Moving >

Tips on looking for a rental property.

See also:

• Apartment search and picking tips

• Post-moving guide

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• Some comedy: https://mcmansionhell.com/

Before beginning ∞

Give proper notice before moving.

“One month’s notice” means from the first to the last of the next month. So if you give notice on February 2nd, the month is March. Give notice before the end of the month! You might be required to give it in writing. Make sure it’s delivered and received. Consider having it signed-for or sending it via registered mail so it has to be signed for by the recipient. Some deliveries require a pickup at a post office and check ID.

Don’t count on getting any of your damage deposit back, especially if you have a spoiled relationship.

You need to ensure that you have all the requirements for a new place. If anything is in question, you probably shouldn’t move.

Hiring a moving company can cost a month’s rent or more, so plan ahead! Transporting things yourself is also difficult. Moving bins, and rope (see knots) cost money and require planning.

There are rules about renting a moving truck that you’ll drive yourself, like needing a credit card [ 1 ] and a mature driver. A large vehicle, poor weather, or poor road conditions (like night-time driving) might be intimidating or unsafe. Be sure to understand these nuances before you begin.

Before contacting ∞

The advertisement should either directly answer or have clues for all the questions you may ask. Read it carefully. An ad which is missing information says something about the landlord. Use the ad to judge the landlord.

Looking at the ad can tell you enough for you to completely skip over it.

Questions to ask ∞

Ask questions directly and quickly. This should be a quick to-and-fro conversation which conveys your intelligence. Judge the landlord by the speed and the general way they respond. If they are hesitant about questions, that person has drama or trauma surrounding that topic or is working out how to lie.

People ∞

• Are you the homeowner?

  • Note that if you share a bathroom, kitchen, or entry with a landlord then you might be considered a “guest” and not be subject to government regulations and protected as a “tenant”.
• Why did the previous resident move?

• Are there or have there been any pets in the house? Are pets allowed?

  • Non-furry, cats, dogs, etc.
  • Don’t waste your time visiting a house with a yappy little dog.

• Is smoking allowed? (including incense and pot) If so, where?

  • If smoking is allowed anywhere, be prepared to smell the stuff even the stuff that sticks to the smokers. Open windows will waft the smell in, especially on the ground floor. So if you don’t have central air, and you have your windows open at night, nearby smokers (even neighbours) can really bother you.
  • If you get unlucky, you’ll smell smoke coming from nowhere in particular.

• Are there smokers who live there? Smokers will carry the smell inside with them.

Sound ∞

• Will English be the only language in the house?

  • People who speak in another language have a habit of talking loud or gossip behind someone’s back because they think others don’t understand.
  • If the landlord has an accent, consider not even asking this question. Consider not even moving there.
• Is there an official “quiet time” that everyone adheres to?

• Are there any loud-talkers, people who shout across the house, on the phone, on game voice chats, webcams, etc?

  • Be aware that this is a major sign of extraversion or even narcissism.

• Do people wear shoes in the house?

  • Hard slippers are even worse.
  • This is a major consideration if you’re living downstairs.

• Is there anyone who you’ll share the bathroom with who has excessive body hair?

  • God damn it’s disgusting to have them shed all over the bathroom floor.

• Can people close doors quietly?

  • Many have a tendency to slam the front door in particular.
  • Many doors cannot just be let go and allowed to close.
  • Many doors should have their handle turned and then closed gently before a slow release, to avoid the “click”.

• Are people up, and making noise, late?

  • Are you expected to have extraordinarily-quiet hours?
• Do people idle outside in their car. Does anyone have a stereo they turn on while still in the driveway?
• Does anyone regularly watch TV or movies in the living room?
• Does anyone have guests over?

• Does anyone have a stereo with a subwoofer?

Inside ∞

• Recently renovated?

  • If you’re not talking to the owner, you can be more direct in asking about the condition of the place, what the repairs are like, etc.
• How many bedrooms?
• How many roommates?
• How many bathrooms? Of what size (with a shower?) Shared with how many people?

• Is there a lock on the bedroom door?

  • Even when your roommates are trustworthy, a lock lets you avoid trust issues if you misplace something.
• Is there storage space?

• Will the front door lock be changed?

  • Changing locks for each tenant is important. There are now inexpensively re-keyable locks so the whole lock doesn’t have to be replaced, such as those with the Kwikset line of locks (e.g. the Weiser SmartKey).

Neighbourhood ∞

• Is the mail delivery door-to-door, or is there some sort of combined-mailbox down the block?

  • Make sure you will be given your own key, or that there is always a mailbox key available (e.g. hanging in the house for anyone to use)
  • If you are in an apartment building, and you get mail through a mail slot in your door, you will hear more noise through your door.
• Is there composting?

• When is the green, recycling and garbage pickup? What time of day?

  • Would it disturb you?
• What’s the nearest major intersection?

• Is there a bus route / bus stop nearby?

  • Look it up. Learn the routes and schedules. Are they delayed or circuitous? Are there night bus routes?

• Where is the nearest:

  • Mall
  • Grocery store
  • Convenience store
  • Is there anything 24/7?
  • Place to buy transit tickets.

• Do the neighbours have dogs?

  • Are dogs commonly barking in the neighbourhood?

• Are there any wild animals to be concerned about? (either danger, or noise)

Things to consider having before approaching a rental property ∞

• Past and present references

  • Property managers and possibly roommates.
  • Call those contacts ahead of time so that they won’t be surprised by being contacted.
• Proof of employment or income.

• A rental deposit.

  • Consider having rent and a deposit on you when you visit the place. You may want to make a snap decision and take the place right away.

When looking over a property ∞

Neighbourhood ∞

• Think about wintertime transit. Are there even sidewalks?
• Think about summertime transit. Is there shade?
• What’s the lighting, shade and condition near the bus stops? (both directions)

• Is there lighting on both sides of the street?

  • Consider passing by the place at night to check out the lighting.

• Are there actually dogs in the neighbourhood, or even on the way to and from transit.

  • Landlords may not actually know, or may have lied about dogs.

• Are there any smokers in the area, or to and from transit?

  • The stench carries for a block or more.

The house ∞

• Where are jackets and coats hung?
• Where are wet or muddy boots placed?

• Is there space for extra footwear, umbrellas, hats, scarves and the like?

Storage ∞

• Is there general storage space?
• What humidity is it?
• What temperature is it?

• Is it secure?

Your potential room ∞

• Are the windows nice?

  • Is there good shade from outside, or from blinds?
  • Is the view nice?
  • Is it double-pane?
  • Does it close well?
  • Are they secure? You may want to cut a PVC pipe to jam the window closed.
  • If you need to arrange a window air conditioner, then you might want a window that is suited for that (opens in the right direction, has a heavy windowsill, etc.)

• Closet.

  • Shelves? Enough hanging space?
  • If you hang pants, will they have enough length so they don’t touch a shelf or the floor?

• How many and where are the outlets in your room?

  • Do they show grounds? This doesn’t mean they’re actually grounded – the wiring might be missing or bad. Shitty old houses may do this. If you use a computer, you really need a grounded outlet. If this is really important, bring something that can check for a ground fault. (a power bar, or a specialized device)

• Bring a tape measure and check things out.

  • Can you bring your furniture in easily?
  • Will your furniture fit where you want?

• Which directions do your windows face?

  • East is the morning light, west is the evening. West is warmer.
  • Consider bringing a compass, but you can also take note of the time and where the sun is before you enter the house. A morning or evening visit makes life easier.

• Look at the windows and doors to determine if they’d block insulate well against heat/cold and noise.

  • Do they open? Are there screens?

Bathroom ∞

• Are there enough outlets?
• Where would you hang your towel?
• Is the mirror a decent height?
• Is there enough storage for your stuff?
• Is the shower in good condition?
• Judge its cleanliness, this speaks to the quality of any roommates sharing it as well as to the landlord (who should have cleaned it).

• Is there a decent fan?

Apartment-specific ∞

• What is security like?
• If you are near an elevator or entrance you will get more noise. The first floor will get more noise from people passing through the halls than the upstairs floors.
• Make sure the apartment is in good repair before you consider moving in. A lot of maintenance people are incompetent and the super will lie about time lines or quality. Do not trust them.. only go after an apartment which has been completed. Do not give a damage deposit or even the first month’s rent until the repairs are done! Do not move in until the repairs are done!

• Are there good, large, elevators?

  • Consider your furniture.
• Are there inside-apartment laundry facilities? Check them out.

• If the laundry facilities are elsewhere in the building

  • Are they coin laundry or cards?
  • Are there hours of operation?
  • Will you have to stay there and keep an eye on your laundry?
  • Examine the facilities and determine if you would want to do your laundry there. Are the machines in good order?

Talk with the head / property manager ∞

• Is the manager on-site?
• Are there any house rules?
• How are grievances handled?

• Discuss your issues and ideas for improving the place.

  • Does anything need to be fixed before you move in?
  • Can you hang things?
  • Are you allowed to paint or make other more significant adjustments like put up shelves?

• How is internet access arranged?

  • Any internet provider, or only one in particular?
  • Only a certain cable television provider? For example, there are buildings with an exclusive arrangement with Rogers, Shaw, AT&T, etc.

Talk with another resident ∞

• What’s the noise in the building/neighbourhood like? (pets, parties, traffic, etc.)
• Is the building cold in the wintertime or hot in the summertime?
• How have they found the maintenance of the place? (is everything in good repair, is there good turnaround on fixing problems?)
• How have they found the landlord/superintendent/security/other staff?

• Have they had any grievances? How have they been settled?

Before signing anything ∞

• Read over the document and any house rules in their entirety. Do you agree with their letter and spirit?
• If there’s anything promised, like “rent all inclusive” or the like, make sure it’s documented.
• Compare the original advertisement with the document.
• Documents should be continuous, or every page needs to be initialed by every party.

• You should get an original copy with penned signatures and initials and not a photocopy or digital copy.

House Rules ∞

“House Rules” are the rules by which all people living in a household agree to. They are created by the primary tenant, landlord or superintendent. Sometimes these rules are negotiable and are created by agreement of all participants, other times they are set down “as law” and agreed to in contractual form. Some regions have government regulations in place.

For example:

• Cleaning public spaces

  • Or running/emptying the dishwasher at a certain time.

• Laundry schedule

  • (so you don’t conflict with others)

• Yard-work

  • Raking, mowing, clearing snow, gardening, etc.

• Taking out the trash, recycling, composting, etc.

Post-moving ∞

See Post-moving guide.

Footnotes

1. A “pay as you go” or balance carrying credit card-like card may not be accepted for renting a vehicle. [ ↩ ]