day Violation of Rental Agreement Notice to comply plus cover the cost of the utilities for the time they should have been on during your stay in the rental.

Check Smoking Issues

Check for the State’s law to be sure whether smoking is permitted inside the unit or within the territory of the building. If you strongly refuse to follow the rules and smoke in your apartment, take into consideration that you will be responsible for any consequences. Along with a penalty, you may also be charged to repaint the unit or charged the cost of any other repairs to remove the smell of smoke from the unit.

Parking in Advance

Ask your landlord about parking according to the property layout. Most of the time there are appropriate assigned spots on the premises. Permits must be displayed at all times to avoid being towed. If the lot is a “permit only” parking lot, then guests are forbidden to stay in that area (even if they are in your assigned spot). Take time to check in advance.

Learn to deal with noise in the unit

While within the walls of your unit, try to think of others and keep the noise at a normal level. Whether you  are having guests and visitors in the unit, it is of your responsibility to track the level of noise. If it happens to be too loud for you,  it may end in noise complaints, which may result in 10 Day Violation of Rental Agreement Notice to comply or vacate and possibly a visit from a police officer.

Request about tax benefits for renters

When landlords pay taxes for local property, they usually pass on part or all of the cost to their tenants in the form of a higher rent. But they also get advantages from the road, school and sanitation improvements that those taxes pay for. States like California and Maryland – have tried to correct this by providing a tax credit to renters. Make a request to your state tax department to check whether you are a subject for that benefit.

 

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