A quoted rent of $1,800 does not tell you what you’ll owe when you pick up the keys—or what it may cost to leave. Get the full lease and every addendum it refers to before signing. Compare what the leasing agent tells you with the written terms; if an answer changes the deal, ask for that change in writing.
Rental rules vary by location. These questions can help you pin down costs, responsibilities and restrictions while you can still decide whether the property works for you, but they do not replace local legal advice.
What will you pay, and when?
Ask for a dated breakdown of the first payment: what is due at signing, what is due before you receive the keys, and whether the first month’s rent is prorated. If the listing offers a concession, find out which month gets the credit and whether you would have to repay it if you leave early.
- What are the recurring charges? Request an itemized list of rent, utilities, parking, storage, pet charges and mandatory service or amenity fees. Ask which amounts can change during the lease.
- Which payments are refundable? Separate the security deposit from application, administrative and other fees. Ask when a refundable payment may be withheld and what move-out steps apply.
- How and when is rent paid? Check the due date, accepted payment methods, late fees and what happens if a payment fails. Ask whether paying online costs extra.
- Who pays for utilities? Find out whether accounts are individually metered, allocated among units or billed at a fixed rate, and who must arrange service before move-in.
For variable bills, ask how charges are allocated instead of relying on a previous tenant’s estimate. Their bill may reflect different occupancy, weather or usage.
What exactly are you renting?
Check that the lease identifies the unit number, address, parking space and any storage area. If you toured a model apartment or another unit, ask to see the one you would rent before committing. Its condition, fixtures, noise exposure and accessibility may differ.
Questions about condition and access
- Will promised work be finished before move-in? Get a written list of repairs, cleaning or appliance replacements, with dates and responsibility assigned.
- What comes with the unit? Identify the appliances, window coverings, keys, access devices and shared amenities included in the rental, rather than assuming everything shown on the tour is included.
- Is the unit available on the agreed date? Check what the lease says if possession is delayed and where to report a problem found when you collect the keys.
- How is the move-in condition recorded? Ask whether there is a checklist, when it is due and how to attach photos.
Look for problems you can spot without dismantling anything: visible leaks or dampness, damaged locks, nonworking outlets, poor drainage and appliances that do not operate. Raise concerns before signing or record them through the agreed move-in process. If you suspect a safety or health problem, ask the landlord to address it rather than treating an informal assurance as a completed repair.
How long does the commitment last?
Check the start and end dates, not just the advertised lease term. Does the agreement end automatically, renew for another fixed period or become month-to-month? Ask how much notice either party must give, how to deliver it and what happens if a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday.
If your plans might change, read the early-exit terms closely. Is there a termination fee? Would you still owe rent after leaving? Can you find a replacement tenant or sublet, and do you need written approval? The lease and local law both matter; do not assume that paying a fee ends every obligation.
On a shared lease, find out whether each tenant owes only a specified share or can be held responsible for the full rent. Ask how a replacement roommate would be approved and whether that would change the deposit arrangement.
Which rules affect daily use of the home?
Read the lease and building rules on guests, overnight stays, pets, smoking, noise, alterations and shared spaces before you move in. If you need an accommodation related to a disability, ask about the request process; an ordinary house rule may not settle the issue.
Confirm how parking is assigned, whether permits cost extra, and what access is available for deliveries or moving. If internet service matters to you, ask whether you can choose a provider or must use the building’s arrangement. For any exception to a written rule, get the approval in writing rather than relying on a verbal promise.
Who handles maintenance, emergencies and entry?
Ask which maintenance tasks are yours and which are the landlord’s. Depending on the property, that may include filters, pest reporting, snow removal or yard care. Find out how to request routine repairs and how to report an urgent leak, loss of heat or security problem after office hours. Know who receives those requests and how you can keep a record.
Clarify when management may enter for repairs, inspections or showings and what notice process applies. Local rules may impose requirements a lease cannot remove. A clear process also helps prevent a repair request, access attempt or emergency report from getting lost between a resident, manager and contractor.
What happens at move-out?
Ask about cleaning, key return and whether a move-out inspection is available. Find out how deposit deductions will be documented and how to provide a forwarding address. Deposit deadlines and permitted deductions vary by location, so check the applicable rules rather than assuming the lease states all your rights.
Before leaving, take dated photos of the empty unit. Keep your move-in checklist and repair correspondence too; they can help distinguish pre-existing damage from changes during your tenancy. Local rules may treat normal wear, damage and cleaning obligations differently. A blanket claim that any mark forfeits the deposit calls for a closer look.
Who has authority to make the agreement?
Confirm the legal name of the landlord or management entity, who will sign on its behalf and where formal notices must go. Read every attachment, including fee schedules, community rules, pet terms and utility agreements. Check whether an addendum changes anything you discussed.
Email a short list of unanswered questions before signing. If an answer matters to your decision—permission for a pet, completion of a repair or an included parking space—ask for the agreed term in the lease or an addendum. Keep the signed agreement and attachments with your move-in condition record. If the promised parking space appears nowhere in the paperwork, settle that omission before you pay for the keys.
