Renting A Furnished Apartment? Be Sure To Ask These Questions Before Signing A Lease Or Rental Agreement.

The best way to avoid any nasty surprises when leasing or renting an apartment is to ask plenty of questions about its amenities and what is or isn’t included in the monthly fee. Just remember, a reputable landlord, property manager, or rental property owner will not hesitate to answer your questions honestly and without hesitation. Here are several questions you should always ask:

What furniture is included in the lease or rental? It’s not uncommon for lease or rental properties to be listed as furnished. However, the reality, in many cases, is that their definition of “furnished” will be considerably different from yours. The definition is oftentimes a very loose one and may mean that a couch, a pair of uncomfortable chairs, and a dining set is all that is furnished. Furthermore, that furniture may just be there for show and will be gone when you start moving in.

What accessories are included? Some apartments may come with a clothes iron, a minimum amount of cookware and silverware, and a vacuum cleaner while others may not. Regardless, asking this question will help you determine what you’ll need to buy before moving in.

What utilities are included? Knowing what utilities, you’re responsible for will help you budget your finances. Some apartment leases or rentals include all utilities (i.e. electric, gas, sewer, trash, and water) while others may not include electric and gas. It just depends on the neighborhood and what the average lease or rental property includes.

What other move-in fees are required? In some instances, there may be an additional security deposit required to cover the costs of repairing or replacing any fixtures or other furnishings that get broken or damaged while you’re living in the apartment. However, inquiring about the security deposit could be a way to start negotiating based on your ability to prove that you’ll be an honest and trustworthy tenant.

Keep in mind that the need for additional furnishings or furniture does not have to be a deal-breaker. You can avoid a lot of unnecessary expense by renting the items you need temporarily until you can financially afford to purchase your own. Some of the benefits of doing this include not investing a lot of money and only using Rental Furniture in Toronto for a short period of time. Plus, when it’s time to move or purchase your own furnishings, the rental center will come and pick up what you rented from them. That is why instead of getting a truck to haul away your furniture, you can just drive away and rent new furniture.