by Rachelle de Bretagne

Created on: October 14, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

estimonies: Renting my first apartment

Renting a first apartment is exciting. It means moving away from home and grabbing independence and is a time when youngsters are more inclined to leap before they look, thinking with their heart as opposed to their head. My first apartment was a disaster for these very reasons, and the aspects of a new home that need to be approached to avoid those disasters are these:

*What will it really cost ?
*Who pays which charges ?
*What are the rules imposed by the landlord ?
*Who has access to your private accommodation ?
*Who does repairs ?
*Can a tenant decorate ?
*How much deposit is needed and how much is kept if the apartment needs repairs ?

WHAT WILL IT REALLY COST ?

I wasn't prepared for the reality of what an apartment actually costs. I was naive and loved the fact that I had my own space. Little did I realize that the cost of the apartment was more than just rent. There were all the trappings of civilization to pay for as well, such as Internet connections, phone bills, electricity, heating, etc., and I had already chosen an apartment that stretched my budget because I loved the layout and was drawn into deciding without information to back up my decisions.

WHO PAYS WHICH CHARGES ?

Apartments usually share common areas and this involves the payment by each tenant of their share of community charges. It is important to establish who pays this and what it amounts to. It is also important to know which services are included in the rental price and which are not. Here, I was shocked because I started to live in an apartment on the year they planned to replace the roof, and the amount of communal charges wasn't split into yearly amounts, but was actually based on costs for that particular year. It's a frightening prospect being landed with a bill that was not anticipated.

WHAT ARE THE RULES ?

Different landlords have different rules. In my first apartment, the apartment block was for girls and the landlord had strict rules about male visitors after a certain hour of day. Knowing these rules can help you make wise decisions as to whether the apartment suits you. Caught with visitors after hours, I was embarrassed even though I had done nothing to be ashamed of. The rules imposed are there for a reason and while they may not suit you, you will be expected to adhere to them.

WHO HAS ACCESS TO YOUR ACCOMMODATION ?

Here, this matters. If an emergency repair has to be fulfilled chances are that the landlord will want access though in your agreement

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