NWR: Renting question

FH and I have been apartment hunting and we found a 2 bedroom apt today that has plenty of space and its an extension off a house....so not a basement and not underneath anyone.

Anyways.....The only time that I have lived outside of my house is when i was in my apartment for college....but never rented from someone's house. What kind of questions should I be asking? I know there isn't a leas but shouldn't there be a renters agreement or something?

I just don't want to jump into something without finding out everything first.

help..

There should be a lease, either annually or monthly.
1. Make sure you ask them if it's a legal apartment (the no lease thing bothers me)
2. Are utilities included- electric, heat, water, cable, phone, internet?
3. Parking situation?
4. Laundry on premise?
5. Are you allowed to have overnight guests?
6. Are pets allow?
That's all I can think of right now.
Good luck.

how much are utilities...and what are they?
ask if its gas/electric

ask if they know what the price range for the average person for a utiliity has spent previously....(so u have an idea)

any price increases w/ heat or water if u use too much

washer/dryer

how do we go about fixing a problem?

pets? smoking?

how longs the lease?

parking? taking care of grounds

We know that all utilities are included....including cable and internet. I was thinking more of the contract. What we need to sign to protect ourselves.

We would have our own driveway for parking...own thermostat....etc.

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Posted by missliss

There should be a lease, regardless of what type of apartment it is. Our apt is in a 3-family house and we have a lease. I personally would not move into an apt w/o a legal contract to protect me.

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Agree. I know i need to protect myself i feel weird asking about the legal documentation.

I guess when i call them I will ask about contracts that we need to sign and see what they say.

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Posted by lexi1890

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Posted by missliss

There should be a lease, regardless of what type of apartment it is. Our apt is in a 3-family house and we have a lease. I personally would not move into an apt w/o a legal contract to protect me.

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Agree. I know i need to protect myself i feel weird asking about the legal documentation.

I guess when i call them I will ask about contracts that we need to sign and see what they say.

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On the flipside, they'd be stupid as landlords and the homeowners not to have you sign a lease which protects them as well. God know what tenants could potentially do to damage an apt or skip out on the lease and leave the LL w/o any rent payments or $$ in damages. They need to be protected as well and should be.

If they give you a problem about signing a lease or say they don't do that, i would be hesitant about what kind of landlords they are.....

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Posted by missliss

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Posted by lexi1890

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Posted by missliss

There should be a lease, regardless of what type of apartment it is. Our apt is in a 3-family house and we have a lease. I personally would not move into an apt w/o a legal contract to protect me.

---

Agree. I know i need to protect myself i feel weird asking about the legal documentation.

I guess when i call them I will ask about contracts that we need to sign and see what they say.

---

On the flipside, they'd be stupid as landlords and the homeowners not to have you sign a lease which protects them as well. God know what tenants could potentially do to damage an apt or skip out on the lease and leave the LL w/o any rent payments or $$ in damages. They need to be protected as well and should be.

If they give you a problem about signing a lease or say they don't do that, i would be hesitant about what kind of landlords they are.....

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agree. It just makes me nervous to take that next step and accept the place. Any place that is. We need to move within the next few months and I just hate to think i am making the wrong move. I dont want any regrets down the road. My ideal would be to purchase...but real estate is too expensive. I will have to talk to FH more and see what he wants to do.

Thanks for all the advice. I appreciate it.

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Posted by missliss

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Posted by lexi1890

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Posted by missliss

There should be a lease, regardless of what type of apartment it is. Our apt is in a 3-family house and we have a lease. I personally would not move into an apt w/o a legal contract to protect me.

---

Agree. I know i need to protect myself i feel weird asking about the legal documentation.

I guess when i call them I will ask about contracts that we need to sign and see what they say.

---

On the flipside, they'd be stupid as landlords and the homeowners not to have you sign a lease which protects them as well. God know what tenants could potentially do to damage an apt or skip out on the lease and leave the LL w/o any rent payments or $$ in damages. They need to be protected as well and should be.

If they give you a problem about signing a lease or say they don't do that, i would be hesitant about what kind of landlords they are.....

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i agree however...most apartments on LI are illegal (the ones in a house) and i had a lease for one of the apartments i lived in..i lived on the 2nd floor, the landlord on the first and apparently he fixed up and was trying to rent an apartment in his basement also..welllll somehow he got caught by the town and i had to leave asap...but i guess thats just a chance that u take (after that ud think id move into a legal apt right? i didnt lol but had no problems with that one)

anyways i think everyone above said all the questions i would ask..just be careful where u will be living!

Have they requested for cash only? If so, I'd continue looking. Even without a lease, if you need things fixed, or have problems, and they don't fulfill their end of the bargin, you can take them to small claims court with your cashed checks or money order receipts to show that you live in their residence.

This is the reason FH & I chose a complex instead a private residence. Our LL leagally must answer all our complaints and fix everything, no questions asked. It's in our 15 page lease!!!