Renter’s Advice and Resources

A lease agreement, also known as a rental agreement, is a legal document that is written to specify the agreed terms and responsibilities the landlord or owner and you, as the tenant, have for the specified property. Why a Lease Agreement is Necessary A lease agreement is a very necessary part of rental transactions because […]

To get the most back from your apartment security deposit, you have to remember that you’re living in “borrowed” space, and it’s your responsibility to “return” the borrowed space in as close to original condition as you can manage. At the same time, as a borrower, you have rights, too, and you must make sure […]

When it comes to renting an apartment, there are more than a few landlords willing to do whatever it takes to get an apartment rented — even to the point of attempting to scam unwary renters.

Brittany Espy attempted to rent an apartment in New York City and wound up in a credit card dispute. As part of her paperwork with a broker, Espy was asked for her credit card information: “They told me nothing would be charged to me. They just needed the info to do my credit checks.” The broker went ahead and charged her card, though, telling her that she had the apartment and had to take it.

When you move into a new apartment, it’s up to you to inspect your new home. When you do an inspection, you’re looking for specifics:

• Is there any damage to the apartment that is there before you move in? You don’t want to get penalized for something you didn’t do.

We first started this blog in 2005 and we wanted to bring a few posts back to the forefront to help those of you who will be moving this spring or summer. Because landlord-tenant issues are so common, the most important legal posts are grouped below. We hope these are useful as you start planning your next move.

Renting a new apartment can be a financially draining experience. Referral fees, moving costs (boxes, moving truck), furniture and decorations all add to the cost of the move. However, some states offer a way to reduce those costs in the form a surety bond. A surety bond is an alternative to a security deposit — you pay a small upfront premium, often as little 10-15% of an equivalent security deposit. Depending on your financial resources, these bonds may be a good solution for you. Here are some ways to determine if they’re right for you.

Ah, the security deposit… a financial burden when moving in, a blessing when moving out. There’s a reason it’s called a deposit—because you put money down only to cover excess damages that you might cause but, you’re almost guaranteed to get it back. Unless you cause extreme damage that your landlord can prove was your fault and existed after you moved out but before new tenants moved in, you deserve to have your deposit refunded in full. Normal wear and tear on the apartment is to be expected. However, some landlords won’t make the effort to get your money back to you unless you ask for it. Beyond making sure that your crazy friends don’t trash your apartment or that the kitten you’re secretly hiding in your room doesn’t claw up the carpet too badly, here are some steps to take to ensure you get your security deposit back.

You’ve found the perfect apartment, and you couldn’t be happier. After a week of inner debate, you’ve finally gotten over the fact that the rent is a little bit more than you had originally intended, but the apartment is the epitome of elegance and comfort, and you just have to have it. I mean, you can deal with spending a little less on groceries each month, can’t you? But read closer… a $500 pet deposit? Can you deal with giving Fluffy away? Hidden fees are a huge part of finding the right apartment. Fees differ between complexes, and it’s up to you to ask the management about what these fees are for, and by how much they’re going to deplete your shopping funds.

When you move into an apartment, your landlord will ask for a deposit of some sort. All states allow landlords to legitimately ask for a security deposit to accompany the first month’s rent. A security deposit is money given to a landlord to provide protection against damage to the rented premises or for some other failure of a tenant.