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No one wants to be put in the tight spot of being short on rent, but sometimes it happens. A sudden loss, personal emergency, or something like a global pandemic can put even the most prepared renters in a tough spot.
When worse comes to worst and you find yourself unable to pay rent, follow these pointers to help you navigate your best options.
5 Things To Do When You Can’t Pay Rent
While not every renter’s circumstances are the same, these five tips are a good starting point for renters who can’t pay their rent.
1. Check Your Lease
Before you do anything else, check your lease to find out exactly what your legal agreement says about paying rent — sometimes leases will allow for a grace period within the contract, or detail what your landlord’s options for recourse are, such as late fees. This will help you determine if you still have time to pay your rent or if you need to plan for another scenario.
2. Communicate With Your Landlord
One of the most important things you can do in a situation where you can’t pay rent is to be communicative with your landlord during the process. Although these conversations might be difficult to have at first, maintaining an open and honest discussion with your landlord will hopefully allow for some clarity and understanding when determining how to handle the situation.
Explain to your landlord why you can’t pay your rent — make sure to be specific about your circumstances and whether you’ll be able to pay a portion of the rent or none at all. A landlord will often request proof of financial hardship (this is a policy in some states during COVID-19), so be sure you have documentation like pay stubs or a letter of termination to back up your claim.
Next, ask your landlord if they’re open to other payment options, including paying rent on a later date (rent deferment), or paying it off in installments as opposed to the full amount upfront (a rent payment plan). See if one of these payment plans works for them, and be sure to get any new agreements in writing (preferably as an amendment to your lease) to avoid discrepancies in the future.
Be sure to have this conversation before your rent due date, as you will be more likely to reach an agreement with your landlord when they have time to prepare.
3. Look Critically at Your Budget
Once you have spoken with your landlord — and hopefully worked out some kind of agreement — the next step is to examine your budget. Perhaps you had a rough month financially or there was a costly emergency. Regardless of how you got to where you are now, it’s smart to assess your budget to try and avoid a late rental payment in the future.
Of course, there are circumstances where you aren’t able to rearrange your budget and may be faced with making hard choices between rent and other necessary expenses. If this is the case, make sure you communicate this to your landlord. Avail found that many landlords are willing to work with their renters during hard times (like the COVID-19 pandemic) to formulate some sort of rent payment system or other option.
4. Seek Out Places To Go for Rent Assistance
If you foresee a point where you could be facing an eviction or a termination of your lease, research what organizations are in your area and can help. Some groups that assist with rent include:
- The Salvation Army can provide one-time assistance if you are low on rent, as well as funding for utility bills. Any requests can be made through your local office.
- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides rent relief through its Section 8 clause. A subsidy covering the difference between 30% of monthly rent and the total monthly rent will be paid to your landlord directly by the department on your behalf. This means that, though the majority of your month’s rent will be covered by the department, you will still be responsible for the other 30% of a given month’s rent. To see if you qualify for Section 8 funds, visit their website.
- Modest Needs offers rent grants for up to $1,000 as a one-time payment in case of an emergency. Visit their website to see if you qualify.
- Some local and state-level programs have also been enacted during COVID-19, including rent relief programs in these 11 states and local rent assistance programs like the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project in Colorado.
- Emergency Rental Assitance program: The emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program provides eligible landlords and renters with up to a year’s worth of rental assistance funds through state and local programming. Learn how to apply for the program and frequently asked questions about ERA.
5. Know Your Renter Protections
It’s important that you understand your rights as a renter in terms of current eviction policies in your area, since many cities and states have eviction moratoriums in place or have banned evictions altogether during the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that even if you can’t pay your rent, you cannot be evicted for a period of time set by the moratorium or by state guidelines.
Make sure that you’re also prepared to discuss rent payment issues with your landlord and offer evidence of financial hardship. Whether or not your landlord offers a rent payment plan, utilize local, national, and federal rent relief programs when possible.
For additional information on rent relief and rent assistance programs, check out consumerfinance.gov, which details federal protections for renters, legal resources, and where to get additional help if you can’t pay your rent.
Read more about renter and landlord challenges in this data-driven report, including how renters across the U.S. are paying their rent and what their main rental concerns are during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Finding a new rental can be stressful, and at times, confusing. But knowing how to rent an apartment, coming equipped with a plan, and having a list of the proper questions to ask can help the process go more smoothly.
Here is a breakdown of what goes into the process of renting an apartment.
How to Rent an Apartment
1. Determine Your Renting Needs and Your Budget
Compiling a list of your apartment must-haves will help to narrow down your search. Think about the neighborhood you want to live in — maybe you have a certain grocery store you want to be close to, or want to be within walking distance of a public park. You can also consider the amenities you want at your apartment. Do you drive and need a parking spot? Do you cook at home frequently and need a larger kitchen? Is in-unit laundry worth a little more money out of your pocket for rent? These are the types of questions you can use to frame your apartment search.
It’s also important to consider your budget. Your preferred location and amenities will inform how much you can budget for rent, you’ll also want to keep other rental costs in mind. One-time costs may include an application fee, a move-in fee, or a security deposit.
2. Do Some Apartment Research
There are several rental apps that exist, so you may wonder which sites to use during your apartment search. Some of the most popular and reliable free sites are:
- Realtor.com®: Realtor.com® is a great place to search and filter listings by price, available amenities, if they’re accepting new applicants, or located in your preferred city. Renters can book a tour right from the listing, and the site also offers educational resources and tips about renting.
- Apartments.com: This website is well-organized and very user-friendly. You can search for apartments by filtering out hundreds of places based on your criteria. You can also gauge the apartment’s location and neighborhood by searching through a map view. Plus, the site features neighborhood guides if you are new to the city.
- Hotpads: This site allows users to search for apartments via a map based on whatever neighborhood you’re looking into.
- Trulia: Trulia allows you to search for apartments by neighborhood and save the ones you like, all while creating suggestions based on your previously saved rentals.
- Zillow: Much like the other sites, Zillow allows you to search for your new place via filtered requirements. It also offers services such as virtual tour outlets and resources to manage your finances.
There are plenty of other popular rental listing sites that landlords use to advertise their properties. Just remember to thoroughly research each property you’re interested in before moving forward with an application and be aware of common rental scams to avoid.
3. Have All of Your Rental Information Ready
Before you apply for an apartment, ensure you are organized and prepared by compiling all of your rental information to present to potential landlords. One way to do this is by having a rental resume or renter profile to share with landlords and save on application fees. They can also improve your chances of standing out in a competitive market.
You can easily create an Avail Renter Profile and add your rental and employment history, as well as screening reports like a TransUnion credit check. This way, you can stop filling out the same forms and paying application fees multiple times.
4. Tour the Apartment and Fill Out an Application
Whether you first tour an apartment virtually or in person, it’s essential that you see the entire space before you sign a lease. During your tour, determine how your furniture will fit in the space, the condition of the unit, and take note of the apartment’s location and surrounding neighborhood. Have a list of questions ready for your potential landlord, such as how rent is collected, what utilities are included in rent, and what the rules are around painting and decorating.
If you still want to move forward after the tour, it’s time to fill out a rental application. This is where having all of your rental information organized comes in handy. You’ll most often be asked to provide rental history information, employment information, proof of income, and authorize a credit check, background check, and eviction check.
5. Ensure There’s a Reliable System for Repairs
Knowing how to deal with maintenance issues in your new apartment is important, so ask the landlord how maintenance is handled before you sign any binding agreements. Be sure you have access to the necessary maintenance contact information, and that the landlord is organized when it comes to managing maintenance requests. This is especially important if you’re looking at an older building, but should always be ticked off your renting to-do list regardless of the building’s age.
6. Sign a Digital Lease and Set Up Online Payments
After your application has been selected, it’s time to sign a lease and set up rent payments.
Digital leases are the easiest and most common way for renters and landlords to sign a rental agreement. Both parties can sign online and will have access to the lease at any time. You have rights as a renter and, to ensure that those rights aren’t violated, you can reference state-specific landlord-tenant laws during your review of the lease.
You’ll also want to set up a system of reliable online rent payments so you can pay the first month’s rent and any other necessary move-in fees. If your landlord uses a service like Avail, you can set up an easy online payment system and pay rent with a bank account, debit card, or credit card.
Remember: You should never pay any rental fees or exchange any money — including the first month’s rent, any fees, or any deposits — until the lease has been signed by both you and the landlord.
Create an Avail Renter Profile
The process of renting an apartment can be stressful, but there are ways to make things easier. Simplify the process of renting an apartment by creating an Avail Renter Profile to share your information with multiple landlords, save on application fees, and limit credit checks. Then, securely share this information with any landlord via email or a shareable link. You can even pay a one-time fee to add a credit check, background check, and eviction report to your profile.
Control your information and avoid filling out multiple applications with an Avail Renter Profile. Log in or create an account and get started today.
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Stumbling upon an unwanted house guest in your apartment is a fear of many renters. Finding a pest in your home — particularly one that is staying there without paying rent — can seem overwhelming and scary, particularly if it is an infestation.
Whether you are dealing with bed bugs, mice, or something in between, don’t let yourself bug out. Come prepared with the right tools and a game plan to handle the situation.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are oftentimes the most feared by renters and landlords, and can enter your home undetected through luggage, used furniture, and clothing. The actual bug is small and brown, about the size of an apple seed, and is most commonly found in your mattress. A strong indicator that you have bed bugs is if there are black and brown spotted stains along your mattress.
If you think you might have bed bugs, be sure to check your box springs, headboards, footboards, and any other furniture that is within 5-8 feet of the bed. Look in all nearby crevices, including books and outlets. When it comes to your bed, be sure to take off all bedding and wash it in hot water. Next, scrub your mattress with warm water and soap, and vacuum along the floor and baseboards.
In order to completely get rid of bed bugs, your landlord will need to call an exterminator to clear your unit. This is important because there might be other units in your building that are dealing with an infestation as well, and if those are not taken care of, you will continue to find bed bugs in your apartment. The cost of the chemical treatment and the exterminator is typically covered by your landlord, unless it can be proven that you brought the bedbugs into the unit.
Note that bed bugs will often leave itchy bites in a line along the skin. If this is the case for you, be sure to check in with a healthcare provider for treatment.
Mice and Rats
If you find rodents in your apartment, the first thing you should do is tell your landlord. Chances are, if a mouse or rat got into your unit, they could have gotten into other units, too. Though a landlord is usually responsible for the cost of ridding your apartment of rodents, check your lease to see if there are any clauses concerning pests and who is liable in those situations. Here are some things you can do to help the situation while waiting for an exterminator to take care of it for you:
- Try and find where the rodent came in. Track where the rodent enters or exits, and seal up any holes or cracks that it could have used as an entryway.
- After you find the entrance point, it’s important to clean — and keep your space clean — as these rodents can be attracted to food and trash you might have sitting out.
If you’re comfortable with setting a trap, this is an effective option. Most home improvement stores sell many different types of traps, including ones that are non-lethal. Once you get the trap, place it in an area of high activity — somewhere you have seen a high concentration of droppings, urine, holes, and gnaw marks — and check the trap often. If you are uncomfortable setting your own traps, then it’s best to leave this to the professionals.
Pantry Moths
If your flour or cereal has been smelling foul or you’ve been finding webbing inside of your boxed food packages, then you may have pantry moths. If this is the case, you will also find these larvae in your boxes of cereal, a cocoon somewhere near your dry foods, or even brown moths flying around your kitchen.
If you find that the food in your pantry is infested, throw it out immediately. Throw out any grains, any boxed or bagged foods, and use hot, soapy water to clean any unopened jars and cans. Be sure to check along the edges of cans, jars, and the seams of boxes for larvae and eggs with a toothpick.
Aside from the pantry, it’s important to clean your entire kitchen thoroughly in order to completely take care of the problem. This includes cleaning the inside of cabinets, the inside of your vacuum, and taking out the trash. You can make a natural and safe pantry moth repellent that contains water, vinegar, and peppermint oil. Bay leaves are also a known natural pest repellent, and can be placed all throughout your kitchen.
Know that pantry moths can take months to get rid of once you have them. If you are struggling to get rid of these pests, consult an exterminator. Pantry moths are usually a renter’s responsibility, but if the origin of the pest was outside of the renter’s control (which can usually be determined by the exterminator), this could change.
Once the pantry moth infestation is taken care of, it’s important to know how to keep them from coming back. A good trick is to put any grains in the freezer for a week or until you’re ready to use them, or invest in air-tight food containers to store grains.
Cockroaches
The first step in dealing with cockroaches in your apartment is calling your landlord. Just like with other pests, if your unit has roaches, another unit may have them as well.
With cockroaches, the best way to keep them away is to keep things clean. Cockroaches like nothing more than crumbs, darkness, and damp spaces, and they tend to be attracted to messier apartments. The good news about cockroaches is that purchasing a treatment yourself is simple: Chemical spray treatments and bait work well for indoor spaces, but remember to use bait with caution if you have children or pets in the apartment.
It’s wise to check for a roach nest if you find a cockroach, too. Cockroaches prefer warm, tight spaces, so check behind refrigerators, in crawl spaces, and kitchen cabinets. Tell tale signs of a roach nest are cast skins, egg cases, or dark smears.
Ants
If you find a trail of ants trekking along your kitchen window sill, getting rid of them can seem like fighting an uphill battle. But getting rid of them once and for all does not have to be time-consuming.
If you find ants, clean the entire area and the surrounding surfaces thoroughly. Check all your windows and doors to make sure they are properly sealed and there are no openings where they can enter; sometimes following the trail of an ant can help pinpoint where it came in.
In order to prevent ants from coming in, spray the areas you have found them with essential oils, a natural deterrent, or set out some ant traps.
General Tips
While finding ways to solve your apartment’s pest problem is an important step in the process of getting rid of pests, you should always let your landlord know what is happening.
Chances are good that if you have some kind of infestation in your unit, someone else in the building has the same issue, too, so letting your landlord know about the problem sooner rather than later can save both of you time and worry. And if your infestation is bigger than you are equipped to handle, reach out to your landlord to see if they have an exterminator that can be sent out to help.
Many cities have specific rules for dealing with pests (especially bed bugs), so do some research and check out the renter’s laws in your area to confirm your rights and what to expect.
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When you live with roommates, one of the most complicated topics of conversation can be discussing how to split up the rent. While there are many viable options for splitting rent, and there is so one-size-fits-all, it’s important to consider each option and figure out what works best for you and your roommates.
Here are some of the most common ways for roommates to split rent, how to calculate what each roommate should pay, and how to make split rent payments.
What’s the Best Way for Roommates to Split Rent?
There are plenty of ways to split the rent (some more creative than others), but these four are the most popular among renters:
Split the Rent Evenly
The easiest option is to split the rent evenly among your roommates. This method does not factor in variations in room size, individual incomes, or cost of living. Because splitting the rent this way establishes everyone at an equal fiscal level, it works best when you and your roommates have relatively similar room sizes and amenities.
If those factors don’t matter or keeping track of finances between roommates is not something you are concerned about, this is probably the option for you.
Split the Rent by Room Size and Amenities
Another popular option is to split the rent by room size or other apartment amenities (like parking spots, ensuite bathrooms, walk-in closets, etc.). This is a smart choice if there are clear differences in the way that each roommate lives and the apartment resources that they have access to. For instance, if only one roommate uses the apartment’s parking spot for their car, it’s most sensible for that roommate to pay the extra fee for parking.
Many roommates also choose to split the rent based on bedroom size. To get an appropriate calculation for how much each roommate should pay depending on the size of their room, take the square footage of each room and divide by the total square footage of the apartment. This will give you a percentage for the size and value of each room, which you can apply to the total cost of rent.
Split the Rent by Income
Another way to split rent is to adjust each roommate’s portion of the rent depending on their individual incomes. As this can be a sensitive topic even among the closest of roommates, it’s best to discuss how much rent each person can take on depending on their finances. If one roommate is earning significantly more than the other roommates, they may be willing to pay more in rent. This rent-splitting strategy is less common, and often works best between couples who are already sharing other expenses.
Split the Rent Using a Rent Calculator
If you would rather not leave rent up to your own judgements, consider using a rent calculator to do the work for you.
Spliddit is a free site where you can divvy up what each roommate brings to the table. Not only will Spliddit calculate what each person owes in rent each month, but it will also give an explanation of how and why the final calculations are fair.
Splitwise is a similar tool, but a little more straightforward, and can also be used to calculate other expenses, like shared trips. If you want to calculate rent divisions quickly, Splitwise’s simple calculations are probably the way to go.
What’s the Best Way to Pay Rent With Roommates?
Once you all come to an agreement about how you will split rent, make sure you get it in writing. Then check your lease or check in with your landlord to find out how you can best split up rent payments — some landlords will accept separate rent payments from each roommate, but some won’t. If your landlord won’t take separate payments, you’ll need to determine which roommate will be in charge of paying the full amount to the landlord each month.
If your landlord uses an online rent payment platform like Avail, you and your roommates can easily split up rent and pay your landlord separately. Each roommate can see a monthly charge for what they owe individually, and can see when other roommates pay to ensure rent gets paid on time. Because rent is one of the month’s bigger expenses, renters also have an option to boost their credit scores with each timely rent payment.
While broaching the subject of splitting up rent with roommates can be uncomfortable, having this conversation is necessary and will be helpful in the long run. Regardless of what you decide, it’s essential that you figure out a system of rent that all roommates can agree on, get the agreement in writing in order to avoid any rent disputes down the line, and find a simple and easy-to-use payment platform that works best for your rent payment needs.
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When you’re renting, figuring out who you want to live with can seem like the most high-risk decision you have to make. Most people know someone with a roommate horror story, or maybe you already have one yourself. In order to avoid any future issues with your living situation, here are some things you must consider before choosing a roommate.
Consider Lifestyle Differences
One of the most common mistakes renters make when selecting a roommate is simply picking someone who has a compatible personality without really considering how they live. Perhaps you enjoy cooking and plan on using the kitchen a lot, want to adopt a pet at some point while renting, or take your time in the shower. All of these aspects of your lifestyle should be covered with a prospective roommate before you sign any legal documentation.
This is especially important if you don’t know the person that well. Building a list of specific questions, such as the one below, will give you an idea of your future roommate’s habits and if you two are compatible.
Be sure to make your questions as clear and as direct as possible to avoid any ambiguity when discussing your lifestyle with a possible roommate. For example, asking someone if they’re tidy could be perceived in different ways depending on the person, so be specific.
For bigger questions, such as taste in decor, it’s smart to ask for a list of furniture the potential roommate will be contributing or photos of these pieces to see if their taste in decorations will mesh well with yours.
Don’t Just Pick Your Good Friend
Another common mistake people make is choosing to live with their close friends, either out of convenience or because they trust them the most. Sadly, many of these roommate living situations tend to end poorly. Oftentimes, people only look at their friend’s personality and assume they would cohabit a space well, when in reality, their living habits and apartment lifestyles can be very different.
To avoid this situation — and to avoid possibly damaging a friendship — ensure that you are still asking the necessary questions and taking a deeper look into their lifestyle. Hang around their apartment for a while one day, or ask their current roommates some of your important make-or-break living situation questions.
Ultimately, preserving a friendship should come first, and any true friend will understand wanting to uphold this as opposed to picking the most convenient living situation.
Ask for Paperwork and Their Rental History
Particularly if you’re living with someone you do not know well, it’s best to request more information about their rental history. This should give you an idea of how reliable the person is as a roommate and renter.
A letter of recommendation from a previous landlord, a copy of their credit score, proof of income, and like documents are a great place to start. If landlords do it, there is no shame in you asking for these documents as well. After all, you are the one living with this person and relying on them to pay some of the rent.
Make Certain Everything is in Writing
Once you select someone to live with, it’s wise to write down all of the possible responsibilities you will share during your rental period. Not only does this mean that their name needs to be on the lease, but it might also mean that you both create and sign a roommate agreement that details the specific responsibilities you will share when living together.
This could include everything from various chores around the house to payments that you both will need to take care of, and will outline responsibilities and expectations to make living together a little easier.
Look on Reliable Roommate-Finding Sites
Finding someone to live with can be a daunting task for some people, especially when trying to discern what websites or personal connections are trustworthy and worth your time. The below sites are great not just for narrowing your search for specific preferences, but are also top-notch at monitoring scam accounts:
Roomster: This is a great global site that allows you to search by apartment, sublease, or by an open room for rent.
Diggz: Although only available in 13 cities around the country, this site allows you to select specific preferences for your future roommate and apartment.
Rainbow Roommates: This site currently only serves the NYC area, but is specifically designed for those in the LGBTQ community.
Roommates.com: This site is nationwide and uses a matching system to only show you places relevant to your search.
Finding a roommate can seem like an overwhelming task, particularly when you consider how long you might be living with that person under a lease. But this process doesn’t have to be painful — take a look at what personality traits and aspects of your lifestyle are important to you when sharing a living space and do your research, and you can assure yourself you’ll end up happy with your choice.
Whether you move in with someone you know already or someone you just met, make sure that rent is stress-free by paying your rent online with Avail. Avail lets each roommate pay the landlord their share of the rent, and everyone can see who owes what, who’s paid, and who hasn’t to make rent payments as simple as possible.
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Renting an apartment on its own can be a stressful and confusing task. There are specific move-in and move-out times, plans to be made for moving furniture, varying lease agreements, and constant changes to local renting laws.
On top of that, renting fees, which can get expensive quickly, are often overlooked. In order to avoid any unnecessary confusion or guesswork when signing a rental agreement and moving in, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the common fees that could be involved.
Application Fees
One of the most commonly seen non-refundable fees is an application fee. This money goes towards the cost of credit checks, rental history, and background checks that your landlord or management company runs before accepting you as a renter.
On average, an application fee runs between $40 to $100 per renter. Sometimes, landlords will count application fees towards your first month’s rent, so ask your landlord if this is a possibility for you.
To avoid multiple rental application fees during the apartment hunting process, use an Avail Renter Profile that can be shared with as many landlords as you need.
Move-In and Move-Out Fees
Move-in fees are typically paid before you move into a rental unit or apartment building. These fees are nonrefundable and are sent to the homeowners association, usually ranging between $200 to $400, depending on the building.
Move-out fees are more typical in high-rise apartment buildings, but they can apply to a wide range of rental units. Move out fees are nonrefundable, and usually range from $150 to $350.
Parking Fees
Not every building offers parking — especially in big cities — and if it is offered, the charges and parking situations differ from rental to rental. It’s smart to evaluate how important this is to you as a renter. Some parking spots tack on an additional cost to your rent, while others come in the form of an annual payment of a few hundred dollars.
Security Deposit
A security deposit is one of the fees that you’ll hopefully see back in your pocket at the end of your lease. This fee is used as an incentive for renters to take care of their apartment during their lease and is used by the landlord to cover the cost of any damages caused by the renter.
Before you move out, it’s typical for your landlord to analyze the state of your apartment to determine any appropriate deductions from the deposit. A landlord can legally deduct the cost of necessary repairs from the security deposit, but can’t deduct money for everyday wear and tear. As long as you keep your apartment in good condition, you should receive your deposit money back about two months after moving out.
Utility Fees
While utility fees range depending on the building and city, most apartments have at least one kind of utility fee. These can include water, gas, electricity, and even WiFi. Be sure to ask your prospective landlord about the situation surrounding utility fees before signing a lease, as these extra costs can quickly add up in addition to your monthly rent.
Elevator Fees and Deposits
Particularly in condos and high-rises, you might see an elevator fee or an elevator deposit as an additional part of your move-in and move-out costs. Some buildings will charge a fee just to use the elevators for moving, while others will hold a deposit while you’re moving in case of damage. If you are moving into an apartment building that has an elevator (or a freight elevator), be aware that additional costs may come with it.
Administrative Fees
It is not uncommon to pay a several hundred dollar administrative fee when you apply for an apartment, either through a property management company or with an independent landlord. If you do pay an administrative fee and your application is denied, you can expect the full amount back. However, the fee is non-refundable once your application has been accepted.
Pet Fees
Oftentimes, a landlord will charge another fee or set of fees if you plan on having a pet in the apartment. In some buildings, cat fees will range from $150 to $300, while dog fees could cost anywhere from $300 to $500.
Similar to a security deposit, many landlords ask for a “pet deposit,” which you can expect to get back at the end of your lease if there’s no damage done to the apartment by your pet.
Some landlords will simply increase your rent per month, often by $25 to $50, if you plan on living with a pet as a form of “pet rent.” Be sure to ask your landlord before you sign your lease if you plan on bringing a pet as every building’s pet fees are different.
Renters Insurance
A fee that’s sometimes required by a landlord — but is always important to consider — is renters insurance. With all the other rental fees to consider, renters insurance might be the last thing on your mind. However, it’s wise to consider this extra cost in case your apartment is broken into or personal items are lost, stolen, or damaged during your lease.
Many landlords require that their renters have renters insurance to live in their property, so it’s worth looking into affordable renters insurance that just covers the things you need.
Renting an apartment can seem like a whole list of hidden fees, but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Clarifying with your landlord what fees on this list apply to you, and what is included or excluded from your rent, will give you an idea of what’s ahead before you sign a lease.
Since moving and rental fees can add up, make sure you protect the deposit money you can get back by using a move-in and move-out checklist.
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When you have your own place, renovating and decorating on your own accord is relatively easy, considering the only person you have to consult is yourself. But living in an apartment is a different story.
Painting walls, hanging pictures, or changing the overall layout of your apartment are rarely things you can do without consulting your landlord. Not to mention that rules on apartment renovation and decoration may vary from building to building. However, there are still decorating options that will keep your landlord happy while satisfying your inner designer.
1. Utilize Temporary Wall Decorations
One way to change your apartment’s appearance is by adding art or pictures to your walls. Depending on your living situation, you may or may not be able to use nails, which is why removable wallpaper or command strips and hooks are the way to go. Either can be found at your local crafts or home-goods store. Plus, these little-to-no damage alternatives mean you can more easily change up your decorations, too.
2. Deck Out Your Floors
Areas that are often overlooked — yet so easy to decorate — are your floors. A quick fix that adds color and texture to your room is a rug. It does not matter if you have hardwood or carpeted floors, or a small or large budget — you can find an area rug in almost any size, price, and style.
A large living room can be tied together with a lush, heavy rug, while a small, plain room can be brightened up and made to feel cozier with a floor tapestry. You can even layer rugs if you can’t decide on a style or color just to add a little more variety to a room.
3. Utilize Mirrors
Mirrors can be used for more than just checking your outfit before you dart out the door. A mirror is a great way to make a small space feel bigger because of the reflectiveness of the glass. Try hanging a few different mirrors around your apartment to amplify your space, and if you cannot hang a mirror, find a standing mirror you love and lean it up against a corner.
4. Look for Double-Duty Furniture
Especially if you are living in a small apartment, storage space can be hard to come by. On top of this, if you can’t hang shelves it can feel like you’ve hit a dead end. A simple solution is to look for furniture that also doubles as storage. This creates extra storage while also introducing some new decor into your apartment.
As you look for different items to fill your apartment with, keep an eye out for coffee tables with hidden storage boxes, couches that fold out, sturdy media consoles, and nightstands that have multiple drawers.
5. Create Another Room
If you’re looking for a little more privacy or could use an extra room in your apartment, you don’t need to do a full remodel. Hanging up curtains is a great way to separate one large space, and if you’re worried about drilling into the wall, a folding screen is a great alternative. Plus, curtains or folding screens are easy ways to make your apartment feel a little more cohesive and sophisticated.
6. Refresh Your Kitchen
When decorating an apartment, many people tend to overlook the kitchen, yet it’s one of the easiest spaces to spruce up. Consider using a removable peel and stick backsplash behind your counters to add a bit of color and texture. Also, see if your landlord is comfortable with changing the cabinet and drawer handles for newer, more aesthetically pleasing ones.
Typically, you can do this with little to no damage. Purchase some colorful dish towels, a hanging fruit basket, or some elegant wooden cutting boards to use as extra decorations as well. When you purchase kitchen appliances and cooking utensils, think about how you can display them, not just how you can use them.
7. Play with Lighting
An often overlooked — and instrumental — facet of any apartment is the lighting. Whether your apartment is well-lit with natural or artificial lighting, you can still plug your personal style into your light fixtures by changing them to something you like.
If you have a lot of windows, think about investing in some curtains, folding blinds, or outlining the edges of the window with some decorative tape for an easy change. If you’re low on natural lighting, standing lamps will add to your apartment’s decor while lighting your room. And if you have pre-installed light fixtures, you can always change the shades on them or the type of bulbs in place, with your landlord’s permission.
Remember that you’ll need to replace any light fixture you change with the original fixture before you move out.
Decorating your rental does not have to be complicated or damaging. There are so many easy, cheap, and creative ways to decorate a space in order to make it your own, and if you’re ever unsure if a decorating decision is alright, check in with your landlord. If you think outside of the box when decorating your apartment, then both you — and your landlord — will be satisfied with the result.
As you decorate your apartment with these landlord-friendly tips, make sure you’re documenting any changes or pre-existing damages and using a checklist to protect your security deposit.
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Negotiating rent can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re not accustomed to bargaining or have never done it before. Whether you are a returning renter or you’ve found a new apartment that you love but it’s just outside of your budget, negotiating rent with your landlord can be an advantageous next step.
To guide you along the process, we share how to negotiate rent while remaining polite and fair.
How to Negotiate Rent As a Returning Renter
Oftentimes, landlords will adjust rent to a higher price each year to accommodate inflation and tax rate increases in your area. If this is something you anticipate happening in your apartment building and you plan on renewing your lease, here are a few things to keep in mind if you want to avoid a significant rent increase.
1. Plan Ahead
Ensure you are asking to negotiate rent within a reasonable amount of time before your lease ends, which is typically 60 to 90 days before the lease end date. If you ask just weeks before the end of your lease, you are less likely to have your request considered or approved.
2. Make a List of Outdated Features of the Rental
It is also important to have a game plan in mind for the points you want to make while discussing your rent. To ensure your expectations are realistic, it may be helpful to compile a list of outdated apartment amenities that can justify lowering the current rent price.
If you can prove that certain features in the rental are outdated and contribute to a negative renting experience, then this can potentially help in convincing your landlord to reduce the rent price or install new amenities before the new lease term starts.
3. Offer Documentation
Whether you present your case in-person or virtually, it is essential to have important documentation on hand to build your case when asking for a lower rent. Some examples of this might be to highlight your strengths as a renter, show your new and improved credit score, or present example prices for similar rental listings in your area, which can be found on a variety of apartment-listing websites.
If your credit score is something you are looking to boost before you have this conversation, consider using a platform like CreditBoost that can help you improve your credit score by making rent payments on time*.
4. Sign a Longer Lease
Since finding new renters is quite a hassle for landlords, your landlord might be more inclined to let you sign a longer lease at a discounted rent rate if you’ve been a great renter. Longer lease terms generally range from 13 to 24 months, depending on the landlord and local landlord-tenant laws.
How to Negotiate Rent As a Prospective Renter
The key to negotiating rent as a newcomer to an apartment is looking for something to offer the landlord in exchange. If it comes down to dollars, look for ways in which services or maintenance can be put on the table when discussing a cheaper rent price.
1. Pay Rent in Advance
Some renters offer to prepay several months in advance for a slightly lower rate. Keep in mind that while some landlords allow this, many don’t, so be sure to check with the landlord first.
2. Time the Market
During peak rental season (usually the summer months), rent rates will be higher since demand is higher. But if you move outside of these peak moving months, you may have more room to negotiate your rent or find rent-related deals on apartments.
3. Assess the Quality of the Amenities
If you can live with giving up something like a parking space that comes with the building, you can avoid the associated costs and help lower your rent.
If there is something about the apartment that you believe could be updated or added within reason, such as newer appliances, a parking spot, or an AC unit, be sure to bring these up to your future landlord to further your case for a lower rent.
4. Have a Rental Resume
For a prospective renter, having a rental resume allows landlords to gain a sense of how trustworthy you are as a renter, highlighting your past apartments, your education, any information about you and your roommates, credit score, work history, or anything that may be relevant to a landlord.
Report On-Time Rent Payments With CreditBoost
The important thing to remember when negotiating rent is that, in the end, both parties should be content with a mutually agreed-upon price. That might require friendly negotiating with a landlord and compromises made on both sides, which may seem intimidating at first, but can be accomplished with a friendly conversation and a proper plan. To know if you’re satisfied with the final decision, ask yourself: Is what comes with this negotiation worth the effort?
Once you’ve determined the best way to negotiate a rent price with your landlord, invite your landlord to join Avail to allow you to report on-time rent payments to TransUnion with CreditBoost. Create an account to easily build your your FICO 9, FICO XD, and VantageScore credit score all in one place.
*CreditBoost results may vary by individual.
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Whether you’re an incoming freshman or kicking off your senior year, you may be thinking about renting an apartment as a college student. While this can be a great way to familiarize yourself with the renting experience, it can also be challenging if you’re unfamiliar with the process.
In this article, we cover seven essential tips to help you rent as a college student, and share some resources that will help make the process smooth and seamless.
1. Find a Neighborhood
No matter how large the city or town may be that you live in, apartment hunting is especially difficult if you can’t narrow down your desired location. If you are unfamiliar with a certain neighborhood, drive or walk around to find an area with your must-have grocery store or coffee shop nearby.
Pay attention to the culture and the lifestyle of the area, and spend some time in the area at night to make sure you are relatively comfortable there. If you want to keep your options open, consider multiple neighborhoods around the area.
2. Research Rental Options
After researching a neighborhood, your next priority should be finding an apartment. A great place to start is with a rental app. While there are several to choose from, Realtor.com® is especially useful for college students since you can search your school and find available rentals close to campus.
Realtor.com® includes custom filters that can narrow down your search. Set details like rent price, move-in date, pet friendliness, and more. Each listing also lets you add a commute, so you’ll know just how far you are from the school. Once you find an option that fits your criteria, you can contact the property directly from the listing.
If you’re struggling to find a rental on your own, Realtor.com® also makes it easy to connect with professional realtors who can help.
3. Use a Co-Signer
Renting an apartment in college can seem like a significant financial undertaking, especially if you have little to no credit, a lack of rental history, or little personal income. That is where a co-signer comes in. A co-signer — usually a parent or guardian figure — assumes responsibility of the lease along with you, using their own credit score and proof of income and making it much more likely that a landlord will take you on as a renter.
It’s important that you check with a realtor or the landlord of the apartment you are looking at to ensure that they will allow for a co-signer on the lease. Note that most apartments and rental units do, especially in university towns.
4. Build Up Your Credit Score While You Rent
College is a great time to start building up your credit score, and a service like CreditBoost* is one way to help you do it. Avail offers CreditBoost for renters as a means to boost your VantageScore, FICO 9, and FICO XD scores with each timely rent payment you make, which opens more doors to the types of apartments you can rent and the size of loans you can take out in the future.
There are even ways to get credit for past on-time rent payments (if you have them) to ensure you don’t let credit opportunities go to waste. Making your rent payments online through Avail to use CreditBoost is quick and user-friendly.
5. Start Looking for Roommates Early
Nobody wants to be put in a situation where they’re suddenly scrambling to find a place to live. This is why it’s best to find reliable roommates in advance and make sure you all agree on the same things, such as your rent budget and amenities.
If you are living with multiple roommates, it’s a good idea to make a list of everything you all own and can bring to the apartment in terms of shared items and spaces to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
6. Ask the Right Apartment Hunting Questions
Once the searching is done and you’re able to tour an apartment, whether it is in person or virtually, compile a list of questions you want to ask the property manager or landlord so there are no surprises after you move in. Some examples might include:
- When is rent due?
- Are utilities included in the rent?
- What fees can I expect, and are there any hidden fees I should be aware of?
- Can I have a pet in the apartment?
- How long is my lease?
- Is there parking?
- How do I go about making maintenance requests?
- Can I repaint the walls and decorate on my own?
7. Remember Your Renters Insurance
For your first time renting, it’s important to consider renters insurance. Renters insurance usually covers personal property, liability, and additional living expenses. For most people, their first apartment is a learning experience, and your college rental may be more prone to things like accidentally unlocked doors, the coming and going of visitors, and the potential for things to go wrong.
Renters insurance doesn’t have to be a huge financial burden. With an option like Lemonade, college students have a reliable way to buy renters insurance specific to their needs without breaking the bank. Starting at just $5 a month, Lemonade is college-friendly with an easy-to-use app.
Save on Application Fees With An Avail Renter Profile
While finding renting an apartment as a college student can seem like a daunting task, being prepared can help the process go smoothly. And, with an Avail Renter Profile, you can prepare even further by compiling your relevant information in one shareable profile. Avoid expensive application fees and multiple credit checks, and control who can access your information.
After setting up your Avail Renter Profile, send your custom link to a prospective landlord’s email address. They can review your answers to common application questions, as well as the results of a credit check, background check, and eviction report. After they’re done, you can revoke access with a single click.
Log in or create an account to set up your own renter profile, and visit Realtor.com® to find a rental you’ll love.
*CreditBoost results may vary by individual.
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Confronted with a global pandemic, social distancing guidelines, and a few months of quarantine, searching for an apartment can seem like a daunting task for prospective renters. However, looking for an apartment regardless of the current circumstances can be relatively easy and feel close to normal by following a few guidelines.
1. Tour Apartments Virtually
A virtual apartment tour is an easy and accessible way to take a look at apartments without having to step foot inside, particularly in the midst of a pandemic.
Some landlords offer 3-D tours of their units on their websites, while some simply take videos walking through the unit. Check with the landlord to see what kind of options they are offering, and if they are open to it, you may be able to suggest a system that you prefer.
Whatever route the landlord you are looking into chooses to take, make sure you do your research and take a look at the options available to you while maintaining open communication.
2. Ask Your Landlord for Online Leases and Rent Payments
In accordance with social distancing measures, signing paperwork up-close and in-person is not recommended. Many landlords have now converted to using online services for signing a lease and paying rent.
If your future landlord is not yet informed of these online applications, you can let them know that various contactless options are available to both landlords and tenants.
3. Ask These Questions
Every apartment building is run differently from the next. In order to ensure you are meeting all of your must-haves, such as an in-unit washer and dryer, parking, or whatever may it be, it’s vital to have a game plan when looking for a new apartment.
As you get ready to schedule a virtual tour of the apartment, draft up a list of essential questions. You might want to ask the landlord for a cumulative list of the costs you are looking at to rent the unit, the general building rules, and anything else that is particular to your living preferences and might affect your apartment choice. If you are lost on what kind of questions to ask, you may benefit from asking friends and family or by researching some online guides.
4. Come Up With a Backup Plan and Be Communicative
Many everyday tasks such as going to the grocery store, meeting friends, and setting up appointments suddenly look a lot different in the midst of a pandemic. Many people find themselves unequipped to handle such an outstanding situation in their everyday lives, much less looking for a new place to live with current COVID-19 restrictions.
Establishing a contingency plan is important to renters if their original plan doesn’t work out during these uncertain times. Ensure solid communication with the landlord of the places you are looking to rent from, as well as with your current landlord. While things may seem uncertain, most people are understanding considering the current state of the world, and having an open and honest conversation with both landlords can help ensure that you have a contingency plan if your plans become more muddled.
5. Lean on Online Resources
Many realtors are ready to help you find a good neighborhood and building via email or phone, and all other interactions can now be done online. Hundreds of people are going through the same unknown circumstances and there are plenty of guides and websites that you can access from the comfort of your current home to help you prepare for a relatively seamless renting experience.
Don’t be afraid to take a deep dive online and take in as much collective information as you can. Most everyone is working in uncharted territory, and compiling information certainly does not hurt.
6. Take a Drive
If you can, take a drive (or a walk) past the apartment you’re looking at. This way, you can get a sense of travel time, what the neighborhood is like, and if the area’s culture is something you can imagine yourself being a part of.
Consider driving by at different times of the day so you can get a feel for traffic flow and safety assurance of the neighborhood. Even if you cannot see the inside of the unit in person, these are all factors that will impact your living experience as well.
7. Get Ready to Negotiate
Considering the current circumstances, many landlords and owners are willing to discuss pricing more openly, especially considering most units are unavailable for tours and it’s more difficult to understand the value of the apartment without seeing it in person.
While the price for rent is usually set, some other minor fees that you can expect under normal circumstances may be more flexible, such as move-in or application fees. Ask your landlord if there is any wiggle room for a discount or deferment of these and other upfront moving costs.
Once you’ve found your new place, make sure you protect your belongings (and get some peace of mind for your extra moving efforts) with affordable renters insurance.
The post 7 Tips for Moving During a Pandemic appeared first on Avail.
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