Finding an apartment
What questions should I ask a landlord before renting an apartment?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
Ask what the total monthly cost will be, which utilities are included, how maintenance requests are handled and how fast, what the lease length and renewal terms are, what fees are charged upfront, and why the last tenant left. The answers tell you as much about the landlord as about the apartment.
Write your questions down before the tour so you do not forget half of them while you are looking at the kitchen. These are the ones that most often change a renter's decision:
- What will I pay each month in total, including any parking, trash, pet or amenity fees?
- What utilities do tenants pay, and what do they typically run in summer and winter?
- Who do I contact for repairs, and what counts as an emergency?
- Is parking included, assigned or first come, first served?
- What is the policy on guests, pets, subletting and painting or hanging things on walls?
- When would the lease start, and is that date flexible?
- Has rent gone up at renewal for current tenants, and by roughly how much?
Listen for vague or annoyed answers as much as the content. A landlord who cannot tell you how repairs work before you sign is unlikely to be better after. If you can speak to a current tenant in the hallway or parking lot, ask them the repair question too.
Want the whole picture? Read How to Find an Apartment in Facebook Housing Groups.