Renter’s Advice and Resources
How to Read a Tenant Agreement
· Jan 21, 2010
When reading a tenant agreement, it’s important to focus on the major issues first. The amount of your rent payment is more important than what state has jurisdiction over the lease should a dispute arise. Here are some lease clauses to read and understand when you get your tenant agreement: Rent and Security Deposit The […]
Rental laws protect tenants from many types of landlord fraud. Unfortunately, there are some landlords who make more money scamming tenants than renting apartments. Knowing what to look for can help you avoid trouble and recover any money you lose. 1. Security Deposit The bulk of the complaints from tenants in the area of landlord […]
· Jan 16, 2010
One of the most important things to get back out of your apartment is your security deposit. Your security deposit can often become free money for your landlord if you are not diligent about getting it back. Likewise, because you could probably use that money for either the next apartment that you are renting or […]
· Jan 13, 2010
When it’s time to negotiate the terms of a lease, tenants who own pets may be wondering about a reasonable amount for a pet deposit. However, the short answer to this question is that there is no typical pet deposit, and this amount of money has a lot to do with the specific factors of […]
· Jan 4, 2010
When it comes to an apartment security deposit, reasonable deposit amounts depend on a few factors. Ultimately, it is determined by the state and how effectively they regulate the security deposit maximum. The Purpose of a Security Deposit Before you ask the question of whether or not you are paying too much for an apartment […]
· Jan 4, 2010
When it comes time to move, there are moving costs that generally get overlooked. When you look back at the move, you wonder where all the extra money went. In order to avoid that, take a look at these options. 1. Security Deposit and Fees Moving from one apartment to the other often requires putting […]
· Dec 16, 2009
A rental security deposit is money given by a tenant to the landlord which acts as insurance should any form of damage occur during the tenant’s occupancy. The rate of a rental security deposit varies but in most cases it is around one month’s rent. Typically a rental security deposit is returned in (or close […]
· Dec 10, 2009
At some point during their lease period, many renters will want to take advantage of a landlord tenant act to get more detail on the law regarding their rental situation. Knowing more about this kind of legislation gives tenants a greater hand in negotiating with their landlords over their housing environment and other issues. What […]
· Dec 1, 2009
For anyone who is reviewing a lease agreement prior to move-in, it helps to be able to identify some warning signs of a bad landlord tenant relationship that is waiting to happen. Sometimes, the clauses of a lease can be bad omens, where tenant rights hinge on a good reading and negotiation of “landlord laws” […]
· Nov 19, 2009
When you move into an apartment, you usually have to hand over an extra check to your landlord: a security deposit. It may be the equivalent of a full month’s rent or it may be a little less. No matter what, though, it’s a sizable chunk of money that you’d like to get back when […]
· Nov 9, 2009