WHAT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU RENT

Hi, My readers

Deciding on a property to rent is not an easy feat at all.With all the options for renting available, the process of looking through and filtering potential rentals can be an over whelming experience.

It doesn’t matter if you’re looking at a house for rent in shah alam or a condominium in the city center. These tips that we’ve provided are applicable to any rental property. So, read on to get a brief insight into the factors that you should take into consideration before you decide to rent.

1.   ESTABLISH YOUR NEEDS

Before you commence your search for prospective rental properties, take some time to identify what you require in a rental property. You have to know what you want before you can go looking for it. Otherwise, you will be running around in circles while without any direction when looking through prospective renting options.

Rent

Work out how much you can afford in your budget to pay for rent. It’s crucial that you set a maximum limit in order to avoid choosing something that you can’t afford comfortably. Focus on the properties that fall within your budget range and avoid overstretching your budget to satisfy the temptation of getting some place better but out of your budget.

It’s a good idea to research the average rental price in the neighborhood you’re interested to live in. Always compare the asking rental price for prospective properties to similar comparatives in the area. With the advent of the internet, this should be a fairly easy task. This helps you get a good idea of the average prices around the area and help you set a comfortable budget.

Parking and Transport

If you own a car, you should ask if the property comes with its own dedicated parking space. Never take things for granted and assume that everything comes planned and in a nice wrapped up package. Otherwise, you will have to spend some money to rent a parking spot (if it’s an apartment) or spend time looking for somewhere nearby to safely park your car.

If you take public transport, also try researching bus routes and train lines that service the area. Imagine the horror of renting a place only to realize that no public transport services are available in the immediate vicinity, or the nuisance when you realize you have to make multiple transits from different bus and train lines to reach you workplace. Having this information also helps you plan any future commutes well. 

Internet

The advent of the age of technology has made the internet an indispensable and absolute necessity. It is thus pertinent to check if any prospective rental property meets your technological needs. Check to see if the rental place comes provided with a decent internet service. Also check to see how the coverage in the area fares. Some areas, of course, will have better internet coverage than others. If internet is not provided, you might have to add room in your budget to get an internet plan.It’s also worth it to check whether you receive good mobile phone network coverage when you view the property.

Smokers/Pet Owners

Some owners and property managements do not allow the keeping of pets. Some owners also prefer that you not smoke in the house to avoid damage to the interior. Thus, you need to check if the landlord and the property management is willing to accommodate smoking and or the keeping of pets. Never make any assumptions without checking the tenancy agreement. Otherwise you might end up facing hefty fines or worse, invalidating your tenancy contract and losing your deposit. Each rental case is individual and you need to check each rental property out individually.

2.     CHECKING THE PROPERTY

Before you sign any tenancy contract, you should check out the property thoroughly. This includes both the interior and the exterior of the property.

Exterior

Take some time to check out the exterior of the property while you go for any property viewings. This includes both the exterior of the building, as well as the environment surrounding it. Make sure that the exterior of the property is in good condition. You can do several easy sight checks to see if they are up to par, such as checking if the windows and doors are secure, if there are any structural defects in the exterior walls, or if the compound is in good shape and condition. All this helps to make sure that the property you rent is clean and safe for habitation.

Also check out the environment of the prospective rental property is suitable for your lifestyle. Things such as noise, ambience, traffic and amenities are some things that you should keep in mind. It’s worth checking out things in advance to avoid any future shocks and issues.

Interior

Make sure that the interior of the property is in a clean and fresh condition. Take some time to check that everything is in working order before you decide to rent. Properties in good condition is demonstrative of a good and responsible landlord. You should also check out thing such as the water pressure and heating. If the property is listed as furnished, make sure you check that everything is as provided for in the inventory. If you sign blindly without checking, you might be responsible for the items, even though they were never in the property in the first place.

Negotiate

Believe it or not, there’s always room for negotiation. Landlords are always looking for good tenants that will look after the property well and are amenable to longer tenancy periods. If you fit these descriptions for the “ideal tenant”, chances are you will be in a strong position to negotiate for better rent prices. Even if you’re not in this position, it’s always worth asking.