Questions to Ask Your Landlord

Questions to Ask Your Landlord

Questions to Ask Your Landlord

Renting a property is a substantial financial commitment.  Here are some questions you may want to ask your landlord before you go through and sign the lease. 

Remember that you should absolutely NOT sign a lease or pay a security deposit until you are sure you want to rent that unit.  A lease is a legally-binding document that governs the relationship between you & your landlord.  You are ultimately responsible for reading & understanding the full text of this document.

There are a ton of quetions, and some of these questions won't apply to every single kind of rental property or unit.  Additionally, some of these questions will be answered by your lease agreement, which you should read in full before signing in order to make sure the terms in the agreement are the same as what was discussed beforehand.  If you don’t understand any part of the lease, ask questions or take the agreement to a legal professional to look over before signing.

General Info & Rent
  • What’s the contact information for your landlord? How does your landlord wish to be contacted?
  • When is rent due? Is there a grace period?
  • How is rent structured? Is there one flat price for the entire residence, or does each person pay separately?
  • If my roommate fails to pay rent, am I liable in any way?
  • What are the late fees? When do they take effect?
  • How should I pay rent? Credit card, check, electronic payments?
  • Are there any utilities included in the rent?
  • Do I need to set up my own utility services? Electric, gas, cable, internet?
  • Are utilities charged to individual apartments or averaged out among residents?
  • How long have you been in business? Do you manage other properties?
  • Are there any move-in specials or discounts on rent?
  • Do I get reduced rent if I refer a friend to you?
  • Importantly: does the text of the lease that you’re signing back up the things that your landlord is saying?
Maintenance Issues
  • How are maintenance concerns handled? Is there a maintenance staff or do maintenance concerns fall solely on the property manager?
  • How do I file a request for maintenance services?
  • How would the landlord/property manager like to be notified of maintenance concerns?
  • How long does it usually take for services to be completed?
  • What are your most common maintenance requests? Are there any ongoing maintenance concerns?
  • When is the last time the unit that I’m looking at was updated or remodeled?
  • What modifications do you make to units between different tenants?
  • How do you handle pest/bug control? What are your most common pests?
  • Can I be there for the pre-move in inspection? When will that inspection take place?
  • What is the best way I can ensure that I get my security deposit back at the end of my lease?
  • What common mistakes does everyone else make that I should avoid?
Property Maintenance
  • Is smoking allowed in this residence?
  • What are Glassboro’s rules surrounding property management like mowing the lawn, shoveling snow, or fall foliage removal?
  • Is that something I’m responsible for, or will the property manager take care of that?
  • If I’m responsible for that, are the tools provided at the residence (lawn mower, hedge clippers, shovel, rakes, weed whacker, etc)?
  • When does Glassboro pick up trash and recycling each week?
  • Is there a limit per week for trash pick up?
  • What are the rules for large item trash pick up?
  • Is there anything I should keep in mind for maintaining any of the appliances in the apartment?
Safety Concerns
  • How safe does this residence seem to me?
  • Has this residence had any break-ins in the past year?  How did you address them?
  • What was the most common safety complaint from prior residents?
  • Do the windows lock?  Are the windows barred?
  • Does the door have a deadbolt?  Would I be able to install one?
  • How can I verify that you’ve changed the locks between residents?
  • Will the property manager ever enter this residence without giving prior notice?
Parking
  • What’s the parking situation for this unit?  Do I need a parking pass?
  • Do the residents have assigned spots?  Is there any covered parking available?
  • Are car break-ins or thefts a problem here?
  • If I have a guest, can they park at this residence?
  • Can my guests park on the street?
Community Life
  • What types of people live in the complex or neighborhood?
  • Does management organize any community events?
  • What facilities are offered (pool, gym, business center)?
  • What are the hours for those facilities?
  • Do I need passes to use those facilities?
  • Can my guests use those facilities?
  • How often do you update those facilities?
  • Is there a community bulletin board or other way for residents to communicate?
  • How can I report problems with another resident?  How do you handle such issues?
  • What is the most common complaint by residents about other residents?
  • Are there many children in the complex or the neighborhood?
For a printable PDF copy of these questions, click here.