Questions to Ask a Landlord

It happens to all of us: we think of a thousand questions the day after looking at an apartment, and wish we’d had better presence of mind in the moment. Here’s a list of questions, loosely categorized by topic that you may wish to ask a potential landlord about your apartment. Remember to ask questions respectfully and refrain from gasping at any answer, even if it seems outrageous. If this isn’t the apartment for you, just move on. If you’re not sure you understand the answer to a question, don’t hesitate to rephrase or ask a follow-up question. This list assumes you’ve already actually seen the apartment and don’t need to ask the basic questions (where in the complex is it located?, how many bedrooms/square feet?, etc.). Keep in mind that this list designed as a guideline to help you remember to ask about what’s important to you. It’s not a litany of questions you must ask in every situation.

Business Matters

When is rent due? Is there a grace period?
What are the late fees? When do they take effect?
How should I pay rent? Can I pay with cash? With a credit card?
Is rent collected at the office?
Are any utilities included in the rent?
Do I need to set up my own electrical or other services?
Are utilities charged to individual apartments or averaged between residents?
How long have you been in business? Do you manage other properties?
Where can I submit a complaint about management or maintenance, if I have one?
Are there any move-in specials on rent? Any special gifts for new tenants?
Do I get reduced rent if I refer a friend?

Maintenance Issues

How large is the maintenance staff?
How do I file a request for maintenance services?
How long does it usually take for services to be completed?
How does management staff handle complaints about maintenance?
What are your most common maintenance requests?
When is the last time the unit I’m looking at was updated or remodeled?
What modifications do you make to units between tenants?
How do you handle pest control? What are your most common pests?
Does maintenance ever enter apartments without giving notice?

Community Affairs

What types of people live in the complex?
Does management organize any community events? What types?
What facilities are offered (pool, gym, business center)? What are the hours?
Do I need passes to use these facilities? Can my guests use these facilities?
How often do you update your facilities? How often is the pool cleaned?
How can I submit a request to have the facilities cleaned or updated?
Is there a community bulletin board or other way for residents to communicate?
How can I report problems with another resident? How do you handle such issues?
What is the most common complaint by residents about other residents?
Are there many children in the complex? Are they well-attended?
Are there community baby-sitting services?

Parking Problems

How is the parking situation?
Do residents have assigned spots?
Do I need a parking pass?
Can I get covered parking? A garage?
Are car break-ins a problem?

Safety Issues

How safe is the apartment?
Is the community gated? Does the gate open with a code, a card, or another method?
Have you had any break-ins in the past year? How did you address them?
What is the most common safety complaint of residents?
Do the windows lock? Can I have my windows barred?
Does the door have a deadbolt? Can I have one installed?
How can I verify that you’ve changed the locks between residents?

Tip: contact the police department to get complete information about crime in the area. Landlords will likely try to downplay any criminal incidents, but the police should have full statistics on any situations that have happened in the area. They should also be able to let you know if any registered sex offenders or other tracked felons live in or near the apartment complex.

After asking all—or even just some—of these questions, you should have an excellent idea of whether or not an apartment is for you. If you haven’t exhausted the landlord (which you might if you go through all of these questions in order!), feel free to ask follow-up questions regarding any topics that concern or interest you. Do keep in mind that this list is to help you remember to ask about particular subjects; don’t just become a drone reciting a list of questions. At the same time, it is a landlord’s job to answer questions and convince you that you want to live in this particular apartment. If you don’t feel that the person you’re talking to is truly receptive to your questions and concerns, you may want to move on—even if the answers to some questions were acceptable. When you’ve gathered all the appropriate information and learned how your potential landlord deals with people, you should be able to decide whether this apartment is right for you.

My landlord does not want a wriiten agreement. Is this OK to Me?

is there any lanlords who are willing to make acptions on bad credit with no evictions no late payments on rent.but small things like phone bills and car repoes

I really don't think I'd ask some of these questions....for example, if a prospective tenant came to me asking "how long is the grace period/ what are your late fees" I would immediately assume I would never get paid on time and move right on to the next applicant.

A tenant asking that question is making sure that they have all the information. You would want to know the penalty of paying late or if you have enough time between the time that you get paid and when the rent is due. That kind of information is critical. It's like applying for a credit card. Asking that question doesn't automatically mean that they are going to be late. Don't assume; assumptions are always wrong.

Thanks for posting these questions, especially the ones about maintenance. I would only have thought of these in hindsight. I think a very important question to ask is did the person before you have any pets or s/he a smoker? I'm allergic to many types of pet dander and cigarette smoke. If the place has carpet I may need to get it steam cleaned and that (for me) is a good question to ask.

I was just turned down an apartment due to my credit. I'm so mad because I dont have any credit cards, bankruptcy, or evictions, just a medical bill and a few other things. I told them about my credit before and they said they were willing to work with me and my deposit would be a bit higher than normal. However, I received a call saying that they couldnt rent to me because of my credit. Can they do that? I think thats discrimination, does anyone have any helpful information? Thanks.

Sorry, if you don't meet their credit requirements they are not obligated to rent to you.

When did the laws turn against the childless?

I know everyone should be able to live wherever they like and can afford, but when did I land on the bottom of the rights roster when I decided not to have kids and don't want to live around them? Who made it illegal to say, "You know, there's a market for people who want a certain level of quiet in their environment, so we're going to tap it." It disgusts me to no end.

I should be able to ask, and they should be able to tell me, what lives nearby, shares my walls, and lives over my head. I should have similar rights to live where I want to live, therefore the right to ask these questions and get answers.

I too suffer the disruptive and dramatic trantrums of the neighboring children who share my "walls & halls" along with the thunderous trample and building shuddering door slaming done by them.
The obvious solution is to buy a house. But for professionals who do not want to buy upon a relocation, renting is the only option.
The apartment rental companies could easily separate family apartments from adult only sections... but they don't give it a thought, because they can't hear it from their house, and they have the whiphand over all of us because the law is always on their side.
I live in the Lake Villages of Auburn Hills in MI and BLACK MOLD is prevailent in all of the buildings. They really don't care if you're happy or if you die. So something like a little noise means nothing to them, they still get their rent and YOU can't break your lease.
PS. The EPA laws do not even make them responsible to report KNOWN radon gas, black mold, or prior tenant drug manufacturing to the next tenant...

It would be impossible to guarantee that there will never be any children living near you in an apartment! The fact is that people move in and out of apartments often. Why don't you try looking for a community with no three bedroom floorplans. (Most families rent larger apartments) Also, 55 and over communities are allowed up to 20% of their residents to be 18-55.

I am an apartment manager and recommend asking many of the questions posted above. I was a renter for years and experienced/saw the results of absentee management many times. It's frustrating when you have to keep asking and asking to get service performed. That experience made a big impact on me and greatly influences the way I manage my property. Here are some questions I'd like to add to the list.

You should ask the manager about the House Rules. Specifically the Quiet Hours and what is done to enforce them. For example on my property, 10pm is Quiet Time not Quieter Time. Violators are given only 1 verbal warning. Second offenders are given a 3 Day Cure Notice which is a legal demand for compliance. Third offenders are served Cure notices again and invited to move out before their fourth violation puts them in the eviction process.

You should also ask about new move in packages. The better managers work with local businesses to get deals for their residents. For example, a free pizza lunch or dinner delivered on moving day. Perhaps 10% off & pick up/delivery service from the neighborhood dry cleaner. If the community has a fitness center, do they have a list of personal trainers that offer a community discount? A clear sign of good management is the value they bring to the table.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the author of this post, Craig Wolford at Park Sienna Apartments in Reseda, CA

jbproperty.net

Man, I wish you were my landlord. Recently two college students movend underneath me and my two kids. I won't hear a peep out of them until 9pm that is when they start slamming doors,cabinets etc... Then they start moving furniture running it into the walls and dropping things that make a big boom sound. I have tried being nice and talking to them about this and have had no luck. I went to my landlord and he told me to call the police What??? This is not a police issue this is a landlord issue. I am just moving out because I can't handle it anymore and it is obvious that the landlord doesn't care as long as he is getting rent

I suppose one way of handling it would be to ask if it is a family friendly area.

Does the landlord have the right to store his personal items in the basement of a unit that you are renting?

It depends...what does your lease say? Unless the lease specifically states that the basement is for your use, the ll can put what ever he'd like down there.

no because that's not right.

I'm getting ready to move into an apartment and in viewing the community there were children outside playing. In most cases there were mothers around somewhere watching them. Rather than turning my nose up at the idea that my new neighbors are going to have children that like to play outside I took it as a sign that most of the families trust this neighborhood enough to allow their children to play outside safely. Does anyone else see things this way? I personally love children and am glad to see them enjoying the outdoors rather than inside killing things on a PS2. I can understand people to have issues with really out of control children but you do have to cut them some slack....they're children...they're going to make noise.

Can you ask if there are annoying property managers living there? ;)

Actually, I would prefer that a PM lived onsite- then the load obnoxious neighbors with ferocious chihuahuas would be evicted that much quicker. If you're a decent tenant, an onsite PM is a blessing. If you're not- better to look at a different complex.

I just applied for an apartment mentioning that I saw it from rent.com. I got accepted but waiting on the hold deposit to be processed next week and acceptance letter and info from them. Anyway, getting home i was reviewing the apartment and saw that rent.com says they have a 200 off first month rent. On the property site there was a link to a month rent off for leasing today. I did ask the agent repeatedly about doing something for me -- incentives. She said the best she could do is $99 off the deposit and no app fee. My question is can i still ask for the specials? The free month would be nice or the $200 of the rent. Can I do something?

Fair Housing Laws PROHIBIT leasing consultants or landlords from commenting on the demographics of their communities. They CANNOT tell you how many kids, families, members of any nationality or origin.
Although this is a reasonable question, as people with children are looking for a community with kids as well, and vice versa. This is called steering and it is illegal.

The answer to that kind of question is simply, that we rent to anyone who applies and qualifies under our property management guidelines and standards.

These qualification standards vary property to property..high end to low end. Disclose any credit problems immediately, dont wait for your credit to be run for the information to come out. This may save you time when you are not qualilfied on a certain property, especially if you have bankruptcies or owe another community money.

Renters need to do their research on the internet and make calls to get background BEFORE going to a property. If you can only pay a max of 800 per month for rent, why go and look at places that are hundreds of dollars out of your price range, and waste the time of the landlord when you already know its not for you.

Contact the properties by phone and get the answers that will pre qualify for you before you go. This will help YOU, from wasting your time going to 20 properties rather than the 3 or 4 that will work for you.

Dont walk into a leasing office 10 minutes before they close. These people have a life too,and you would not want them walking into your place of business right when your are closing to go home on a friday night. You are NOT going to get the best customer service nor would you give it if you were in their shoes.

There are so many ways to research when you are apartment hunting. Most properties have a website with information plans and virtual tours.

Do your homework. it ALWAYS pays off.

follow your own advice and do your homework to justify such an unequivocal blanket statement about fair housing laws. They vary by jurisidiction, and what is illegal in CA is acceptable in NE.

they are quoting the FEDERAL LAWS so it applies anywhere in the United States. Local and State laws in some jusidictions are even more prohibitive. So do you homework before you complain of someone else not doing theirs

you must be a leasing agent we should go in earlier the problems never materialize at any apt until you move in then a mysterious thing happens they forget to be nice and the true nature is out they are there to collect the rent thats it you are better off renting from a private owner alot better all around

These questions are great for a community but what about two family houses without a pool,Gym or gated parking?

landlord questions
Thank You so much for providing these questions. There were about 15 questions that I needed to include, when speaking with a landlord. I appreciate it! THANK YOU!

This has been so helpful to me being,a new renter with a family. I was compleatly lost on what questions to ask and did not want to get taken advantage of. THANKYOU!!!!!!!!

As a single person who cannot afford to live in my own house or duplex, and yet, I would prefer living in a quiet area with little to no noise, I would definitely consider the fact if children were unattended, running around wildly, without any parental supervision, to be a deterrent from living in a particular apartment complex.

Right, I do understand your point. However, it is so hard to determine whether a community has children who are "controlled" versus "uncontrolled". Let's say you find a place that seems very nice, no kids running around, etc. A family moves in above you the next month and their kids are out of control. When you first got there everything was fine, but things can change. I worked at a community that was located directly across the street from an elementary school and I could never understand why people would come in and complain about the presence of kids. I thought it was kind of funny...duh! We have 3-bedroom apartments for cheap and an elementary school RIGHT THERE! Ha. I guess the thing to do would be to choose a very upscale apartment community that doesn't offer 3-bedrooms and is in a location that is inconvenient to schools. Still, the Federal law is a good thing because imagine being a single parent, limited income, and being turned away from various apartments or being made to live in a shabbier "family" apartment just because you have kids. I can definitely understand your view regarding noise, etc. It is 100% the parents' responsibility to keep kids under control. It's just such a tricky thing when the management can't discriminate and the nature of apartment living is somewhat transitional. Tough situation for everyone.

As a realtor/property manager, I feel I must comment regarding your suggestion to ask how many children reside in the community. Federal fair housing regulations prohibit any leasing professional from disclosing how many children live in the community as well as where families with children are located. Such a practice can be considered "steering" in other words--directing residents with or without children where to live based on the familial status of other residents. This is a highly illegal practice aside from being unethical and unprofessional. The existence of children is just a fact of life and anyone who cannot handle the possibility of living near them shouldn't be considering apartment living.

Well I think you are completely unsympathetic to working professionals without children that are unable to purchase a home for whatever reason. Some of us do not like to have to deal with children yelling and playing in the shared hallways and running rampant through the parking lot. Maybe these people should control their kids and others wouldn't feel the need to ask questions you think are unfair. Maybe people with unruly children shouldn't consider apartment living.

What makes you think that parent's with children are not working professionals???? You act like you are the only one that has a job!!! Please, get off you high horse. What makes you think we want a noisy single person who is loud and love to party living above or underneath us? You cannot control your surroundings in apartment living. I am a single mother who got divorced and have worked very hard to get back on my feet and I don't need snotty people around me. One question weren't you a kid???? I am sure you weren't a perfect little angel unless you were don't judge other kids and by the way don't judge parent's until you become one yourself!!!

I really don't think the person meant anyone with kids is not professional, but just the fact that they have no title at home past possibly husband or wife. Assuming all single people are noisy is judgmental, the single mother thing is getting old and I'm not the only one who feels this, and the "weren't you a kid" argument is ill-supported (who chooses to be born, seriously?) and quite childish, actually. And the suggestion that anyone who doesn't want to be around kids shouldn't consider apartment living is a bit odd. If anyone needs a smaller space it's a single person or couple and if anyone needs a bigger space (i.e. a house) it's a family.

And perhaps people who don't have kids are quite aware of how difficult it is and therefore do not have any. Perhaps they have the foresight of their own life's expectations and avoid possibly turning into one of those parents who can't control their children who use all sorts of excuses to why they can't behave.

Families get all sorts of perks via business and even more unspoken, unwritten societal perks and don't even realize it. These perks are bad enough but I think any "professional couple" or single person would agree that they could let those slide if kids were just better behaved. This has been annoying for a while but we're only beginning to hear the childless couples/single persons speak up because frankly, we've had enough.

And really, the bottom line is that no one wants a lot of noise where they live no matter who it comes from.

I does not say to ask the number of children, only if there are many children. I personally don't mind living near lots and lots of children, but some people may not want to have everyone else's kids running underfoot constantly, I can't see how the 2 are alike. One is asking something specific and therefore illegal, the other just something for reference. You don't have to disclose a # to say yes we get many families here, or no we a mostly adults at this time.

Questions to Ask a Landlord

My landlord does not want a

is there any lanlords who

I really don't think I'd ask

A tenant asking that

Thanks for posting these

I was just turned down an

Sorry, if you don't meet

When did the laws turn

I too suffer the disruptive

It would be impossible to

I am an apartment manager

Man, I wish you were my

I suppose one way of

Does the landlord have the

It depends...what does your

no because that's not right.

I'm getting ready to move

Can you ask if there are

Actually, I would prefer

I just applied for an

Fair Housing Laws PROHIBIT

follow your own advice and

they are quoting the FEDERAL

you must be a leasing agent

These questions are great

landlord questions

This has been so helpful to

As a single person who

Right, I do understand your

As a realtor/property

Well I think you are

What makes you think that

I really don't think the

I does not say to ask the

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