Three Things You Need to Move into an Apartment for Rent

If you’ve settled on an apartment for rent, congratulations are in order. You’ve done the heavy lifting, researched your apartment, researched the neighborhood, and decided on the perfect apartment for rent for you.

The next step is to move in. There are many different things to consider, such as what belongings you should move, which furniture you won’t bring with you, and so on. Here is our list of the top three things you need to move into an apartment for rent.

The Lease

A lease is a contractual agreement between you, the landlord, and all other interested parties that states that you can live in your apartment for rent. It also provides a “playbook” by which you and your landlord can play by. You will use it to hold the landlord accountable, and he will use to hold you accountable as well.

The terms of the lease are very significant. In addition to telling what you, the tenant, can and can’t do in the apartment, the lease will also lay out what the landlord is responsible for. It will also lay out the terms of any inspections, whether you can have pets in the apartment, and what parts of the apartment you can modify if you want. These terms are the playbook that you will use to hold the other accountable.

A Security Payment/Two Month’s Rent

A security payment will be collected from you upon signing the lease to the apartment. You will be refunded the payment upon leaving the apartment when you decide to. From your perspective, it is a commitment to the landlord that you are planning to stay for at least the time allotted to you by the lease.

From the landlord’s perspective, the security payment is used to hold you accountable. If you were to damage the apartment or disappear and not pay rent, the landlord would deduct the amount of the rent from your security payment.

Therefore, the security payment is important for both you. You are making a commitment to stay in your apartment, while the landlord is holding you responsible for any damage you may cause to the apartment. You should take pictures of any damage that was already there before you moved in to ensure that the landlord is being held accountable, as well.

The Keys

After paying the two month’s rent and signing the lease, the landlord will give you keys to the apartment. The landlord should also have a spare set of keys in case you lock yourself out or he or she needs to get into the apartment in the case of an emergency.

You should also take the keys to a locksmith and make copies of the keys. You should give these copies to those that you trust. This is in the case of you getting locked out and the landlord not being available. You would be surprised at how many times people have accidentally locked themselves out of the apartment.

Conclusion

The lease, two month’s rent, and the keys to the apartment are the critical next phases on your way to moving into your apartment for rent. All these items are essential to having the best experience you can have living at the apartment. Congratulations again and we hope you will have a wonderful time living in your apartment for rent.