Viewing an Apartment

Once you find apartments to view, there are important questions you should be ready to ask and certain situations to keep in mind. It also never hurts to do some research on the landlord or management company you’re interested in renting from before signing a lease!

LEASES

Most rental leases are at least 12 months long. If you don’t need an apartment for 12 months, you should either consider living on campus at Columbia or prepare to talk down the lease term length with the landlord. Read over the lease very carefully, as they typically contain many different rules and regulations. If you do not understand any of the lease’s stipulations, ask about it. If you’re still not sure, ask if you can sleep on it for the night—but, know that the landlord does have the right to lease the apartment to another renter during your thinking-it-over time. Contact your current landlord, parents, a real estate professional, or someone who deals with contracts and ask for their guidance on the denser parts in the lease. It’s always best to know exactly what your responsibilities are before moving into a new place.

Make sure you get any agreements between you and your landlord in writing. To protect yourself, inspect the apartment with the landlord prior to moving in to check for damage and have this list of damages added to your lease. This way you both acknowledge that these problems existed before you moved in, and you are not responsible for them. Ask about who will be financially responsible for making repairs, painting, re-decorating, or other improvements, and make sure to get it in writing if it’s not already in the lease.

UTILITIES

When looking for an apartment, payment of all utilities is the responsibility of the person renting the apartment, unless otherwise stated. These bills can add up and make a difference in the affordability of an apartment. It is important that you know the estimated cost ranges of these bills before signing the lease. Local utility companies should be able to provide you with an estimate of how much the bills run for a particular apartment. Most apartments include water, garbage pickup, and appliances at no additional cost to the renter.